Former Pfizer tower in Midtown East evacuated after support beams buckle

Two support columns on the 21st floor of the former Pfizer headquarters at 235 East 42nd Street buckled around 8 a.m. Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of the 37-story tower and nearby buildings in Midtown East. No injuries were reported, and all construction workers were accounted for as city crews and engineers began installing temporary shoring to stabilize the building.

Workers first noticed cracks before the distress spread through the upper floors, and the 21st to 26th floors began caving under the stress. The structure remained unstable for hours after the emergency began and continued to move for part of the day. Fire Chief John Esposito said the concern appeared more likely to be a localized internal collapse than a full collapse onto the street.

The evacuation swept through a busy corridor about a block from the Chrysler Building and between Grand Central Terminal and United Nations headquarters. At least seven neighboring structures were cleared at one point, and residents at 222 East 44th Street were later told they could return. Engineers were also using drones to monitor the tower while work continued to brace the site.

The building had been in the middle of a major conversion from office space into luxury apartments. The former Pfizer site is expected to become roughly 1,500 to 1,600 luxury rental units, making it one of the city’s largest office-to-residential redevelopments. That broader conversion wave has accelerated since 2024 changes to tax and zoning rules. A 2025 report from the New York City Comptroller’s Office counted 44 completed, ongoing or potential conversions across the city, covering 15.2 million gross square feet and pointing to about 17,400 apartments.