what do we know about the building?
The high-rise is located near Grand Central Station in Midtown East, on the 200 block of 42nd Street. Pfizer moved its offices to the building in 1961, relocating from another building across the street. Pfizer announced in 2016 it would sell the building and search for a new office space in New York, and in July 2018, the building was jointly purchased by real estate investor David Werner, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Deutsche Bank and the State of Wisconsin Investment Board for a reported $363.5 million. Werner and Metro Loft Management announced in 2024 the building would be converted into an apartment building with 1,500 units, which Manhattan’s then-borough president Mark Levine said would be the largest such conversion in the city’s history. Demolition of the building’s interior began in 2024, and the New York Times reported the project was scheduled to be completed by 2027.
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what have local officials said?
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday morning there are no injuries reported and all construction workers have been accounted for, adding about 400 children have been evacuated from a nearby school. The FDNY said in a post on X shortly before noon EDT on Tuesday it remains on scene while partner agencies investigate reports of structural issues. New York’s emergency notification system also alerted residents Tuesday morning of potential traffic delays in the area and urged people to use alternate routes.
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further reading
Former Pfizer headquarters on 42nd Street to become apartments (NBC New York)