Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mayor Adams taps City Hall veteran to take over as first deputy amid exodus of his inner circle
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 8, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
John Lamparski/Getty Images
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 8, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mayor Eric Adams has named Maria Torres-Springer as New York City's first deputy mayor — perhaps the most powerful position in City Hall after the mayor's — following Sheena Wright’s departure amid a cloud of federal investigations into the administration.
Wright’s resignation was widely anticipated after the FBI seized phones from her and her now-husband — also-resigning Schools Commissioner David Banks — but was officially announced Tuesday. She’s the latest high-profile departure from the Adams administration as a series of federal investigations encircle the mayor’s office. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan charged Adams himself with multiple counts of bribery and fraud.
“We are thrilled to elevate Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer, whose more than two decades of experience leading multiple city agencies … will serve as a solid foundation for our administration,” the mayor said in a statement. “First Deputy Mayor Wright has served New Yorkers well over the course of our administration.”
Torres-Springer also served in the administrations of previous Mayors Mike Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio. As Adams looks to project stability in an administration buffeted by criminal inquiries, the city's business community praised his decision to put her in charge of City Hall operations.
“The mayor has made a wise choice in appointing a seasoned professional and skilled manager as first deputy mayor,” said Kathryn Wylde, head of the Partnership for New York City, which represents some of the city’s business interests. “We have worked closely with Maria during three mayoral administrations and know she has the capabilities and character required to lead during a time of crisis.”
Torres-Springer has been serving as Adams’ deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce. She also served as de Blasio’s housing commissioner and as the head of the city’s economic development corporation.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove the mayor from office, has encouraged Adams to weed out the officials involved in any criminal inquiry and install more government veterans in their places. Officials who have recently resigned from his administration include Wright, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, Schools Commissioner David Banks (who is Phil Banks' brother) and senior adviser Timothy Pearson.
The first deputy mayor answers directly to the mayor and oversees commissioners and other deputy mayors in charge of most of the city’s operations, including housing, parks, sanitation, and environmental protection, among others.
Torres-Springer, in a statement, said she’s looking forward to the role.
“Serving this city has been my life’s work,” she said. “I am deeply grateful to Mayor Eric Adams for entrusting me with this role, and I am humbled to continue working shoulder-to-shoulder with the 300,000 public servants who work tirelessly to move our great city forward.”
Tagged
new york city
Mayor Eric Adams
housing
Adams investigations
Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .