Crews are continuing around-the-clock work to stabilize a Midtown building nearly a week after structural issues forced evacuations and street closures.
Contractors are installing shoring and constructing an exterior netting enclosure on the north side of 235 East 42nd St., where support columns buckled last Tuesday during a residential conversion project.
“It’s real work, the building doesn’t potentially collapse without there being major problems, so the fixes are gonna take quite a while,” said David Schwartz, who lives in the area.
What You Need To Know
Crews are working around the clock to stabilize 235 East 42nd St. after support columns buckled last week
Contractors are installing shoring and constructing an exterior netting enclosure on the building’s north side
Five buildings on East 43rd Street remain under vacate orders, and the block between Second and Third avenues remains closed
The city says engineers are focused on reinforcing the building.
“I think since it’s not from the bottom,” said Adrian Hoxha, who works nearby. “Probably they’re gonna be able to do it, put some more support.”
The building, the former Pfizer headquarters, was undergoing an office-to-residential conversion project when workers discovered the buckling on the 21st floor.
The city’s Department of Buildings said it is investigating what caused the structural failure and how similar incidents can be prevented. The Department of Investigation has also launched an investigation.
But some New Yorkers who live and work in the area are still looking for answers.
“I think they have to stop all the work going forward, do a failure analysis exactly what went wrong, then they can figure out how to fix it,” said Steve Stern, who lives in the neighborhood.
Despite the scare, some neighbors say converting aging office buildings into housing remains an important goal.
“It’s something that this city needs to figure out how to do,” Schwartz said. “Office space is hemorrhaging, the cost of it will continue to come down and housing is through the roof. These conversions are needed and will revitalize the city.”
East 43rd Street remains closed between Second and Third avenues, and five buildings on the block remain under vacate orders.
The Department of Buildings said engineers will reassess the site after stabilization work is complete to determine whether East 43rd Street can safely reopen and whether the vacate orders can be lifted.