Has anyone here ever visited the Dakota?

Awesome stories you'll have. Last year my wife and I took a trip to NY to see some friends and hang out a bit. One evening we went for a nice walk thru the park and came out across the street from the Dakota. We found a bench and sat looking at the building for nearly an hour. It was strange because my wife is not usually the type to engage in conversations about music, but we had this wonderful talk about John and the Beatles. Drinking coffee and looking at the beatiful building. It was nice. I could not help but think that John and Yoko had sat on that same bench looking at their home. It made me happy and a little sad.

 

1994, even saw Yoko and Sean get into a taxi and she looked at me for 1 second. It just happened all within 2 minutes.

The more creepy thing I remember is going up the World Trade Center to the very top that same day --- and then of course, 7 years later...9/11

 

My wife and I did last year around July 4th. We spent one day cruising Central Park and hung out at Strawberry Fields for a while. We then walked across the street to the Dakota where a family was taking a picture in front of the doorway where he was shot. It was weird, they were all smiles for the photo like "here's us where John Lennon was shot an killed". F'in tourists. Anyway, it wasn't a spiritual or mystical experience, it was just a doorway.

 

had a chance back in '84 to visit the site. talked myself out of it. for me personally i felt that i did not want to be reminded of his death, nor the disturbed person who chose to take out john at this place.

instead my friends and i went back to our hotel and played beatles albums all night.

immensly more satisfying, in a life reaffirming sort of way.


btw, my oldest daughter has visited the hotel. her and her friends cried about it that whole weekend.

 

I have been there two times. The first time was early January 1981. Things had calmed down by then and the large crowds were gone, but there was a distinct aura of tragedy. When I first came out of the subway, I immediately recognized that I was at the corner location of the photo shown on the rear cover of Double Fantasy. For some reason I noticed the trashcan on the corner next to the utility pole was the same one also in the picture on the album cover. I walked up to the entrance and said hello to the doorman - he was very nice to me. He spoke with me for a while and pointed out the spots where Chapman and John were when it happened. The spot where John was shot is loctated down the entrance archway/tunnel on the right side near the steps to the vestibule and is not accessable to passers-by. I also took notice of a large copper plaque on the front of the building that the identified the Dakota as a historical building.

I went there again in June 1994. I felt sadness remembering what had happened there, but the general aura was a business as usual kind of feeling. Said hello to the doorman, but this one was nothing like the one from 1981. He didn't speak or acknowledge the greeting. I noticed that the brass historical plaque was missing from the front wall. I asked the doorman what happened to the plaque and he grumbled something about he didn't know what I was talking about. I then headed across the street to see Strawberry Field. While waiting to cross 72nd street, I noticed the original trashcan from the album cover was gone. I wondered if someone stole it or if it was reclaimed by city maintenance. I imagine if someone took the can that it would probably have been on ebay by now.

 

John and Yoko bought their apartment from the estate of Robert Ryan.

 

I have not been there (nor to New York at all), but I would like some day to see the site of the Dakota as well as Strawberry Fields. After all -- the Dakota was not just where Lennon was killed -- it also was where he lived.

I don't mean to threadcrap, but the remarks a couple of posts above piqued my curiosity about this: the doorman who was there the night of the incident was Jose Perdomo (according to all the stuff I've read). I've noticed that as far as I know, he hasn't been interviewed in documentaries, books, etc., at least not in recent years. Anyone know what became of Jose? (Any time I have looked his name up on line, all I find is -- well, I'm not even gonna say, I'm sure some folks here know what I mean.)

It is still sometimes hard to believe it really happened. Maybe -- as some other folks have said -- being there might "bring home" the reality.

 

Same story as many others here. Was in NYC two years ago and went to Strawberry Fields and was amazed to see how many people were there in the middle of a work day, paying respects. Realized the Dakota was nearby and figured I'd look. Walked past the murder site on the opposite side of the street, just felt too morbid to get closer. Still, it's a piece of history, like Ground Zero or Abbey Road itself (another place I walked past last year for the first time).

