Exclusive | Women make up 3% of this famed NYC job: Meet the rare breed of city doorwomen

Maria Silva is used to being the only woman in the building — she’s been a “doorwoman” in New York City for more than two decades. Indeed, her position is supremely rare in the Big Apple, which has long had residential buildings staffed by doormen. As that name implies, the position is most commonly held by men, whose crucial duties run the gamut from safeguarding parcels, vetting guests and responding to the occasional headache — lockouts, broken elevators and the like.They also form a strong part of any building’s community.However, women make up just 3% of this iconic New York City job, according to union demographics, making doorwomen more rare than female taxi drivers, at 6%, or female MTA employees, at 13%. This small cohort, sources told The Post, has to work extra hard to get their foot in the door — and work extra hard to keep it there.“There are times that you will get a guest coming in requesting to see an apartment or the leasing office, and they’re like, ‘Oh, wow, there’s a woman here,’” Silva said.

“Once in a while you get those.It doesn’t bother me, though.”Despite being the odd man — or woman — out, there is nothing else Silva would rather do.

The 53-year-old grandmother claims to know each resident in her 250-unit rental building in Brooklyn, where she is the only female employee out of 10.She’s worked at the building, under the “Lead Concierge” title, for nine years this summer.“I know everyone,” Silva said.

“Their friends, their parents, cousins, everything.Dogs, too.”Silva joked that she sometimes feels more like a therapist or a bartender than a doorwoman, she gets to know the residents that well.“Sometimes I’m the first one to learn when one of the girls are pregnant, or they’ll invite me to their weddings,” Silva said.

“Those are special moments.” Silva has received two wedding invites so far this year, and the kids’ birthday invites are a near constant.She said the five o...