When New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office in January, he and his spouse, Rama Duwaji, will leave behind their modest rent-stabilised apartment in Astoria for the most politically symbolic home in the city — Gracie Mansion.
Gracie Mansion is one of New York’s oldest surviving wooden structures.
Mamdani announced the relocation in an Instagram post on Monday, sharing a photograph of a small-scale version of the residence displayed at the New York Botanical Garden.
“Went to the NY Botanical Garden’s train show last week, and saw our new home!” he wrote, adding that “My wife Rama and I have made the decision to move into Gracie Mansion in January.”
His decision, according to the same post, stems from both security considerations and the need to maintain complete attention on the policy priorities he campaigned on.
Mamdani —
who won the mayoralty after centering affordability and housing stability in his platform — pointed this out by saying he aims to devote “all of my focus on enacting the affordability agenda New Yorkers voted for.”
Andrew Cuomo,
Mamdani’s opponent, argued that Mamdani should not have remained in a regulated unit while earning a legislative salary — despite Cuomo himself once occupying a similar unit, as The New York Times noted.
“We will miss much about our home in Astoria. Cooking dinner side by side in our kitchen, sharing a sleepy elevator ride with our neighbors in the evening, hearing music and laughter vibrate through the walls of the apartment. To Astoria: thank you for showing us the best of New York City,” stated Mamdani.
How an 18th century retreat became a city asset
Gracie Mansion was constructed in 1799 by Archibald Gracie, a prosperous merchant whose business ties extended internationally, including frequent travel to France.
He selected a tranquil bend along the East River — then a considerable distance from the population centre of New York — as the setting for a picturesque wooden home surrounded by natural scenery.
The region, which today forms part of the Upper East Side, was far removed from the bustling commercial zones that defined the city’s growth at the time.
Gracie’s fortunes changed during the War of 1812. Economic losses stemming from the conflict eventually forced him to sell the house in 1823.
Over the following decades, the structure changed hands repeatedly, gradually accumulating a varied and sometimes unlikely set of uses.
In 1896, the City of New York acquired the property, incorporating the surrounding acreage into what would later be renamed Carl Schurz Park in 1910.
Once under municipal control, the mansion was repurposed in several unconventional ways. At one point, it served as a concession facility for park visitors; at another, it functioned as a set of restrooms.
The building’s early life as a public amenity likely explains why substantial restoration work was eventually required to preserve its historical character.
Despite these temporary uses, the structure endured and emerged as an evocative reminder of New York’s post-Revolutionary architectural landscape.
Its next major transformation occurred when it became the first home of the Museum of the City of New York.
For a period, the institution operated within the mansion’s rooms, using the riverside building as a base while planning a move to a permanent Fifth Avenue address.
When the museum eventually relocated, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses saw a new purpose for the property. Known for reshaping New York’s urban environment, Moses lobbied to repurpose Gracie Mansion as the official residence of the city’s chief executive.
His campaign succeeded.
In 1942, NYC mayor Fiorello H La Guardia and his family moved in. Their decision was influenced partly by national security concerns linked to World War II.
This move formally launched the building’s modern role as the home of New York’s top elected leader — a tradition embraced by most, though not all, of its successors.
How every NYC mayor gave their own touch to Gracie Mansion
As a mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion underwent numerous changes under different NYC mayors.
In the mid-1960s, mayor Robert F Wagner Jr, who served from 1954 to 1965, sought to increase privacy and operational space within the home.
He initiated a major expansion of the structure, adding a substantial extension that would later be known as the Susan E Wagner Wing, in honour of his wife.
She personally oversaw design elements, including selections of fabrics, décor, and other aesthetic features. She passed away in 1964 before the addition’s completion in 1966.
The wing included a ballroom and reception areas, spaces that continue to host events, press gatherings, and civic ceremonies. These rooms also provided the mayoral family with additional private areas separated from the historically sensitive sections of the original home.
By the end of the 1970s, decades of wear, environmental exposure, and practical use had taken their toll. Much of the building’s historical detailing and interior character had diminished or disappeared.
In 1981, mayor Edward I Koch, together with Joan K Davidson, established the Gracie Mansion Conservancy, a public-private partnership designed to oversee a full restoration.
Between 1981 and 1984, the conservancy undertook major renovation efforts.
Artworks, decorative pieces, and historically appropriate furnishings were incorporated, often borrowed from cultural organisations across New York.
A structural link between the original 18th-century house and the newer Wagner Wing was completed as part of this overhaul.
