Being mayor of New York City comes with a lot of responsibilities, challenges, and a great deal of stress.
The high-profile job comes with some perks, too. One of the privileges of being mayor of the city that never sleeps is that you get to live in a historic mansion in the very heart of Manhattan — also known as Gracie Mansion.
Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the mayor of New York City
The Archibald Gracie Mansion, better known as Gracie Mansion, is the official residence of the mayor of New York, and it has held on to that title since 1942.
It is in Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and 88th Street in Yorkville, overlooking the Hell Gate channel, where the East River, the Harlem River, and Long Island Sound intersect.
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The site has a long history; it originally housed merchant Jacob Walton’s Belview Mansion, and was commandeered by George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. The property was an excellent strategic outpost, given its location.
Belview Mansion was destroyed by the British during the war, but the location was too good to sit vacant for too long.
In 1799, a businessman and career U.S. army officer by the name of Archibald Gracie built Gracie Mansion on the same site and used it as his country home until 1823.
Gracie Mansion through the years
In 1896, Gracie Mansion was seized by the municipal government and integrated within the grounds of Carl Schurz Park. It housed the Museum of the City of New York from 1924 until 1936, and after that, it was shown as a historical house.
Then came 1942, when the United States was fighting in World War II. New York developer Robert Moses suggested to Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia to turn Gracie Mansion into a mayoral residence.
Moses thought that the waterfront location would be an advantage in case of a Nazi attack, offering a quick evacuation option for the mayor. La Guardia agreed, and so he became the first in a long line of mayors to live at Gracie Mansion during his term.
Nobody is sure who the architect was at Gracie Mansion. The two-story Federal-style design is attributed to either Ezra Weeks or John McComb Jr., who designed the New York City Hall and Hamilton Grange. Other sources say Archibald Gracie came up with the design of the property himself.
Did you know that Alexander Hamilton died at Gracie Mansion?
Fun fact: Gracie Mansion hosted a historic meeting of the New York Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, held in 1801 with the goal of raising $10,000 to start a newspaper. That newspaper was called the New York Evening Post, which eventually became the New York Post we know today.
Alexander Hamilton made his last visit to the mansion in July 1804, after being wounded in a duel with political rival Aaron Burr.
The duel took place in Weehawken, New Jersey, and Hamilton was shot by Burr and was then brought to Gracie Mansion, where he met his end.
The original fireplace by which Hamilton died has been preserved and can still be admired at Gracie Mansion.
Who lives at Gracie Mansion now?
Gracie Mansion is to be used solely for official city business, and only visiting public officials and family members of the mayor can live at the property.
The long list of mayors who called Gracie Mansion home over the years includes William O’Dwyer, Robert F. Wagner, John V. Lindsay, Edward Koch, Rudolph Giuliani, and Bill de Blasio. Current Mayor Eric Adams and his family live at the mansion.
Michael Bloomberg was the first mayor to refuse to stay in the mansion for the duration of his term. Instead, he used it for meetings and official events, and invested in a major restoration effort to bring the property to modern standards.
Restoring the iconic mansion to its former glory
Gracie Mansion underwent a number of changes throughout its long history. In 1966, a new west wing was completed; the fireplace from the Bayard home, where Alexander Hamilton died, was installed in the ballroom.
The library and the main two floors of the mansion have been impeccably preserved. The mantel and dentil molding in the library have been there since the construction of the house in 1799.
Numerous prestigious guests have attended events or visited the mansion over the decades, including Leonard Bernstein, who once played the historic piano in the yellow room, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, and even the Dalai Lama.
The mansion is a New York City Landmark and is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Gracie Mansion Conservancy
In 1981, Koch and his charter board Chair, Joan K. Davidson, established the Gracie Mansion Conservancy.
The private not-for-profit organization was created to preserve, maintain, and promote Gracie Mansion, and to raise funds to restore and upkeep the historic structure. The Conservancy is constantly working on improving the mansion, acquiring furnishings, caring for the surrounding gardens and grounds, and educating the public.
Under the guidance of the Conservancy, the first major restoration took place between 1981 and 1984. Since then, the historic mansion has been upgraded, repaired, and restored several times, with all efforts overseen by the Conservancy.
Gracie Mansion was carefully restored and redecorated in 2002 during Bloomberg’s time in office. With him living elsewhere, this was the first time the family quarter on the second floor could open to the public; the structure was redesigned to be fit for official meetings and events, costing $7 million. It was one of the most significant restorations undertaken at the historic estate.
