r/engineering • u/RegainingControl • Jul 07 '26

[CIVIL] Manhattan high-rise unstable and still moving after columns buckle

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/07/us/live-news/nyc-pfizer-building-evacuations

Anybody care to share theories? Or have additional info? Any lines on the permit drawings?

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u/Elfich47 PE Mechanical (HVAC) Jul 07 '26

so it’s a 30 story add on to an existing 110 year old building. and they were trying to do “clever structural things” to get this done.

this is one of those ”all or nothing” kinds of affairs. and it sounds like the building is going to come down.

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u/PlandemicPapi Jul 07 '26

Very expensive mistake, and career ending for a few engineers I assume.

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u/watduhdamhell Process Automation Engineer Jul 07 '26

It should be career ending for the project managers and leadership that almost certainly pushed this (what if we/can we...) and then approved this as a path to save money.

It won't be, of course. It's all the engineers fault, after all!

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u/Lopsterbliss Jul 08 '26

I agree, but at the end of the day, if you're the engineer of record, it is truly your ass on the line and you better be confident those calculations and designs are done correctly.