NYC Investigates Former Pfizer Tower After Structural Columns Buckle

A 37-story high-rise at 235 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan became unstable on July 7, 2026, after two load-bearing steel columns buckled on the 21st floor. The building, a former Pfizer global headquarters being converted into approximately 1,600 luxury apartments by MetroLoft, experienced sagging floors between the 21st and 26th levels. The structural failure prompted the emergency evacuation of the construction site and nine surrounding buildings, including the Israeli Consulate, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, and the Kennedy International School, which houses 400 children.

FDNY Chief John Esposito warned of a potential localized collapse as the structure continued to move, though he noted that the steel-frame construction made a total collapse unlikely. By Tuesday evening, engineering crews began installing temporary shoring and galvanized steel supports on floors 18-23 to stabilize the tower. While most street closures were lifted by Wednesday, several buildings remained under vacate orders as crews continued reinforcing the structure from the ninth level to the roof.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani characterized the event as an "extremely serious situation" and a "breakdown in that process," pledging a full investigation. MetroLoft founder Nathan Berman described the incident as a "freak accident," attributing the failure to the added weight from widening the top 15 floors and adding 11 new stories to the 60-year-old structure. Department of Buildings records indicate the site had a history of safety violations and over $30,000 in fines for falling debris and unapproved excavations prior to the collapse.