The Dakota: Counting Rooms or Counting Kennedys? Unveiling the Mystery of NYC's Most Star-Studded Apartment Block
Ah, the Dakota. The Upper West Side's crown jewel, a historic landmark, and a building with more secrets than a celebrity memoir. But for us average folk, one question burns brightest: just how many apartments are there in this majestic pile of bricks?
Hold on to your fedoras, folks, because this gets weirder than a John Lennon singalong in Central Park.
From Humble Beginnings to A-List Oasis: A Dakota Unit Headcount through History
Back in 1884, when the Dakota first reared its terracotta head, it boasted a cool 65 fancy-dancy suites. Think marble floors, mahogany trim, and enough electric lights to make your neighbors jealous (this was a big deal back then). But here's the kicker: these weren't your standard shoebox studios. These were sprawling multi-room affairs, ranging from a cozy 4-bedroom to a downright palatial 20-room spread.
Fast forward to today, and things get a touch more...ambiguous. Some sources claim there are 94 units, while others swear blind on 93. Now, is this a case of a Dakota resident losing track of their sprawling apartment after one too many cocktails with Cher? Perhaps it's a cunning ploy to keep out the riffraff (because apparently knowing the exact number of units is the key to getting past the doorman).
What we do know for sure is this: space in this building is about as common as a smile on a New York cab driver. Celebrities from Judy Garland to Lauren Bacall have called it home, and with apartments rumoured to fetch tens of millions of dollars, it's safe to say these units aren't exactly gathering dust.
So, How Many Units Are There, Really?
Here's the truth: it depends on who you ask. Maybe there's a secret room filled with antique sewing machines (a nod to the building's founder, a sewing machine magnate, no less), or perhaps a hidden apartment where Yoko Ono practices her avant-garde yodeling.
The point is, the mystery is part of the Dakota's charm. It's a building that thrives on intrigue, a place where whispers of Truman Capote's social gatherings and John Lennon's tragic demise mingle in the grand hallways.
So, the next time you find yourself gawking at the Dakota's ornate facade, remember: the real story lies within those walls, and the number of units? Well, that's just another brick in the wall, another facet of the Dakota's enduring mystique.
