Design and Construction Report staff writer
A Midtown Manhattan high-rise that was at risk of collapse earlier this week has been stabilized after city officials found no additional movement in damaged columns, allowing contractors to begin emergency repairs, according to the New York City Department of Buildings.
Inspectors conducted floor-by-floor checks Tuesday at 235 East 42nd Street and determined the 37-story building had stabilized. Workers were seen Tuesday evening reinforcing the affected areas inside the glass-and-steel tower as crews continued shoring operations overnight.
Department of Buildings inspectors and engineers remain on site monitoring the repairs and investigating the cause of the structural failure.
The building, the former global headquarters of Pfizer, is being converted by developer Metro Loft into a luxury rental complex with more than 1,500 units. Officials had previously deemed the property at risk of collapse before determining it was stable later Tuesday.
According to reporting by the New York Post, Department of Buildings records show the property had 44 prior complaints, including an allegation that a worker was blowing material from the roof. The Post also reported that the site received seven violations between July and December 2025, resulting in more than $32,000 in fines.
Structural engineer Ronald Hamburger, speaking to the Post, said the violations were warning signs that should have been addressed earlier. He also said the building’s instability appears connected to the addition of 11 floors during redevelopment, a major structural modification that may have increased stress on the original framework.
Hamburger also said in The Post that damaged columns are now carrying roughly one-third of their intended load, leaving other portions of the structure under significant stress.
The city has brought in additional materials to reinforce the affected floors while investigators examine whether the added weight from the expansion, combined with possible existing weaknesses, contributed to the near collapse.
Metro Loft said in a statement posted by NBC 4 New York on X that the issue was “a localized situation” affecting fewer than 30 apartments out of more than 1,600.
“We are in the process of addressing the issue and will fully rebuild this portion of the building in tandem with ongoing construction,” the developer said. “We remain on schedule and this work will not delay delivery of the building as it is such a small portion of the project.”
The company added that crews were working around the clock to restore normal operations in the area.
