NEW YORK—It has been 12 years since Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side has had a resident, with current Mayor Michael Bloomberg choosing to live in his posh residence nearby. But this year’s mayoral election has provided an opportunity for a new tenant.
The spacious 214-year-old building is the official residence for the city’s mayor. De Blasio won the right to live there after defeating Republican Joe Lhota in Tuesday night’s election.
The mayor-elect had warmed to the idea, but was not ready to commit to move from his Park Slope residence without his family’s support.
“I am still reticent because the family has not spoken,” de Blasio said at a press conference Wednesday.
“As you may have noted, there are four strong personalities in the family, one of whom, Mr. Dante de Blasio, has strong feelings about proximity to his high school,” de Blasio said with a smile. Dante, whose giant Afro won him celebrity status after appearing in a campaign ad, attends Brooklyn Tech High School.
The prestigious high school is a short car ride from the de Blasio home, but would be a much longer train ride from Gracie Mansion.
“We wanted to get through last night and not be presumptuous,” de Blasio said. “Now there is a very serious family discussion that has to be had about what makes sense going forward.”
