Structural Concerns Force Emergency Closure of Maryland Office Building

New York construction scare highlights the challenges of converting offices into housing

New York construction scare highlights the challenges of converting offices into housing

Manhattan Skyscraper Evacuated Over Collapse Fears

FDNYA Midtown Manhattan skyscraper has been evacuated after construction workers discovered structural problems that raised fears of a possible collapse. Crews cleared the 37-story building on East 42nd Street shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday after two support beams on the 21st and 22nd floors began buckling. Officials said floors 21 through 26 showed signs of stress and partial failure. The building, which previously housed pharmaceutical company Pfizer, was emptied as a precaution, with no injuries reported. Eight nearby buildings were also evacuated while emergency crews assessed the situation. The FDNY said it was responding to a “major technical rescue response,” while New York City Department of Buildings inspectors launched an investigation. A section of East 42nd Street between Second and Third Avenues has been closed to traffic and pedestrians as officials assess the building’s safety. The building is undergoing a luxury apartment conversion.Read more at The Daily Beast.

New York City high-rise stable after columns buckled, officials say

A high-rise building under construction in midtown Manhattan that had been at risk of collapse appears to have stabilized, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Wednesday, a ​day after two support columns buckled and forced the evacuation of a ​half-dozen nearby buildings. The 37-story office building, which is being converted into residential apartments, []...Click to read more

The Stuff of Nightmares: Evacuations Underway As Support Structures Buckle on NYC Skyscraper

The Stuff of Nightmares: Evacuations Underway As Support Structures Buckle on NYC Skyscraper

Pfizer building scare tests office-to-resi thesis 

For an industry betting that obsolete office towers can help solve the housing shortage, this week’s scare at the former Pfizer headquarters could be a snag. Work stopped at the Midtown Manhattan tower on Tuesday after two steel columns failed during construction, prompting evacuations of the site and neighboring properties. The project, led by Nathan Berman’s MetroLoft and David Werner, is slated to deliver roughly 1,600 apartments, making it one of the city’s most closely watched office conversion projects. Work was quickly launched to shore up and stabilize the building. Nobody was injured in the incident and Berman anticipates a []This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.