Manhattan high-rise under conversion declared stable after support column issue

City officials said a Midtown Manhattan high-rise that is being converted from former Pfizer offices into apartments is "stable" after firefighters discovered two buckling support columns on Tuesday morning. The New York Fire Department was alerted just before 8 a.m. when bricks were observed falling from the 21st floor, prompting the evacuation of the building and nearby structures.

"The way the building is constructed means it is likely not at risk of a total collapse, but instead more of a localized collapse," FDNY Chief John Esposito said.

Metro Loft Management, the firm overseeing the conversion, said it is working with the Department of Buildings to assess the situation. Nathan Berman, founder of MetroLoft, described the incident as a typical construction mishap and said the project is well engineered except for the two affected columns.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported no injuries and confirmed that all construction workers were accounted for, while about 400 children were evacuated from a nearby school. Traffic on several streets remained restricted as crews continued investigations. The building, located on the 200 block of 42nd Street near Grand Central, was purchased in 2018 for $363.5 million and is slated for a 1,500-unit residential conversion slated for completion in 2027.