Workers evacuated the 37-story Midtown Manhattan building Tuesday after two structural support columns on the 21st floor began to buckle, prompting a major emergency response, street closures, and evacuations at nearby buildings. City crews later stabilized the structure, although several surrounding buildings remained under evacuation orders Tuesday night.
Key Points
- The building at 235 E. 42nd Street, the former global headquarters of Pfizer, is being converted into one of the largest office-to-residential projects in New York City history.
- Construction workers noticed cracking and buckling on the 21st and 22nd floors around 8 a.m. Tuesday and self-evacuated; no injuries were reported.
- City officials feared a partial, localized collapse rather than a full collapse onto the street.
- The building’s developer says added construction weight on upper floors likely caused two specific columns to buckle; the exact cause is still under investigation.
- By Tuesday night, crews had stabilized the building with emergency shoring and new steel supports, while several nearby buildings remained evacuated.
What Caused the Manhattan High-Rise to Start Buckling?
According to the building’s developer, MetroLoft, additional weight added to the structure during ongoing construction on the upper floors likely caused two specific support columns to buckle. The company still does not know why those two columns buckled while the others remained unaffected, and investigators continue to examine the cause. Fire officials separately said the steel columns had begun to bend and deflect under stress.
Where Is the Building and What Are Developers Converting It Into?
The affected high-rise sits at 235 E. 42nd Street, on the corner of Second Avenue, in a busy corridor near Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, and the United Nations headquarters. Pfizer previously used the 1970s-era office tower as its global headquarters. Developers are now converting it into a residential complex with more than 1,500 planned apartments, making it one of the city’s largest office-to-residential projects.
Which Buildings Were Evacuated?
City officials ordered evacuations at several buildings surrounding the construction site, including a nearby Hampton Inn and a school running a summer camp for hundreds of children. Officials also created a “frozen zone” and closed nearby streets to pedestrians and vehicles while crews assessed the building.
Is the Building at Risk of Fully Collapsing?
Officials said the concern was a partial, internal collapse limited to a section of the building rather than a full collapse onto the street. Fire officials described the risk as localized to the affected floors, and the developer has said the structural issue does not threaten the integrity of the rest of the building.
What Is the Current Status of the Building?
By Tuesday night, crews had installed emergency jacks and new steel supports to stabilize the building. A structural engineer reported no further movement for several hours, and officials lifted some nearby evacuation orders while continuing to monitor the site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Which building was evacuated in Manhattan?
The high-rise at 235 E. The building at 235 E. 42nd Street once served as Pfizer’s global headquarters. Developers are now converting it into apartments.
Q2. What caused the columns to buckle?
The building’s developer says added construction weight on upper floors likely caused two specific support columns to buckle, though the exact cause is still under investigation.
Q3. Was anyone injured?
No. All construction workers evacuated safely, and officials confirmed that no injuries occurred.
Q4. Is the building going to collapse?
Officials warned of a partial, localized collapse rather than a full collapse onto the street. By Tuesday night, emergency crews had stabilized the building.
Q5. When will evacuated residents be able to return?
As of the latest update, some nearby buildings had been cleared for re-entry while others remained under evacuation orders. There was no confirmed timeline for when the remaining buildings would reopen.
Conclusion
This remains a developing situation. While officials say the building has been stabilized, several nearby buildings remain evacuated and the exact cause of the buckling is still under investigation. We will update this article as New York City officials release further information.
