New York City is finally fixing a buckling Midtown skyscraper that scared the hell out of everyone this summer. The former Pfizer headquarters at 235 E. 42nd Street, right next to Grand Central, was evacuated in July after massive beams started bending like cigarettes on the 21st floor. Now, crews are set to jack up the sagging floors by exactly 7 inches, but they aren’t rushing the job. They are lifting the building a tiny 1/64th of an inch at a time, which is roughly the thickness of a guitar pick.
This slow-motion repair is necessary because the structure was in serious danger. Bricks rained down on the street when floors caved in during the initial collapse, and emergency crews had to shore up the building immediately. The city’s Department of Buildings confirmed that work to raise the floors is scheduled to begin this week, according to newly filed engineering plans obtained by the New York Post.
Engineering The Fix
The plan to lift the building isn’t just about moving dirt; it’s about preventing another disaster. Eric Cowley, president of Cowley Engineering, explained the extreme caution required for this operation. He told the New York Post, “The threat is going too fast and missing a problem, like something that is causing damage somewhere else.” That is why the team is moving so slowly, ensuring that every fraction of an inch is safe before moving to the next.
This independent review is critical because the beams in the building were visibly deforming under the strain. The developer, MetroLoft, originally planned to rebuild the damaged section immediately after the July incident, but their strategy has since shifted to this gradual jacking approach.
Why It Buckled
The building was under construction as a massive office-to-residential conversion project when the trouble started. Two support columns buckled on the 21st floor, causing a chain reaction that threatened the entire 37-story tower. The city’s largest office-to-housing conversion project has been a flashpoint for safety concerns, and the evacuation during the morning rush hour sent a clear message to developers and residents alike.
David Maggiotto of the Department of Buildings issued a strong statement to reassure the public about the safety protocols in place. “We would not allow any work to proceed in the city if we thought it was posing a hazard to the public,” Maggiotto said. The city is clearly under pressure to get this right, given the location steps away from the Chrysler Building and the high-traffic area around Grand Central.
Next Steps For The Site
The immediate goal is to stabilize the structure and ensure no further collapse occurs while the long-term repairs are planned. The building was evacuated during the first week of July, and more than three months have passed since that dramatic event. Now that the jacking process is set to begin, the focus shifts to the future of this property and whether it can ever become the safe housing complex the city needs.
New Yorkers should keep an eye on 235 E. 42nd Street as the work begins.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
