A New York City high-rise in Midtown Manhattan, deemed at risk of collapsing on Tuesday, had received 44 prior complaints, including reports of falling debris and unsafe construction practices, according to the city’s Department of Buildings.
The 1970s-era building at 235 East 42nd Street, which was being converted into apartments, was evacuated after a steel beam on the 21st floor was found compromised and a support column buckled. Authorities established a “frozen zone” around the site amid fears of collapse.
Among the complaints, in July 2025, a piece of window spandrel glass fell from the eighth floor, and in August, a metal panel fell from the 33rd floor. A complaint in October alleged that a large item fell through five floors and nearly struck someone, and that concrete pieces were constantly falling. However, emergency response teams often found no violations upon inspection.
Developer MetroLoft said it was aware of the problems and was working with authorities to understand the situation. As of Wednesday morning, the building was deemed stable after crews shored up damaged columns overnight, and the frozen zone was reduced.
