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Buckling Columns Force Mass Evacuation of Midtown Tower

Engineers and city inspectors are staging emergency shoring and probing the cause as the 37‑story conversion remains unstable.

A building on 42nd Street which was reported to have structural issues in New York City, U.S., July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Jordan Tovin
Image
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Buckled support column on the 21st floor of the former Pfizer building at 235 E. 42nd St, Image 2 shows FDNY vehicles respond to a possible building collapse on 42nd Street in New York City, Image 3 shows Emergency personnel, including firefighters and police, gather on a city street after a high-rise evacuation due to structural failure
The 38-story tower at 235 East 42nd Street.

Overview

  • Construction workers spotted buckling support columns on the 21st and 22nd floors on Tuesday and self‑evacuated before first responders arrived.
  • Officials found two buckled interior columns, cracked and sagging floors through roughly the 21st to 26th levels, and reported continued measurable movement in a compromised column.
  • Fire, police and Department of Buildings teams set up a frozen and collapse zone, closed East 42nd Street, evacuated nearby buildings including a hotel and a school, and deployed drones and monitoring gear.
  • City inspectors and structural engineers are on site staging emergency struts and beams to shore the affected area while a formal investigation examines immediate causes and site practices.
  • The tower is part of a roughly 1,600‑unit office‑to‑residential conversion led by MetroLoft that has a record of DOB complaints and violations since 2025, raising questions about regulatory oversight and project delays.