Former mayor de Blasio also made efforts to improve and enhance Gracie Mansion, and his focus was on bringing the historic mansion into the 21st century.
Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, enlisted the help of Brooklyn-based company West Elm to add a modern touch to Gracie Mansion, while preserving its history under the guidance of the Conservancy.
Can you visit Gracie Mansion?
Gracie Mansion’s two main floors are open to the public, and the property houses a small museum. If you’re visiting New York City — or maybe you’ve lived there your whole life but didn’t know about Gracie Mansion — plan a visit.
General tours take place on most Wednesdays at 10 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 2 p.m.
Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for seniors, while students are admitted free. There are also tea tours for groups of 25 to 50 people on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These cost $25 per person and include a selection of tea sandwiches, scones, and teacakes.
The Gracie Mansion Conservancy strives to educate the public on the historical significance of the property. To this end, school tours are held Tuesdays and Thursdays for local school students, particularly those studying in New York State’s seventh-grade social studies curriculum. School tours are free.
If you’re planning a visit to Gracie Mansion or want to support the Conservancy, email [email protected] or call 311 for more information.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Gracie Mansion?
Gracie Mansion was built in 1799 and is in Carl Schurz Park, at East End Avenue and 88th Street in Manhattan’s Yorkville neighborhood. The Mansion overlooks Hell Gate channel, where the East River, the Harlem River, and the Long Island Sound intersect.
Does the mayor live in Gracie Mansion?
Gracie Mansion has been the official residence of the mayor of New York City since 1942. Various mayors have called Gracie Mansion home, including Robert F. Wagner, Edward Koch, Rudolph Giuliani, Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams. Michael Bloomberg was the first mayor to not live at Gracie Mansion.
Why is it called Gracie Mansion?
Gracie Mansion was built by Archibald Gracie, a Scotland-born magnate, army officer, and U.S. businessman. He built the mansion and used it as his family home until 1823, when he sold it to pay off debts. But the property retained his name.
Is Gracie Mansion open to the public?
Yes, Gracie Mansion can be visited by the public, although some rooms are off-limits to the general audience. General Tours, school tours, and tea tours can be scheduled by emailing [email protected].
This article originally appeared on FancyPantsHomes and was syndicated by MediaFeed.
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Long gone are the days of window shutters, oversized crystal chandeliers, multiple small rooms, intricate designs, wrought-iron railings, small windows, and large porches with overhanging beams.
Modern mansions favor simple and clean designs with open spaces.
While traditional mansions offer intricate and elegant details, today’s luxury homes feature straight lines, geometric shapes, a flat or low-sloped roof, and clean exteriors with little to no texture.
Luxurious homes of the past featured building materials such as brick, wood, plaster, stucco, and stone. Meanwhile, contemporary mansions favor newer, more technologically advanced building materials including reinforced steel and concrete.
And windows, lots and lots of floor-to-ceiling windows. Sophisticated smart homes are all the rage, as are connected outdoor spaces, white rooms and simple color palettes, open floor plans, glass walls allowing for ample natural light, green features, security settings, and the utmost privacy.
While traditional mansions typically feature a number of small, single-purpose rooms, modern floor plans include seamless open-ended spaces.
After all, one cannot be confined to small spaces while living that luxurious lifestyle!
A closer look at 18 of our favorite modern mansions
When it comes to stunning estates, we’ve got you covered. From wraparound pools featuring panoramic views to glass walls for days to dream chef kitchens to seamless indoor-outdoor living spaces, we’re taking a look at 18 modern mansions that have knocked our socks off.
LA Light Photography and The Luxury Level courtesy of The Agency
Designed by acclaimed architect Marc Whipple, this massive 11,200-square-foot home in Beverly Hills is quite a stunner.
Offering six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and two half baths, the multimillion-dollar manse features disappearing walls of glass so residents can enjoy the stunning views from each room.
Speaking of views, they’re completely unobstructed, with downtown Los Angeles, Catalina Island, and the coastline on full display. Those lovely landscapes can be seen from the home’s stunning wraparound pool.
Other luxurious amenities include a movie theater, a secret zen garden, gym, guest house, glass wine cellar, gated driveway, and an outdoor kitchen.
