One day after Zohran Mamdani was elected as New York’s mayor, JLL terminated one of its top commercial brokers, Scott Panzer, following comments he made comparing the new mayor to Adolf Hitler and expressing discomfort with Islamic prayers at City Hall.
According to two sources who spoke with The Real Deal, Panzer was dismissed on Wednesday after responding to an office-wide email that encouraged employees to collaborate with the new administration for the city’s benefit. The initial message was sent by Peter Riguardi, president of JLL’s New York office. In his email, Riguardi discussed topics such as rent control and public transportation before urging unity among staff: “He is our mayor,” Rigaurdi wrote. “The only good thing we can do right now is give him a chance to lead and maybe for those of us who doubt him, he will surprise us.”
Panzer replied by thanking Riguardi for his perspective but offered what he called “an opposing perspective.” He wrote: “Is it just me, or does this sound eerily similar to what much of Germany and Europe said about you know who back in 1938? We all know how that worked out for them — and for the world.” He referenced Time Magazine naming Hitler “Man of the Year” in 1938 as someone who influenced world events significantly.
Panzer continued: “I will just throw one more provocative comment out here — while in Istanbul on holiday I didn’t mind hearing the adhan five times a day for the few days I was there — I would not want that to be a 365 day event,” referring to the Islamic call to prayer. “But alas, this too is just around the corner for NYC.”
People familiar with the incident stated that Riguardi’s intention was to foster unity within JLL’s workforce and that he was angered by Panzer’s remarks. A source indicated that Panzer’s firing resulted from comments viewed as Islamophobic.
JLL confirmed Panzer’s departure in a statement: “We can confirm Scott Panzer is no longer with JLL. The views and sentiment expressed in his email do not align with our company’s culture and shared values,” said a spokesperson.
Panzer had been recognized as one of New York City’s leading office leasing brokers and previously managed leasing at Sheldon Solow’s 9 West 57th Street.
In response to Mamdani’s election win, real estate executives have shown cautious optimism about collaborating on priorities such as expanding affordable housing construction. However, some remain concerned about potential policy changes like freezing rents on stabilized apartments for four years—a move which landlord groups warn could have severe consequences for affordable housing in New York City.