 

Was there a couple of years ago. Went for a visit to the Guggenheim Museum and afterwards took a stroll across the park over to the Upper West Side and down to the Dakota. Strawberry Fields is like a shrine, I guess it would be a pretty rare day when there isn't some sort of floral tribute adorning the pavement.

 

In the summer of 1980 I had a penfriend who lived in New York. He came over to visit England and we spent a day going around Liverpool with me showing him the Beatles sites. We decided that the following summer I would go over and stay with him for a few days and do the same in New York. By then though, I no longer had any desire to go and still haven't been.

 

Went there last week on a visit to NYC. Must say I felt great emotion while I sort of tried to reenact the terrible tragedy in my mind. Could only stand there for 30 seconds before I had to leave. Not sure how I thought I might respond to seeing the place where one of my heroes lost his life, but I will say that it's a feeling I don't need to have again. The next day as my son and I ran through Central Park we saw Yoko walking not far from the Dakota. I have now had two Beatle related run-ins while running. McCartney in London, and the wife of a Beatle in Yoko.

 

This may help with your trip, discard any other info you read about the Double Fantasy studio's, the addresses i have are correct and i've confirmed by visiting the locations in 2005 and comparing photo evidence ..

Hi,

Follow the link below for the correct Hit Factory address where Double Fantasy was recorded ..

http://beatlephoto.blogspot.com/2005_10_02_archive.html

Also for my trip to NY in 2005 i done a ton of research for obscure Beatle/solo studio locations etc plus some other places i was interested in, i've listed them below ..

* Sam Ash music: 160 West 48th Street (John apparently had his guitars worked on here .. go in and ask perhaps)

• Manny’s music: 156 West 48th Street (John apparently had his guitars worked on here .. go in and ask perhaps)

• Belvedere Hotel: 319 West 48th Street ( Just off 8th Avenue ) seen in Double fantasy era photosl, no real link .. just used as reference as John is with this building in photo's outside the Hit Factory.

• Hit Factory: ( 353 ) West 48th St ( Near Belvedere Hotel ) 6th floor (Double fantasy studio) the outside looked the same in 2005, but i believe it's now appartments.

• Record Plant: 321 W. 44th St (Where John spent his last evening mixing 'Thin ice')

• 105 Bank Street ( First apartment )

• The Dakota 72nd st

• Café La Fortuna ( 69 West 71st St ) No longer in existance.

• Chemist on Columbus avenue between 71st and 72nd st (Used by John, has photo in front window)

• James Deans apartment ( 19 West 68th st – 5th floor )

• The Factory ( Warhol ) 33 Union Square West

• Jackie O’s apartment ( 1040 5th avenue )

• Roosevelt Hospital: 1000 10th Avenue

• Shea Stadium

• MPL: 39 West 54th Street

• “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” Columbia studio B 49 East 52nd Street (This is close to MPL)

• Ram Studio A&R Recorders: A1 penthouse at 799 7th Ave. ( also ‘Hard times are over’ vocals probably recorded here.) I think this site is now a hotel.

• Museum of Television & Radio, at 25 W. 52nd

Hope some of that helps, and i wish i were there with you

Greg xoxo

 

Hi,

One more thing ..

When i visited the Dakota in 2005 when i stood at the front gate yes i did aknowledge the tragedy in my thoughts, but only for a second .. mostly i was overcome with thoughts of all the happy times and photo's i have i John walking in and out of the Dakota, on his way to record and socially, i thought about how just a few floors up from where i was standing was the place where John wrote and demo'd a lot of those beautiful songs i love so much on Double Fantasy, so i suppose it depends on what you choose to dwell on. I did have my photograph taken there, but again it was to show and remember all the great photo's of John i have standing out the front with fans etc, again i suppose you can choose to equate that spot with the horror that happened there, or the many good times.

Greg xoxo

 

I've been by the front of the Dakota a number of times on visits to New York and generally it's a happy feeling, though tinged with a little sadness. Overall I choose to focus on remembering the way John "adopted" New York - how much he loved it there - and vice versa.