Shocking Upgrade: Zohran Mamdani Moves From Queens to Gracie Mansion
Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, and his wife Rama Duwaji began moving into the official mayoral residence on Monday, leaving behind their one bedroom apartment in Queens for a fully staffed mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Zohran Mamdani Moves
As staff carried boxes filled with houseplants and rolled up carpets, Mamdani marked the moment with a press conference on the lawn of Gracie Mansion, the stately riverfront home that has served as the city’s mayoral residence since 1942.
“Today, Rama and I feel lucky to take part in a ritual that so many New Yorkers experience at meaningful moments in their lives, beginning a new chapter by moving to a different part of the city we call home,” Mamdani said.
The custard colored 18th century mansion has housed nearly every mayor for more than eight decades, at least on occasion. For Mamdani, the contrast with his previous living situation is stark. Until now, he lived in a $2,300 a month apartment that lacked a washer and dryer and was prone to flooding caused by a burst pipe.
Gracie Mansion offers roughly 11,000 square feet of space, complete with a private chef, an ornate ballroom and a veranda overlooking the East River. The house also contains the fireplace beside which Alexander Hamilton died after his duel with Aaron Burr. Former mayor Eric Adams has also said the residence may be home to at least one ghost.
At 34, Mamdani acknowledged that the move could appear to clash with his promise to lead a government that reflects the lives of ordinary New Yorkers. He said the decision was driven partly by increased security requirements that come with the office.
Once settled, Mamdani said he intends to open the mansion to New Yorkers who rarely get the chance to visit such a place. He added that one personal upgrade he hopes to make is installing bidets in the bathrooms.
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Mamdani spent much of his childhood on the opposite side of Central Park, living in a Manhattan apartment subsidized by Columbia University, where his father is a professor. During his time in the New York State Legislature, he lived in Astoria, Queens, a diverse neighborhood sometimes dubbed the People’s Republic of Astoria for its record of electing left wing politicians, including Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
Before leaving Astoria, Mamdani said he would miss the neighborhood’s energy, from late night Adeni chai to conversations in Spanish, Arabic and many other languages, along with the aromas of seafood and shawarma drifting down the block.
His new Upper East Side surroundings offer a different atmosphere. The neighborhood is among the city’s wealthiest and is nearly three quarters white. While Mamdani won Astoria by a wide margin in the mayoral election, his opponent, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, carried the Upper East Side by double digits.
Nearby, longtime resident Zoe Cuddy, a neuropsychologist walking her cockapoo in a park next to the mansion, said she hoped the mayor would grow to appreciate what she described as the quiet, almost suburban feel of the area.
“I think we’ll grow to be happy to have him here,” she said.