This Beverly Hills manse had its moment of fame a few years back, when it was rented by “Rockstar” hitmaker Post Malone. It was later listed for sale with a whopping $26 million asking price.
Tyler Hogan, courtesy of Sally Forster Jones of Compass
Built in 2021, this mega mansion is in the heart of Hollywood.
Boasting panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles, the Pacific Ocean, and the canyon, the home offers six beds, nine baths, and nearly 10,365 square feet of living space. The sophisticated smart home features museum-quality crystals sourced from around the world and placed with care throughout to enhance the residence with their energies.
Offering double-height ceilings and incredible indoor-outdoor living spaces, the California compound also includes a custom home theater, fitness center, wine cellar, second living room, and all the finest custom finishes.
Setting a new gold standard for Southern California living, the picturesque backyard — which is front row to the city and canyons — features a beautiful sparkling pool and spa, a built-in barbecue area, and a grassy green lawn.
See more of this unique Hollywood mega-mansion here.
Sean Gordon courtesy of The Agency
This beautiful home in Bel-Air has the bells and whistles you’d expect in a modern mansion (and then some).
Designed by award-winning architecture and design firm Saota, the private compound is perched on a promontory high above the city — opening up to unobstructed, 360-degree views of Los Angeles.
Set on a 1.15-acre lot, the swanky crib offers nine bedrooms and 14 baths across 20,841 square feet.
Some of the luxury amenities include an infinity pool with a secluded cabana and pool-side sunken fire pit, three separate staff quarters, and a one-bedroom guest house with a separate, private pool.
This magnificent manse was owned by George Ruan, co-founder of online coupon-clipping company Honey (now part of Paypal).
Matthew Momberge courtesy of Compass
The one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece known as The Razor House was designed in 2007 by San Diego-based architect Wallace E. Cunningham.
The striking concrete and glass mansion — dubbed “the Iron Man house” due to its resemblance to Tony Stark’s mansion in the famous Marvel movie — is perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Offering endless concrete terraces, the stunning estate has mesmerizing views of surrounding hills and the ocean below.
Featuring several outdoor lounge areas, the luxurious three-story home comes with six bedrooms and six baths, with nearly every room opening up to jaw-dropping views.
In 2019, Grammy Award-winning singer Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beatz bought The Razor House in a $20.8 million deal.
Gary Kasl courtesy of The Agency
Spanish dream house, anyone?
Dubbed Villa Vela, this sprawling 23,476-square-foot property is in the sun-bathed province of Andalusia, Spain.
Behind gates at the end of a sweeping driveway, Villa Vela offers six bedrooms and six baths.
The posh property has been designed to be free-flowing. Its open plan includes floor-to-ceiling retracting windows that open directly onto a terrace that stretches from one end of the house to the other. Each suite has its own outdoor space, and they connect directly to the vast upper terrace, its lawn, garden, and dining area, and benefit from breathtaking views.
The Agency
This 17,000-square-foot modern residential oasis in the upscale L.A. neighborhood of Brentwood is redefining luxury living.
Southern California-based architectural firm de Loren & Associates designed the building by superior wellness standards, without sacrificing on design but rather adding to it.
Inspired by the clean lines and interior spatial layouts of yachts paired with the motion of the sea, the curving exterior facades are reminiscent of ocean waves, wind, and clouds that make not only for an exhilarating lifestyle but also appeal to the eye.
The modern mansion boasts seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and three powder rooms across three levels.
Featuring a massive list of upscale amenities, the beautiful Brentwood home offers a 610-bottle wine cellar, commercial-speed glass elevator, movie theater, state-of-the-art gym, a 300-square-foot green wall, and a lower-level entertainment area with a full bar, pool table, and more.
This luxurious residence is owned by rapper Travis Scott, husband to Kyle Jenner. There’s plenty of room for kids Stormi and Wolf to explore!
The Agency
We can’t get enough of this amenity-rich mansion with modern interiors and a killer guest house.
The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom Encino home offers 9,081 square feet of living space on a private, gated estate with surrounding landscape.
The stunning estate is a beautiful example of modern California living, with picture-perfect interiors, exquisite finishes, jetliner views, and plenty of attractive amenities. It features warm wood tones, large windows, and Fleetwood doors that open to unobstructed views and plenty of natural light.
The carefully thought-out finishes give the home a modern vibe that extends into the bedrooms. The second level of this luxury Encino home has four bedrooms, including the master suite, which walks out to a 1,200-square-foot balcony with a fire table.
