NYC Building's Columns 'Buckling', At Risk of Collapse; Mamdani Warns 'New Yorkers to Avoid the Area'

Midtown Manhattan's former Pfizer building was left at risk of collapse on Tuesday after its columns began buckling during a conversion project, forcing the evacuation of a nearby school with about 400 children and several surrounding buildings, officials said. Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned New Yorkers to avoid the area as the 37-storey high-rise at 235 E. 42nd St. continued to move hours after workers first noticed cracks and structural damage inside the tower.

The news came after construction crews spotted the trouble around 8 am, when support beams began to buckle on the 21st and 22nd floors, according to the FDNY. Fire Department Chief John Esposito said the building remained unstable and described the situation as serious and dangerous, while officials said the stress had spread upwards through the structure and affected floors 21 to 26.

NYC Building Buckling In Midtown East

The building is a 1970s-era office tower that once served as Pfizer's global headquarters and is now being converted into luxury apartments. It sits in Midtown East, on the corner of East 42nd Street and Second Avenue, just a block from the Chrysler Building and between Grand Central Terminal and the United Nations headquarters.

Officials said the issue appears to have been tied to the load of ongoing construction work. As more infrastructure was added above the 21st floor, the load-bearing columns took on greater stress, and the building began to sag under that pressure. The city has not yet set out a final cause, though officials say the pattern points to a structural failure linked to the conversion work rather than a single isolated crack.

NYC Building Buckling Forces Evacuations

A school attended by about 400 children was among the buildings evacuated, along with a hotel and several nearby properties. The FDNY said the Hampton Inn Manhattan Grand Central at 231 East 43rd Street was cleared, and that traffic restrictions were put in place across the surrounding block. Mamdani said the frozen zone stretches from First to Third Avenues between 40th and 45th Streets, with pedestrians and vehicles kept out while the building is monitored.

The scene in the vicinity was tense but orderly. Workers, hotel guests and office staff were moved away as emergency crews filled the streets, and nearby residents were left waiting for updates on when they could return. One union official described the support beams as 'bending like cigarettes.'

NYC Building Buckling and the Official Response

Structural engineers are now watching the tower from outside, using sensitive equipment to track even tiny movements before emergency trusses are installed. Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said the building was 'not yet stable', and Esposito added that if the tower were to fail, it would more likely be a localised collapse than a total one.

The reaction from people directly affected was immediate and blunt. A business representative for the Steamfitters Local 638 union, Cliff Johnsen, said the north side of the building was 'deteriorating' and added that, 'I-beams are bending like cigarettes in there.' According to reporting from the scene, he suggested the problem stemmed from builders not using enough steel to support the added floors, a claim that has not been verified by officials. Fernando Sanchez, a construction worker evacuated from the site, said the beams from around the 21st to 25th floors had 'bent and part of it collapsed a bit and everyone had to get out quickly', leaving workers waiting for new orders. Another worker, Eddie, 28, said, 'I was down below and I saw everyone starting to come down. Just then, they let me know that a column was broken.'

City records also show the building had a history of violations, with seven between July and December 2025 and at least 22 dating back to 2020, producing more than $32,000 in fines. Officials have not said the violations are directly linked to Tuesday's incident. Metro Loft, the developer behind the conversion, said it was working closely with the Department of Buildings to understand the full scope of the situation and that safety remained its priority.

NYC Building Buckling and What Happens Next

The immediate focus is stabilisation rather than a full explanation. Until emergency trusses are in place and crews can get a closer look, the city says the building will remain under watch and the wider area will stay restricted. Police said every worker has been accounted for and there have been no injuries.

The conversion project itself remains under scrutiny, with the block around East 42nd Street closed off and officials continuing to monitor the structure for further movement.