Midtown High-Rise Remains Unstable as Hundreds Evacuated Near Grand Central

A Midtown Manhattan high rise undergoing conversion from office space to apartments remained unstable Tuesday after structural columns buckled, forcing evacuations across a section of East 42nd Street near Grand Central Terminal. City officials said engineers were preparing a plan to stabilize the structure while monitoring continued movement inside the building.

The incident unfolded shortly before 8 a.m. after the Fire Department of New York responded to reports of bricks falling from the former Pfizer headquarters at 235 East 42nd Street. Firefighters found that two structural columns on the 21st and 22nd floors had buckled, with sagging reported between the 21st and 26th floors.

Construction workers reportedly evacuated the site before emergency officials expanded the evacuation to neighboring buildings and closed surrounding streets. No injuries have been reported, and officials said every worker has been accounted for.

Mayor Says Building Continued to Shift

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the incident as an "extremely serious situation" and said the structure continued to move after emergency crews arrived. Officials are using drones and precision monitoring equipment to measure movement while structural engineers determine how to shore up damaged sections before crews can reenter the building.

The evacuation zone includes multiple commercial properties and a school with about 400 children. Emergency officials established a collapse zone covering several blocks, and traffic remains restricted between First and Third avenues in the affected area. Transit service has also been disrupted, with M42 buses diverted because of road closures.

Officials stressed that the building's steel frame reduces the likelihood of a full structural failure, though they warned that any collapse could affect damaged sections of the building. The cause of the buckled columns remains under investigation by the New York City Department of Buildings and the FDNY.

Project Faces Fresh Scrutiny

The property is undergoing one of New York City's largest office-to-residential conversions. Plans call for about 1,600 apartments and additional floors above the existing tower. Metro Loft Management, the developer overseeing the conversion, said it is cooperating with city authorities as engineers assess the damage.

Public records show the construction site received several safety violations in 2025 that resulted in financial penalties, though those violations were later resolved. The Department of Buildings said inspectors remain on site and that the investigation will continue until the structure is stabilized and the cause of the failure is determined.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 8:40 AM.