Central Park West- West 73rd-74th Street Historic District

Originally part of a farm owned by Richard Somerindyck, the land in this district was subdivided into plots in 1835. However, actual construction did not begin for almost fifty years, when from 1877 to 1881, Singer Manufacturing Company president Edward Clark bought almost the entire block. At that time, the area was predominantly rural, especially when compared to the heavily populated east side. Gas and water systems were underdeveloped, and many cross streets remained unopened. The extension of the Ninth Avenue Elevated Railroad in 1879 brought more interest to the area and increased land values. A year later, construction began on the Dakota. Called “Clark's Folly” at the time, because it was a luxury apartment built in an undesirable location, the Dakota became the center of a residential community. The Clark family architect, Henry J. Hardenbergh, designed the Dakota, as well as the row of houses on West 73rd Street.

The houses along West 73rd and 74th Street display a variety of styles: German Renaissance, Georgian Revival, and Beaux-Arts. Restrictive covenants specified the setbacks and the heights of the structures, resulting in a graceful achievement in community planning. The Langham, at 135 Central Park West, a massive Beaux-Arts building of 1904-07, was one of the earliest luxury apartments on Central Park West. The San Remo, the first of New York's twin-towered apartment blocks, and the Majestic complete the iconic Central Park West skyline.©2014