Pfizer Building Conversion Halted After Steel Columns Reported Buckling

New York City emergency crews established a frozen zone around the former Pfizer headquarters on East 42nd Street after receiving reports that steel support columns on the 21st floor were buckling. The 37-story tower had been under conversion from office space to a mixed commercial-residential complex since 2024.

The Fire Department responded to the report on Tuesday morning. A separate 911 call earlier that day about falling bricks from the façade was later determined to be false. City crews worked through the night before declaring the structure stable.

Background on the Conversion Project A real-estate group led by Nathan Berman began the renovation in 2024. The building had previously housed Pfizer's headquarters before the company relocated to Hudson Yards in 2023. Berman has converted multiple older office buildings into residential units in lower Manhattan.

The project aimed to add housing units in a city facing a long-term shortage of residential space. Plans included amenities such as a swimming pool and gym.

" The carpenters' union and laborers' union questioned whether steel was skimped on during construction. The Times reported that the private inspection firm hired for the project had prior violations on other jobs, some resulting in city fines that were not all paid.

The building was designed by Emery Roth in the 1960s and shares ownership between Berman and David Werner.