The New York City high-rise, deemed at risk of collapsing Tuesday, has 44 prior complaints against it, including allegations that a worker was blowing material off the roof, according to the city’s Department of Buildings.
In March, the building located at 235 East 42nd Street in Midtown, Manhattan, received an anonymous complaint that a worker was “blowing material off of the roof… with a leaf blower.”
The emergency response team that responded to the complaint dismissed it, saying there was no construction activity at the time nor any worker blowing material off the building.
Weeks later, in April, another complaint said there was “falling debris” from the building, which an emergency response team later said they had not observed.
On Tuesday morning, law enforcement and city officials ordered an evacuation of all construction workers and people in nearby buildings after determining that the 1970s-era building, which was being converted into apartments, was at risk of collapse. Construction workers had found a steel beam compromised on the 21st floor and at least one support column buckling.
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That sparked a massive response from New York City officials to keep the building from falling down. Crews rushed to stabilize the building and evacuate nearby structures. The city set up a “frozen zone” stretching around the site for blocks, over fears the building might collapse. On Tuesday night, officials said the building had been deemed stabilized and no more movement in the building was seen.
MetroLoft, the developer of the building, said in a statement Tuesday was aware of problems with the building and is working with the Department of Buildings to “understand the full scope of the situation.”
“The safety of our workers and the public has always been, and remains, our top priority,” the developer said, according to ABC7
The Independent has asked MetroLoft for comment.
The building’s complaint history has multiple allegations of falling debris. In July 2025, a piece of the window spandrel glass fell from the 8th floor and hit a building shed. It was later determined that the spandrel glass was poorly maintained.
In August, a person complained of falling equipment. During the incident, a piece of metal paneling fell from the 33rd floor onto the sidewalk. The construction safety enforcement team said that the site failed to tightly enclose a shaftway for debris removal.
In October, one complaint accused the construction site of “unsafe conditions,” claiming a “large item fell and broke through five floors and almost hit someone.”
The complaint also claimed workers were working with gas machines without proper ventilation, wielding without spotters or safety blankets and using a chipping gun without protection from falling debris.
“Piece of concrete are constantly falling from above [sic],” the complaint alleges.
An emergency response team, which inspected the site the day after the complaint was filed, said there were no violating conditions observed, that there were pedestrian protections in place and no falling debris.
Among other prior complaints, a construction worker reportedly fell off a six-foot ladder in December because the ladder was not on a flat and level surface. The construction safety enforcement team later conducted a re-inspection and provided a ladder safety training log sheet.
In late April, the construction safety enforcement team conducted a sweep of the site and reported that all inspection logs and housekeeping were maintained.
“No unsafe conditions observed,” the construction safety team wrote in the April 21 report.
As of Wednesday morning, the building was considered stable after construction crews shored up damaged columns overnight.
“I can say right now the building is stable,” Ahmed Tigani, the commissioner of New York City’s Department of Buildings, told reporters Tuesday evening. “We feel confident in the emergency plan we have now.”
Authorities shrunk the “frozen zone” established around the building, which allowed some locals to go back into their residences.