Naturally, this wonderful modern manse caught the eye of a famous buyer; it’s now owned by “Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson and husband Justin Mikita.
LA Light Photography and The Luxury Level
We love this modern mansion set in the most desirable area of Manhattan Beach, The Strand, an oceanfront neighborhood lined with modern-looking mansions that typically sell in the $5 million to $15 million range.
Spanning 6,978 square feet of modern living space, the home offers six bedrooms and eight baths. Designed by renowned L.A. studio KAA Design, this four-story home was envisioned around life, in all its texture, at the beach.
Rather than cluster sleeping areas on a single floor, they’re spaced strategically across the four levels, with the third floor being home to a primary suite with a luxuriously sequestered private office.
The private elevator takes residents and guests to a beach room level with the Strand to lounge on the patio, front row to a peaceful scene of sea, sand, and sky.
Read more about this beautiful modern mansion here.
Paul Jonason courtesy of Stroyke Properties Group
Located in the coveted Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, this modern mansion is what happens when a star-studded team consisting of award-winning architect Noah Walker, AD 100 interior designer Jamie Bush, and renowned landscape designer Christine London LTD comes together.
Spanning 19,000 square feet, this beautiful abode is set on a sprawling 4-acre lot and offers six bedrooms and 12 bathrooms alongside many recreation rooms.
The plush property has 270-degree views of the city, ocean, and canyon, and a long list of amenities that include a theater room — with acoustical wall paneling and a commercial cinema-quality projection system — a gym with a steam room, a 75-foot indoor lap pool, outdoor architectural pool, and dual offices.
We covered this luxurious contemporary home when it came to market last year with an ambitious asking price of $70 million.
Just a few months later, it was bought by music mogul Scooter Braun (better known as Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande’s manager, and Taylor Swift‘s manager-turned-foe) for $65 million.
Benny Chan courtesy of The Agency
In the hilly, seaside neighborhood of La Jolla in San Diego, a modern cliffside mansion has all the dream house vibes.
Built by Blue Heron’s BH Elite custom home division, the Ora House, as the property has been named, is an architectural marvel.
The stellar design team incorporated the same innovative biophilic design and advanced Savant technology used in Blue Heron’s flagship home, VM001 in Las Vegas, to “enhance the flow of life while creating an overall sense of peace and natural well-being.”
The cliffside estate is set in La Jolla’s exclusive Bird Rock Waterfront enclave and totals 8,878 square feet of living space.
The architectural marvel has five bedrooms and eight baths across its four levels, with each level embracing the outdoors with spaces tailored for entertaining and private moments.
Blue Heron
Check out this contemporary compound in La Crescenta, California Designed by AD100 architect Michael Maltzan. This dramatic, heptagon-shaped house has spaceship vibes, is surrounded by seven exterior walls (some made out of glass), and is anchored by an open-air courtyard that sits at the center.
Nearly all rooms of the house come with sliding floor-to-ceiling windows that open to either the serene courtyard or beautiful mountain and city skyline views.
Some of the stand-out features of the modern mansion include a primary suite with an entire wall of glass that opens to a generously sized balcony and a unique bathroom with a blue curved penny-tiled wall surrounding the shower.
This unique home was owned by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Michael Peter Balzary, known professionally as Flea.
Cameron Carothers courtesy of Compass
Surrounded by more than 40 acres of lush grounds amid California’s world-class wine country, this striking architectural home goes by the name of Karinya.
The highly suitable moniker originates from the Australian aboriginal culture and is translated as “peaceful home.”
Built in 2017, the stunning estate is nestled in the small community of Deer Park next to St. Helena in Napa County.
Spanning 8,837 square feet, the impressive residence was built with natural materials, a deep connection to the valley’s views, and a design that boasts beauty and luxury.
Not a detail is spared at Karinya, with many luxurious features such as endless walls of glass, a 2,000-bottle wine room, and an acoustically designed media and theater room. Fitting a modern dream house, it comes with a detailed smart home system with mobile phone control access that controls the music, air conditioning, security and fire sprinkler system, and programmable LED recessed lighting in 11 separate zones.
Adam Rouse courtesy of Coldwell Banker
Set in the popular Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, this modern mansion offers cutting-edge design.
The six-bedroom home wows with its soaring ceilings and walls of glass that bring the outdoors in.
