Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
NYC Inspects Construction Sites After 37-Story Midtown Building Buckles
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14

NYC Inspects Construction Sites After 37-Story Midtown Building Buckles

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14

Summary

  • City inspectors began safety sweeps Monday at construction sites linked to firms working on the East 42nd Street project, where two columns buckled last week.
  • The failure left the 37-story Midtown East building dangerously unstable, halted construction and temporarily forced thousands of nearby occupants to evacuate; no injuries were reported.
  • Friday brought a preliminary criminal inquiry into the incident, though officials have not disclosed the probe’s scope, targets or the full reach of the inspections.
  • Stabilization work is continuing floor by floor at the office-to-apartment conversion, the largest such project in the country, with completion once slated for 2027.

Insights

After this near-disaster, can New York City's plan to convert offices into housing be trusted?
Are tax breaks for luxury conversions creating affordable housing or just dangerous, expensive apartments?