Manhattan Building Evacuated After Structural Columns Buckle

A 37-story building in Manhattan, currently being converted into apartments, was declared structurally unstable on Tuesday, leading to the evacuation of the building and nearby properties. Officials identified serious structural issues on the 21st floor of the former Pfizer office building on East 42nd Street after two support columns buckled.

Fire Department Chief John Esposito described the situation as "very serious," noting that steel beams had begun to bend under the weight. Drones were deployed to monitor the structure while engineers assessed its stability. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that while no further movement was detected in the damaged columns, allowing emergency stabilization work to begin, the building remains unstable.

Temporary reinforcement work is expected to continue for several days, impacting a busy section of Midtown Manhattan. Despite the serious nature of the incident, officials believe a localized failure is more likely than a complete collapse due to the building's steel-frame construction. The developer, Metro Loft, emphasized that public safety is its top priority and confirmed no injuries were reported.

However, the building's contractor, 235 GC LLC, has a documented history of safety complaints and fines dating back to 2025. These violations include issues with falling debris, unsafe construction practices, and worker safety. City records indicate the contractor was fined multiple times for incidents involving falling debris, including window fragments and a metal panel from the 33rd floor.

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It's a very serious situation because the box beams, the steel beams, have started to bend and deflect from the weight.