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Crews work to shore up Midtown high-rise after buckling columns spark collapse scare
ABC7 New York • • nation
Key Points:
- A 37-story high-rise on Manhattan's East Side, formerly Pfizer headquarters and undergoing conversion to residential use, was stabilized after workers discovered buckled columns and bending steel beams on the 21st floor, prompting evacuation and emergency response.
- Crews installed temporary shoring and beams between floors 17 and 24 to support the compromised structure, allowing most evacuated residents to return home while five nearby buildings, including a school and hotel, remain evacuated.
- The Department of Buildings confirmed the building is stable as reinforcement continues and investigations into the cause of the structural issues are underway; initial assessments suggest the added weight of expanded upper floors caused the columns to buckle.
- MetroLoft, the developer, described the incident as a typical construction mishap and maintained the building was never at risk of collapse, while city officials emphasize the importance of safe and accountable office-to-residential conversions amid the housing affordability crisis.
