2. The Dakota
In the opening of “Only Murders in the Building”, Charles (played by Steve Martin) walks with the backdrop of Central Park. We also see him next to The Dakota, another famous Upper West Side apartment building, when a fan stops him. You see the beautiful ironwork ornaments on the exterior of The Dakota, the globes of the subway station on 72nd Street and Central Park West, and then the facade itself. The scene sets the stage for Charles’ character — he was once a star on a famous crime television show called “Brazzos” a long time ago but even fans are not too interested in taking photographs with him.
The Dakota may be most infamous for being the scene of John Lennon’s murder but the building has an illustrious history beginning from its creation by the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company as one of the earliest apartment buildings on the Upper West Side.