Super's long run comes to a close

When Sean Mannion first took a job as a superintendent at the Fieldston Garden Apartments, he didn’t think it would last more than two years.

But 41 years later, on a recent Saturday afternoon, Mr. Mannion, 79, officially retired, passing a wrench — in the place of a torch — onto the next super, Robert Torres.

“It feels great,” Mr. Mannion said of his retirement. “It’s time.”

The rain outside the 525 W. 238th St. building could not dampen the spirits at Mr. Mannion’s retirement ceremony, held at tenant Peter Beitchman’s apartment. Guests took turns sharing their favorite memories of Mr. Mannion, who had been repairing their appliances or driving them to work since 1974. 

“Nowadays people will stay in this position three years, four years and then get fired — the rumor is not true that he couldn’t find another job,” joked co-op president Stuart Gartner, who presented Mr. Mannion with an honorary plaque and golden plunger. 

Mr. Mannion’s duties as super included everything from repairing lightbulbs to once rescuing a tenant from a fire. 

But he said that his favorite memories involved getting to know the tenants and seeing children in the building grow up over time. 

“They don’t make buildings like this anymore. It’s built like a fortress. And I love the neighborhood,” Mr. Mannion said. 

He first moved to Riverdale from his native Ireland with his wife Marian because it appealed to him as a place to raise his own children — his daughter Aundre and his son Sean. 

“My two kids, I was always around for them and the building made sure that I’d seen to it that I took care of the family first and the building second,” Mr. Mannion said. 

For Fieldston Garden residents, Mr. Mannion has become more than a super. He and his family are also close friends with a number of tenants. 

“There was always something going on that they needed him for and we became masters at taking messages,” said Mr. Mannion’s son, Sean Mannion, Jr. “We knew everybody and everybody knew us.”