Manhattan skyscraper evacuated: Unstable building sparks major emergency in New York City

A busy Manhattan street block during the Tuesday (July 7) morning rush hour triggered an emergency evacuation due to buckling structural columns inside a 37-story skyscraper undergoing construction. The building, which was the former Pfizer head office located near Grand Central Station and the United Nations headquarters, is being converted from offices into approximately 1,600 luxury rental apartments. Totalling 1.3 million square feet, it is scheduled for completion in early 2027 as New York City's largest-ever office-to-residential conversion.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that two structural columns buckled, multiple cracks appeared, and the floors are sagging. He noted that the building remains unstable and that additional movement was observed in a compromised column. No injuries were reported, and all project workers are accounted for. The project engineer and structural engineers are working on plans to shore up the tower using emergency struts and beams.

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While developer Metroloft insisted the affected area is a small section of one of the site's two buildings and that the entire skyscraper is not at risk of collapse, city officials warned the situation remains serious. Officials are currently determining if the structure is safe enough to enter for remedial work.

As a precaution, police and firefighters evacuated nearby businesses, apartments, hotels, and a school, and streets were closed. A drone was deployed to assess the damage. Local cable channel PIX11 had to abandon its nearby studio mid-broadcast, and public transport corridors used for World Cup soccer fans—though inactive on Tuesday due to a lack of matches—were also nearby. Mayor Mamdani affirmed that people will only return once the buildings are fully safe.

Construction workers and union representatives attributed the damage to the addition of new floors. Clifford Johnsen, a Steamfitters Local 638 union representative with 21 years of experience, stated that adding weight to the existing structure put dangerous pressure on the supports due to incorrect engineering or installation. Construction worker Fernando Sanchez, 50, reported that beams around the 21st to 25th floors bent and partially collapsed, forcing a quick evacuation. Another worker, Eddie, 28, noted he was downstairs when he learned a column was broken. Worker-shared video appeared to confirm the buckled columns within the site.