In 2002, another extensive renovation was carried out under the direction of mayor Michael Bloomberg. This period of work renewed interior and exterior surfaces and widened access for municipal agencies and the public.
Unlike some previous mayors, Bloomberg did not reside at Gracie Mansion, choosing instead to stay in his private Upper East Side townhouse. Because he did not use the mansion as a personal residence, he frequently opened the space for events and tours.
During Bill de Blasio’s mayoralty, which began in 2014, the administration introduced curated exhibitions that spotlighted the residence’s identity as a civic institution belonging to all New Yorkers.
Themes often centred on diversity, public history, and social narratives, aligning with the idea of the structure as the “People’s House,” a phrase often used in connection with the building.
La Guardia himself famously described it as New York’s “little White House.”
What’s inside the Gracie Mansion
Gracie Mansion sits at the corner of East 88th Street and East End Avenue, facing the East River and bordered by the landscaped grounds of Carl Schurz Park.
The house is a distinctive yellow structure with white trim, built in the style of a late-18th-century country residence. Today, it spans over 10,000 square feet and contains a mix of historically preserved rooms and modern functional spaces.
Visitors today can explore the mansion through group tours offered on Mondays, reportedly priced at $10.
One of the residence’s most iconic rooms is the library, distinguished by its monochromatic teal design. Walls, carpets, and furniture share a bold shade, creating a visually unified interior space.
Among the items displayed are figurines of George Washington, symbolic of the home’s longstanding connection to the nation’s founding era.
A tradition among families living in the mansion has been for children to leave their marks somewhere within the home.
Former mayor Rudy Giuliani’s daughter carved her name, “Caroline,” into the library window — a detail that remains visible.
On the mantel sits the 2014 sculpture Raise Up by Hank Willis Thomas, described by the Gracie Mansion Conservancy as reflecting “the American legacy of slavery and lynching as well as today’s mass incarceration.”
The dining room is known for its intricate Zuber et Cie wallpaper dating to the 1820s.
Installed during the Koch administration, the wallpaper depicts a stylised garden landscape and was chosen to echo patterns that might have been present during Gracie’s time.
The ballroom, part of the Wagner Wing, features pale blue colouring accented by white crown moulding. It is often used for mayoral press conferences and receptions.
Among the standout features is a gold convex mirror topped with a bald eagle figure — added during Bloomberg’s tenure.
Most notably, the fireplace mantle originates from the property where Alexander Hamilton died in 1804, after being mortally wounded in his duel with Aaron Burr. It was installed as a focal point of the room in 1966.
Another room contains a bookcase once owned by a military officer from the Revolutionary War period. Several other pieces of furniture — including a circular mahogany table and accompanying chairs — belonged to descendants of Archibald Gracie.
In a smaller interior room, a vintage telephone sits beside a notepad, a decorative dish, and a lamp.
The foyer, adorned with tan-and-white striped wallpaper and painted faux-marble floors, includes a central compass rose motif. A chandelier hangs overhead, and a grandfather clock installed in 1942 continues to keep time.
Near the foyer sits the yellow parlour, where a cannonball discovered at the site is displayed on the mantel.
The artifact links the property to the destruction of Loyalist Jacob Walton’s home, which once stood on the land before being destroyed by cannon fire in 1776 during the Revolutionary War.
Interestingly, Archibald Gracie was reportedly part of the same social sphere as Alexander Hamilton.
In 1801, Hamilton held a fundraising meeting inside the mansion to generate money for the creation of the New-York Evening Post, now known as the New York Post.
What Mamdani’s move into Gracie Mansion means
Today, Gracie Mansion is owned by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and managed by the Gracie Mansion Conservancy. It is also part of the Historic House Trust.
Its five bedrooms, large entertaining spaces, and vantage point over the East River give it a distinctive presence in New York’s political landscape.
Gracie Mansion looking its best for the holiday season. pic.twitter.com/MM8nbqPW7D
— Benny Polatseck (@BPolatseck) December 3, 2025
Despite its size and prominence, the house retains elements of a simpler era, visible in its wooden structure, preserved detailing, and centuries-old artifacts.
For Mamdani, who has lived in Queens for years and represented Astoria during his time in the State Assembly, the shift
from a one-bedroom apartment to a historic estate marks a sharp change in daily life.
Yet he has framed the move as a way to better serve his constituents.
Nevertheless, his upcoming move into the mansion marks a new chapter in the ongoing story of a building that has weathered wars, political shifts and cultural reinvention.
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With inputs from agencies
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