Steel columns installed to stabilize midtown Manhattan building from collapse

Construction crews have replaced emergency shoring with steel columns to better stabilize a midtown Manhattan office building against a potential partial collapse, the New York City Buildings Department said Thursday.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, one city block behind the building at 235 E. 42nd St., and a handful of buildings nearby, remained off-limits to New Yorkers.

The FDNY and NYPD responded Tuesday to reports of falling bricks outside the building, formerly home to pharmaceutical giant Pfizer's global headquarters, when they discovered steel beams that appeared to be buckling.

David Maggiotto, the deputy press secretary for the Department of Buildings, said the building was last seen moving Tuesday morning.

"There has been no new movement at the building since," Maggiotto told Newsday on Thursday in an email, adding, "Our DOB inspectors and engineers on scene are regularly assessing when these additional closures can be lifted."

The investigation into the structural integrity of the building, which is being converted from office space to 1,500 apartments, is ongoing, he said. Investigators will review plans and construction documents, interview witnesses and parties involved in the renovation, review video and photographic evidence and conduct "a full inspection sweep of the entire construction site," he said.

"Enforcement actions for responsible parties are pending the results of our ongoing investigation," Maggiotto added.

Crews were installing steel columns on "multiple floors" and "reinforcing several existing structural columns in the building," Maggiotto said. More steel columns are expected to be delivered to the site to replace the "light shoring equipment" that was previously used because it was available immediately and could be installed quicker.

The workers are "under constant supervision by structural engineers hired by the property owners," said Maggiotto, adding that the Buildings Department "has also required the owner to retain an independent third-party engineer to conduct an additional forensic evaluation."

 The "frozen zone" enforced by the NYPD for several blocks around the compromised structure on Tuesday dwindled down to a sole street closure by Wednesday afternoon. That same street — East 43rd between Second and Third avenues — remained off-limits to vehicle and foot traffic on Thursday, according to the Buildings Department.

Four buildings — 815 Second Ave., 235 E. 43rd St., 231 E. 43rd St. and 225 E. 43rd St. —  remained under full evacuation orders Thursday "due to their proximity to the area of 235 E. 42nd St. where the buckled steel beams occurred," the Buildings Department said.

The partial commercial unit vacate order put in place Wednesday for the Yakiniku TORAJI restaurant at 217 E. 43rd St. remained in effect on Thursday.