By Robin MacLennan
New York Construction Report staff writer
Construction has been suspended at a 37-story office-to-residential conversion project in Midtown Manhattan after structural damage forced emergency evacuations and prompted city officials to launch an investigation into the cause of the failure.
Emergency crews responded shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday to reports of falling bricks at 235 E. 42nd St., where a former office tower is being converted into residential apartments under permits issued by New York City’s Department of Buildings (DOB).
After arriving on site, officials found significant structural distress inside the building. Two steel support columns had buckled, while several floors showed signs of cracking, sagging and continued movement, creating a potentially dangerous situation for workers and nearby properties.
All construction workers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
Fire Chief John Esposito said the building continues to show measurable movement, making stabilization efforts the city’s top priority before investigators can safely enter the structure.
“We have specialized tools that allow us to monitor even very small movements,” Esposito said during a media briefing. “Since arriving on scene, we’ve continued to observe movement, which tells us the building is not yet stable.”
The DOB, working alongside the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), is using drones to inspect the damaged areas while engineers develop a plan to stabilize the affected floors.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said emergency personnel and structural engineers are coordinating with the project’s engineering team to install temporary shoring once the building can be safely accessed.
“Our immediate priority is securing the structure,” Mamdani said. “Once engineers determine it is safe to enter, crews will begin reinforcing the compromised floor before a full investigation can proceed.”
As a safety precaution, the New York Police Department established a restricted zone around the site, closing streets between East 40th and East 45th streets from First Avenue to Third Avenue. Seven neighboring buildings were also evacuated while officials assess any potential risks.
DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said the most severe damage appears to be concentrated around the building’s 21st floor, where inspectors observed both buckled structural members and impaired floor conditions.
Engineers are continuing to monitor the building from surrounding locations and will not enter until they determine conditions are safe.
Once access is possible, crews plan to install temporary supports before carrying out a comprehensive structural assessment to identify any additional areas requiring reinforcement.
The project is part of New York City’s ongoing effort to convert older office buildings into residential housing, a strategy aimed at increasing housing supply while adapting underused commercial properties. According to Tigani, the conversion plans underwent extensive structural and code reviews before construction began.
Investigators are now focused on determining what caused the structural failure and whether it was related to construction activities, design, or another factor. Officials emphasized that the building’s steel-frame construction reduces the likelihood of a complete collapse, although localized failures remain a significant concern until stabilization work is complete.
The investigation will continue once engineers are able to safely access the damaged portions of the building.
