Dakota Apartments
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Why it's listed
Completed in 1884 at 1 West 72nd Street, the Dakota is a large apartment house facing the northern end of Central Park in Manhattan. Architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed it for Edward S. Clark, heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, who helped start development of the Upper West Side. It rises seven stories above a basement, with two more stories under a steep slate roof crowded with gables, dormers, oriels and domed bay windows. Walls are yellow brick over a sandstone base, with load-bearing masonry and thick concrete floors that make the building unusually quiet. Its eight original hydraulic elevators still operate, though with new cabs. Clark's colleagues teased that building so far uptown was like building in Dakota territory, which gave the building its name. It was listed as one of the earliest and finest apartment houses in the country, and it remains largely unchanged since the 1880s, apart from the loss of its original gardens and tennis and croquet courts.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the earliest and most distinguished apartment houses in the United States. Its richly varied roofline makes it a prime example of late 19th century picturesque eclecticism with a German Renaissance flavor. It has been remarkably well maintained and never extensively remodeled, so it looks much as it did in the 1880s.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000869, listed April 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 W. 72nd St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | April 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000869 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (completed 1884) |
| Architect / builder | Henry Janeway Hardenbergh (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th century picturesque eclecticism with German Renaissance flavor |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 8, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, and in use as an apartment building; altered only slightly, with the original grounds, gardens and courts no longer extant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Central Park West Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.77678, -73.97615 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000869.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q829806
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.