Israeli New York Consulate to reopen on Thursday following safety issues with nearby building

The Israeli Consulate in New York is set to reopen on Thursday after a temporary closure due to structural safety issues at an adjacent building. Employees were evacuated Tuesday from the consulate on 2nd Avenue after officials identified a risk of collapse at a nearby 37-story structure. The building, currently being converted from offices to residential units, showed signs of instability with buckled support beams on the 21st and 22nd floors, causing multiple floors to sag.

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all consulate employees were evacuated safely.

New York City Fire Department officials confirmed the compromised columns and the building's ongoing movement, which Mayor Zohran Mamdani described as "unstable." Emergency responders and engineers were on-site working to secure the structure. The mayor indicated that engineers would assess the floor's safety before attempting to shore up the building and await stabilization materials.

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the building "remains unstable."

In addition to the consulate, other nearby buildings, including a school, were evacuated. Streets in the vicinity were closed to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident.

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If the floor is deemed to be secure, engineers will enter and begin shoring up the building as we await the arrival of materials that will stabilize the building.