The 1904 architectural landmark represents a golden age of public infrastructure and working-class ambition
An Underground Cathedral Comes Alive
When Zohran Mamdani selected the decommissioned Old City Hall subway station as the venue for his private swearing-in ceremony, he chose more than a symbolic location. He selected a physical manifestation of New York’s past commitment to bold public infrastructure that served the working people of the city. The station, which closed its doors on New Year’s Eve 1945 after operating for forty-one years, stands as a testament to an era when the city dared to invest in beauty and function simultaneously.
The Original Vision of 1904
The City Hall station was the original terminus of New York’s first subway line, which departed for the Bronx on October 27, 1904. Designed by architects George Heins and Christopher LaFarge, with Guastavino vaulted ceilings that became iconic in their own right, the station represented the height of municipal ambition. The ornate structure features large brass light fixtures, glass skylights that open to the park above, and green and cream-colored tilework that was once hailed as an underground cathedral and compared to the Mona Lisa for its artistic merit. The station’s closure came not from disuse but from practical constraints. As New York’s population grew and train cars became longer, they no longer fit within the platform’s curved architectural design. The city made the difficult decision to close the station to regular service, preserving it as a remarkable historical artifact.
The Significance of Symbolic Spaces in Politics
Modern leadership increasingly recognizes that where ceremonies happen matters as much as what officials say. By choosing this abandoned station, Mamdani made a statement about his administration’s priorities. The location exists beneath City Hall Park, literally underground near the seat of municipal power, suggesting that progress requires looking at forgotten infrastructure and remembering past commitments to the working class. For detailed architectural history and information about New York’s subway system, see the New York Transit Museum’s extensive collection and research.
Access and Public Memory
Today, the City Hall station remains closed to regular public use except for occasional guided tours and special events. The number 6 train loops through the terminal as a turnaround point, giving passengers brief glimpses of the architectural grandeur. This limited access makes Mamdani’s choice even more symbolically potent. By conducting his swearing-in in this space that ordinary New Yorkers rarely experience, he highlighted how public infrastructure often serves those in power while becoming inaccessible to working people. The station represents infrastructure built for and by the working class, only to be abandoned when the working class’s needs changed. For information on the future of New York City infrastructure projects and public transit development, see the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital planning documents. The New York Public Library, which oversees historical collections including materials on the subway’s development, has detailed documentation of the station’s history and architectural significance. For historical context on New York City’s development and public works, see the New York Public Library’s research collections. Mamdani’s selection transforms the abandoned station from a forgotten relic into a powerful symbol of his administration’s intention to revive the spirit of urban infrastructure that once defined New York City. The choice speaks to voters who feel that their city has lost its way, abandoned its commitment to accessible public transit and beautiful public spaces. His willingness to campaign in this symbolic location signals that his administration intends to restore that historical commitment.
