City officials evacuated a construction site near Grand Central Terminal on Tuesday after signs of potential collapse were discovered in a Midtown Manhattan office building being converted to apartments. This led to street closings and disrupted the morning rush.
The Fire Department was alerted to falling bricks at 235 East 42nd Street, formerly the headquarters of Pfizer, just before 8 a.m. The building, being renovated into a 1,600-unit residential property, is touted as the largest such conversion in the U.S.
A safety manager reported that a steel beam on the 21st floor was compromised, with two support columns buckling and several upper floors sagging, according to city Buildings Department records.
Was anyone hurt amid the threat of a collapse?
No injuries were reported. Construction workers and employees from nearby properties at 225 and 221 East 43rd Street were evacuated as a precaution.
Cliff Johnsen, business agent for Steamfitters Local 638, noted his union’s members were evacuated after beams started bending. “The north side of the building is crumbling; I-beams are bending like cigarettes,” he said.
A “frozen zone” was established from 40th to 45th Street and First to Third Avenue as a precaution, Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated.
What kind of work is being done at the building?
The conversion involves the former Pfizer headquarters’ buildings, 235 and 219 East 42nd Street, to create apartments and alleviate Manhattan’s housing demands. This project, a collaboration between Metro Loft and David Werner Real Estate, started in 2024 and aims for completion next year. Plans include adding 11 stories to 219 East 42nd Street, according to Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.
Four hundred apartments are designated as affordable housing. The design features over 100,000 square feet of amenities, including shops, a rooftop pool, and a fitness center.
Metro Loft issued a statement acknowledging the building issues and is cooperating with the Buildings Department to understand the situation fully.
Reporting by Claire Fahy, Mihir Zaveri, Caitlyn Freeman, Chelsia Rose Marcius, Matthew Haag, Hurubie Meko, and Davaughnia Wilson.
Ed Shanahan covers breaking news on the Metro desk.
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