Discussion summary
A construction site in Midtown Manhattan experienced buckling beams, leading to evacuation. Discussions include structural concerns, urban density, and potential resolutions.
What the discussion says
- Questions about construction practices and safety measures.
- Debate on urban density and building constraints in the US.
- Suggestions for resolving structural issues, including shoring up the building.
“Does anyone here have any knowledge of how something like this gets resolved?”
“Trying to force upwards in such an already dense area just doesn't make sense.”
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- Hacker News
- There was the Citibank headquarters
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1995/05/29/the-fifty-nine...
by fmajid - NYT updates (non-paywall) https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/07/nyregion/pfizer-buil...
- Having seen the photos, I simply can't imagine how can they recover from that.by cromka
- I'm not an expert but those look like pretty wimpy columns? Kind of surprising, when I worked in a tower it had exposed concrete columns that were very thick in comparisonby pram
- This is a little pedantic but the pictures seem to show failing support columns not beams.
Beams are horizontal and columns are vertical.
by danofsteel32 - They're adding a hunch of floors to an existing building - it was the old Pfizer headquarters and they want to turn it into apartments. Someone either didn't do the proper engineering study, or the original specs weren't accurate.
Figuring out who to blame will probably take years in court.
by comrade1234