{"id":3926,"date":"2026-07-07T18:43:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T18:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3926"},"modified":"2026-07-07T18:43:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T18:43:09","slug":"midtown-nyc-building-shifting-and-in-danger-of-localized-collapse-officials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3926","title":{"rendered":"Midtown NYC building \u2018shifting\u2019 and in danger of \u2018localized collapse\u2019: officials"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A Midtown high-rise whose support columns were discovered buckling Tuesday is \u201cshifting\u2019\u2019 and in danger of partially collapsing \u2014 a situation so precarious that crews can\u2019t even go in to stabilize it, authorities said.<\/p>\n

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The 37-story former Pfizer headquarters on East 42nd Street \u2014\u00a0 which is being converted from commercial to residential use \u2014 was dramatically evacuated during the morning rush along with eight surrounding buildings as city officials mounted a desperate effort to avert catastrophe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe concern is that since we have been on site in the early morning, we have seen continued shifting of the structure,\u201d Mayor Zohran Mamdani said early Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

FDNY crews and other emergency responders\u00a0have been monitoring the building with sensitive equipment and chillingly discovered the still-unfolding precarious situationhigh above the crowded streets of Manhattan, the mayor said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe way this building is constructed, it\u2019s a steel-frame building, so it would not be a total collapse, it would be more of a localized collapse,\u201d said FDNY Chief of Operations John Esposito.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat remains our concern \u2013 that it\u2019s moving. \u2026 We have seen continual movement. It does mean it is not stable.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if that means the building could collapse into itself like a pancake, Esposito responded, \u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n

A source at the scene with direction knowledge of the situation said, \u201cIt\u2019s like squeezing both ends of a twig. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it is buckling,\u201d the source said, explaining the breach occurred at the connection point between the building\u2019s old and new sections.<\/p>\n

There is concern that rain and wind expected later in the week could only worsen the situation, sources said.<\/p>\n

Cops were flying drones around the site, seeming to focus on the back of the building.<\/p>\n

The news conference also revealed other heart-pounding new details about the harrowing engineering problem.<\/p>\n

Read more What Belgium coach told Folarin Balogun after World Cup red card drama exploded<\/a><\/p>\n

NYPD and FDNY officials instituted a \u201cfrozen zone from East 40th to 45th streets between First and Third avenues, barring all pedestrian and vehicle traffic for fear the building could shower debris below.<\/p>\n

Mamdani said two structural columns have buckled inside the building\u2019s 21st floor, while another one shows movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe building remains unstable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The building at 235 E. 42nd St. near Second Avenue and is considered one of the largest commercial-to-residential conversion projects nationwide, with 1,600 apartments slated by 2027.<\/p>\n

Contractors had been adding 11 new floors on top of a 22-story section of the building, said city Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.<\/p>\n

Sources said the compromised sections appear to be the 17th and 21st floors, below the additions.<\/p>\n

Tigani said cause will be investigated, but it\u2019ll first have to be made safe.<\/p>\n

He said emergency beams and columns likely would need to be brought in to shore up the floor.<\/p>\n

Investigators likely will look into several potential causes, including whether the original design or construction was deficient, said a structural engineer. speaking to The Post on behalf of the Structural Engineers Association of New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cCould be one or all of many things, which will be investigated once the building is shored,\u201d the engineer said. \u201cPossible overload of floors with construction materials, possible removal of a structural element during a prior renovation that wasn\u2019t known, original deficiency in design or construction.\u201d<\/p>\n

One source said investigators could also look into whether the steel was changed from the original plans during construction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a minute-by-minute assessment,\u201d Mamdani said, as he warned New Yorkers to stay away.<\/p>\n

Read more Christian Pulisic taking heat for World Cup dud after Team USA flop vs. Belgium: \u2018Always been fragile\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

-Additional reporting by Georgett Roberts<\/em><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Midtown high-rise whose support beams were discovered buckling Tuesday is \u201cshifting\u2019\u2019 and in danger of partially collapsing \u2014 a situation so precarious that crews can\u2019t even go in to stabilize it, authorities said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3925,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro"],"yoast_head":"\nMidtown NYC building \u2018shifting\u2019 and in danger of \u2018localized collapse\u2019: officials - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3926\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Midtown NYC building \u2018shifting\u2019 and in danger of \u2018localized collapse\u2019: officials - 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