Developer Explains Structural Risk Behind Manhattan Tower Evacuation

Nathan Berman, the developer behind a major Manhattan project, attributed the partial collapse risk of a tower to the weight of an added rooftop extension. The building, formerly Pfizer's headquarters, is undergoing the largest office-to-residential conversion in the U.S., adding 15 floors above the 22nd floor. Berman explained in a Wall Street Journal interview that two support columns on the 21st floor likely failed under the extra load, causing steel beams to bend and prompting evacuation of nine nearby buildings, including the Israeli consulate.

Berman, founder of MetroLoft, emphasized that the damage was confined to the new extension and did not affect the rest of the structure, which remains stable. The building covers 150,000 square meters and was originally constructed in the 1960s with a tiered wedding cake-style facade. The redevelopment will create 1,600 residential units with amenities like a rooftop pool, gym, and ground-floor shops, expected to complete next year.

Ahmad Tigani, chair of the city’s building committee, stated the project plans underwent thorough review over the past two years. The architecture firm Gensler declined to comment, directing inquiries to MetroLoft. Berman, son of Holocaust survivors and an immigrant from western Ukraine, founded MetroLoft in 1997 and has converted dozens of office buildings into over 8,000 residential units in New York. He was described by the Financial Times in 2023 as a leading figure in the office-to-residential conversion trend, which he likened to performing surgery on buildings.