A 37-story high-rise in Midtown Manhattan remained unstable Tuesday after columns buckled and floors sagged during an extensive office-to-residential conversion project, prompting the evacuation of the building and several surrounding structures. The former Pfizer global headquarters at 235 East 42nd Street near Second Avenue has been undergoing renovation since 2024 to add 11 new floors and create more than 1,600 luxury apartments, making it one of the largest office-to-residential conversions in New York City’s history.

At around 8 a.m. Tuesday, two critical steel support columns on the building’s 21st floor began to buckle, causing adjacent floors up to the 26th to sag and crack. This structural compromise led city officials to declare the building unstable and evacuate the immediate area. Bricks and debris reportedly fell from the building, although officials later stated there was no ongoing debris fall during the day. The New York Fire Department (FDNY) and Police Department (NYPD) established a “frozen zone” from East 40th to 45th streets between First and Third avenues, closing nine blocks to pedestrian and vehicle traffic as a safety precaution.

Nine buildings in the vicinity were evacuated, including the hotel at 212 East 42nd Street, Israel’s New York Consulate, multiple newsrooms, and a nearby school with approximately 400 students. There were no reported injuries, and all construction workers inside the high-rise escaped safely before the evacuation order. Thousands of residents, workers, and tourists found themselves displaced with an uncertain timeline for return. Some evacuees expressed concern about the prolonged exclusion from their homes or accommodations, with estimates from city officials suggesting it could take days or potentially weeks to secure the site.

City officials, including Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani and FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito, reported continuous monitoring of the building’s movement throughout the day. Though the building’s steel frame construction may prevent a total collapse, officials warned of possible localized collapse where the compromised floors could “pancake” inward. Teams consisting of city engineers, safety specialists, and contractors conducted hazardous interior assessments using elevators to reach the upper floors, ultimately confirming the building was no longer shifting later in the day.

The project general contractor, 235 GC LLC, and developer MetroLoft have faced scrutiny over safety compliance. City Department of Buildings records show the site received seven construction safety violations between July and December 2025, totaling over $32,000 in fines. These citations included failure to adhere to approved plans, inadequate pre-shift safety meetings, and a previous injury incident not properly reported. Numerous complaints from bystanders and lawsuits had previously highlighted unsafe working conditions, such as falling debris and insufficient safety measures.

City leaders, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, emphasized that public safety remains the top priority amid ongoing efforts to stabilize the structure. Officials indicated plans to reinforce the affected floors with additional beams and columns once the site is deemed secure. The building conversion project, led by architectural firm Gensler, includes redesigning an adjoining tower as part of the large-scale redevelopment.

As of Tuesday evening, no official timeline had been provided for when the residents and workers of the evacuated zone could safely return. City authorities continue their minute-by-minute evaluation of the situation to determine next steps for shoring up the compromised structure and ensuring the safety of all those impacted.