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Midtown tower stabilized enough for repairs after fears of potential collapse
Gothamist • • business
Key Points:
- Structural columns buckled at a 42nd Street office tower in Midtown, halting New York City’s largest office-to-residential conversion project and prompting a major emergency response including evacuations and street closures.
- The damaged building, part of a MetroLoft project to create about 1,600 apartments, showed no further movement by late afternoon, allowing contractors to begin installing temporary shoring.
- Two columns on the 21st and 22nd floors buckled, causing upper floors to sag, but no injuries were reported despite concerns about a potential collapse earlier in the day.
- The project, valued at nearly $99 million, had faced previous complaints about unsafe demolition practices, though no violations were issued; MetroLoft is cooperating with city officials to assess the situation.
- Emergency crews evacuated workers and residents from the affected and neighboring buildings, with some residents allowed to return home by evening as officials continue evaluations.
