# NYC building in imminent danger of collapse **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494 "2026-07-07T18:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/21 "2026-07-08T02:09:11Z")
“I just don’t want people thinking our buildings aren’t safe.” “Was this building safe?” “Well, I was thinking more about the other ones…” ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/22 "2026-07-08T02:36:18Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > “I just don’t want people thinking our buildings aren’t safe.” > > “Was this building safe?” > > “Well, I was thinking more about the other ones…” Don’t worry, the building was towed outside of the environment. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/23 "2026-07-08T02:38:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And I’ll likewise bet that we’re going to hear a lot of “that wasn’t me; it was my underling who approved this”. But who put their seal on it? That’s who is on the hook. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/24 "2026-07-08T04:21:30Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But I’m thinking anyone that touched this project or put signature on it is eyeballing their professional liability coverage and wishing they’d declined this project. There have been numerous projects lately that have had terrible outcomes. I have to wonder why questionable projects continue to get approved. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/25 "2026-07-08T05:03:40Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > I’m not a civil or structural engineer. But I’m thinking anyone that touched this project or put signature on it is eyeballing their professional liability coverage and wishing they’d declined this project. > > Yeah, whomever said “Yeah, go ahead with the plan to add more floors to this structure” has some 'splainin to do. I would think that whoever did the engineering calculations for this current project got a lot of their specs from when it was originally built. If something was changed, and not documented, during that original construction, then the new calculations might have been flawed from the start. > [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > “I just don’t want people thinking our buildings aren’t safe.” > > “Was this building safe?” > > “Well, I was thinking more about the other ones…” “The ones that are safe?” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/26 "2026-07-08T11:27:06Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > But who put their seal on it? That’s who is on the hook. Oh, yeah, the “it wasn’t me” defense absolutely won’t work (at least, if the regulatory agencies are doing their job). But I’m sure some folks will try it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/27 "2026-07-08T11:43:23Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Better start slinging those webs. Seeing as the building is right across the street from the Daily Planet, maybe a different superhero should intervene. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/28 "2026-07-08T12:06:04Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I would think that whoever did the engineering calculations for this current project got a lot of their specs from when it was originally built. If something was changed, and not documented, during that original construction, then the new calculations might have been flawed from the start. For sure. As designed, as built, as subsequently modified, and as maintained long term are all different things. The infamous **[Hyatt Regency walkway collapse - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse)** was a direct 100% result of the builder building something different than the designers designed because they thought the design was too hard / inconvenient to build. So they winged their own informal redesign of a _very_ critical part without any calcs, and without notifying the designers. And it promptly fell apart. Oops. As said, I’m not in that biz, nor even adjacent. So I have no idea how much due diligence someone designing a significant renovation goes through to see the actual as-built-modified-and-maintained status of the entire building. It only takes a couple of adjacent rotten columns due to e.g. forgotten water intrusion 40 years ago to produce a stress concentration that has little to no margin left for additional loads. Problem is you sorta need to spend the money to tear out the entire interior before you can reliably determine the underlying structural condition. Which nobody is going to pay for before the finished design is finalized. You can cut holes in walls to sample steel or concrete all you want, but all that can do is prove the building is a wreck. Only a 100% audit proves it’s sound enough to extensively expand. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/29 "2026-07-08T12:43:50Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > And it’s now 37 stories tall with failures on the 21st through 26th floors. Yes, floors 27-37 are fine ! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/30 "2026-07-08T13:31:28Z")
If we make sure the tenants are of light build and relatively sedentary and if the weather’s on our side, I think we have a winner here. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/31 "2026-07-08T13:47:21Z")
The collapsing old building makes me think of [Einstürzende Neubauten](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einst%C3%BCrzende_Neubauten). ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/32 "2026-07-08T13:56:30Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > But who put their seal on it? SeaWorld? [![](https://marinesanctuary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SBNMS_Gray-Seal_Matt-McIntosh_NOAA-e1630332861699.jpg) ](https://marinesanctuary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SBNMS_Gray-Seal_Matt-McIntosh_NOAA-e1630332861699.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/33 "2026-07-08T14:06:45Z")
This whole situation makes me think of a blown seal. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/34 "2026-07-08T14:11:22Z")
[The developer’s press conference.](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7H0O!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda7bb7d2-630d-4ab5-95ab-a7459c12f220_500x286.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/35 "2026-07-08T14:19:59Z")
The penguin was just eating ice cream! Once there was a little penguin named Pedro who wanted to go to Las Vegas. He wanted to go in style so he rented a Cadillac. Unfortunately the car broke down in the middle of the desert, so the poor little penguin had to get out and push the car. Since it was a huge Cadillac and he was pushing in the middle of the desert, Pedro the Penguin got very hot, very quickly. When he finally got to a mechanic he asked the mechanic to find out what was wrong with his car, then ran to a nearby ice cream parlor. He was so excited when he got his ice cream that instead of eating it, he just rubbed it all over his face using his little penguin flipper hands. Then he went back to the mechanic and the mechanic said to the penguin, “it looks like you blew a seal.” The penguin started wiping his ice cream-smeared face and replied: "No, no! It’s just ice cream!!! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/36 "2026-07-08T14:30:14Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > If we make sure the tenants are of light build and relatively sedentary and if the weather’s on our side, I think we have a winner here. Tenants go down the moving walkway down scenes of Georgian countrysides, toward the rotating support columns. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/37 "2026-07-08T14:41:19Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > This whole situation makes me think of a blown seal. Hey, just fix the thing, and leave my personal life out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/38 "2026-07-08T14:42:01Z")
One New York Times [article](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/08/nyregion/nyc-midtown-building-collapse) on the situation has this bit, in which the developer tries to play down the severity of the problem. > “This incident is nothing more than a typical construction mishap,” Nathan Berman, managing principal and founder of MetroLoft, said on Tuesday evening. “It happens unfortunately far too often on construction sites: falling cranes, people — God forbid — falling off buildings, windows falling out.” Because _of course_ every week it’s like that; cranes falling off buildings, persons falling off buildings, windows falling off buildings. New Yorkers must be walking around midtown wearing hard hats. And by the way, some of the nearby buildings are hotels that were evacuated. So some hotel guests are out of their rooms without their luggage or other stuff. That’s gotta suck for them. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/39 "2026-07-08T15:29:22Z")
A column buckled as badly as the one in the picture in the OP is way beyond mishap. I’m no engineer or contractor i would be breaking the sound barrier getting away. ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494/40 "2026-07-08T15:36:44Z")
How would they even go about trying to fix it? Are there people crazy enough to do work in a building like that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-building-in-imminent-danger-of-collapse/1031494.md?page=3)