New York’s Department of Buildings issued a partial stop-work order Tuesday at 750 Third Avenue, where SL Green is converting a 35-story office tower into roughly 600 apartments. Inspectors found steel columns reinforced in ways not reflected in approved design plans. SL Green acknowledged the discrepancy and said it was already updating its documentation, adding that no structural issues exist at the building. The developer expects completion in 2029 and does not anticipate delays from the order.
This marks the third conversion halted since the former Pfizer headquarters nearly collapsed earlier this month after two steel columns buckled, forcing the evacuation of nine nearby buildings. The city also issued a partial stop order at 77 Water Street this month, though that was lifted within days. Another project at 222 Broadway remains shut down. The Buildings Department is now sweeping sites citywide, particularly those involving MetroLoft, the Pfizer project developer, and Domani Inspection Services.
Dozens of office-to-residential conversions are underway or planned across New York. The city issued more than 7,000 stop-work orders last year across all construction types, making such actions routine. The heightened scrutiny follows the Pfizer incident and may extend timelines for developers banking on conversions to address office vacancies and housing shortages.
The Wall Street Journal
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