Complete with an infinity pool and spa (with a cascading waterfall) and a nifty pool and guest house with a sundeck for outdoor entertainment, the home is peppered with outdoor spots to relax and enjoy the lovely Cali weather.
In case you’re getting a strong sense of deja vu, this beautiful home was featured in the popular film, “La La Land.”
As the story goes, Mia (played by Emma Stone) and her friends attend a lavish party hoping to meet influential people in the business and get their lucky break. The memorable scene was filmed at this gorgeous Los Angeles estate.
Compass
Located in the coveted Via Bluffs enclave of Pacific Palisades, this modern mansion spans 6,500 square feet of luxurious living.
Offering massive sliding windows that open to beautiful views of Potrero Canyon and beyond, the sumptuous five-bedroom, five-bathroom home is filled with natural light streaming in from the surrounding floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors, while skylights pour even more light onto the main and top floors.
The Pacific Palisades property also flaunts features such as a dual-faced fireplace, a nearly 24-foot kitchen island, and a living room that pours out onto an outside deck overlooking the pool.
A large open-layout living area is anchored by an impressive dream kitchen. This beautiful home was once owned by celebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis, star of “Everyday Italian” and “Giada at Home.”
Smith Cho / Compass
Built in 2019, this Marc Whipple-designed home is a true Hollywood gem. Located on the glamorous Sunset Strip in the Hollywood Hills West neighborhood of Los Angeles, this home oozes that clean-lined modernist approach while still offering warmth and comfort.
The posh property incorporates five bedrooms, six bathrooms and two half-bathrooms, all with breathtaking views spreading from the Hollywood sign right to the Pacific Ocean.
The main entrance offers an open-concept kitchen and three terraces that total 5,000 additional square feet of outdoor living space.
The middle level features a second living room and a luxurious “floating glass box” master suite. All the bedrooms offer easy access to the infinity pool, which provides stunning views of the surroundings and a perfect setting to enjoy summer nights and sunsets in privacy.
Jonathan Ducrest and Tom Hunter
This Malibu celeb magnet is the epitome of indoor-outdoor Cali living, featuring large glass walls that blend the interior with the grounds seamlessly.
Perched above the Pacific Ocean, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 2,100-square-foot Malibu mansion is every bit the modern gem.
It’s the perfect property for entertaining, as it includes an infinity pool with fabulous ocean views, a spa, and a fire pit.
The entertainment continues inside, as the house includes three indoor fireplaces, as well as a media room, making sure you stay entertained throughout the year.
Amenities include everything you could need, from in-unit laundry and air conditioning to five parking spaces, an outdoor patio, and a cabana.
The house not only rents out to celebrities such as Matthew Perry, Cardi B, and Taraji P. Henson, but is owned by one: Betty Moon, a celebrated Los Angeles musician, songwriter, and producer, owns the plush property, which she renovated recently before listing it for rent.
Hagai Aharon
Located in the upscale neighborhood Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, this three-story home was designed and built by renowned developer-designer duo David and Eliana Rokach.
This multimillion -dollar mansion offers a sprawling 13,543 square feet of modern living space with nine bedrooms and 12 bathrooms.
Boasting unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Canyon, the stunning estate offers an open-concept living-dining room finished in a chic, contemporary style.
The living room features custom-made electronic sliding steel doors that open to a beautiful outdoor area with a barbecue area, grassy backyard, and an infinity-edge swimming pool opening up to views for miles.
The Agency
Situated in Los Angeles’ coveted Brentwood neighborhood, this hillside lair with expansive living spaces, eco-friendly details, and ultra-high-end finishes gives us serious dream house goals.
The main entrance features a Japanese-imported Yakisugi front door and bonsai-adorned atrium that leads to the open-concept living space.
Here, a chic palette of luxurious stone and reflective glass is accented by unique designer details, and floor-to-ceiling windows provide natural light throughout the day. Offering sweeping views of the canyon, the four-bedroom home comes equipped with the latest technology for entertainment, comfort, and sustainability.
This includes a full automation system, Lutron Solar System lighting, home theater and surround sound from Bang & Olufsen, a home gym, and much more.
This article originally appeared on FancyPantsHomes.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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Noel Kleinman courtesy of Compass
Jim Bartsch, insert Netflix, courtesy of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Featured Image Credit: iStock.
