Midtown Tower Stabilized After Support Columns Bent During Conversion

Overview

• Workers reported falling bricks and structural movement early Tuesday, July 7, when two support columns bent between the 21st and 22nd floors of a 37‑story former Pfizer tower undergoing conversion to about 1,600 apartments.
• Fire and police evacuated a multi‑block zone in Midtown Manhattan, cleared the construction site with no injuries, and temporarily closed nearby buildings including the Consulate‑General of Brazil.
• City engineers and the FDNY described the tower as unstable after the initial inspections, and crews installed temporary steel shoring between roughly the 18th and 23rd floors to stop further movement.
• MetroLoft said it is cooperating with the Department of Buildings and investigators, who will not enter the structure until engineers confirm conditions are safe and permanent reinforcement materials arrive.
• Public records show the project had past DOB infractions and a same‑day 311 complaint alleged out‑of‑plan work, while union officials have claimed insufficient steel for added loads; those claims remain under review and unproven, raising scrutiny of office‑to‑residential conversions.