NYC buildings evacuated after construction workers find buckling columns in Midtown East; officials warn of possible collapse

Construction workers at a high-rise conversion project in Midtown Manhattan discovered buckling structural columns on Tuesday, triggering emergency evacuations and a partial collapse warning. The 37-story building, a former office tower being transformed into luxury apartments, experienced significant stress on its 21st and 22nd floors as additional infrastructure was added to upper levels. Engineering teams have begun installing temporary shoring and jacks to stabilize the structure, highlighting the critical safety risks inherent in large-scale urban adaptive reuse projects.

The incident occurred at 235 E. 42nd St., the former global headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which is currently undergoing a conversion from a 1970s-era office building into luxury residential units. Around 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, construction crews noticed cracks and observed structural support columns beginning to buckle on the 21st and 22nd floors. This structural failure caused the 21st through 26th floors of the 37-story tower to begin caving under the stress. While all workers were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported, officials initially described the situation as extremely serious due to the building's instability and the potential for a partial internal collapse.

Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Ahmed Tigani reported that emergency stabilization efforts are underway, involving the installation of temporary shoring, jacks, and new steel to reinforce the compromised structure. A team of six specialists entered the building mid-afternoon to assess the damage and approved a plan for contractors to move forward with these stabilization measures. Although Fire Chief John Esposito noted that the building had moved earlier in the day, Tigani later stated that monitoring positions both inside and outside the tower indicated the situation had reached a consistent and stable state by Tuesday evening.

The structural failure appears linked to the increased load placed on the 21st-floor columns as infrastructure was added to the floors above. This event underscores the engineering complexities and risks associated with office-to-residential conversions, particularly in aging high-rise structures where original load-bearing capacities must be carefully managed during intensive renovations. The DOB is currently working with a third-party engineer to evaluate the site and develop a long-term safety plan. The future of the building remains under review as officials monitor the effectiveness of the emergency shoring over the coming days.