NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) — A 17-story office tower in midtown Manhattan was evacuated Tuesday on concerns over a weakened wall in its basement that was cracked and collapsing.
The building, home to the UJA-Federation of New York and located on 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, is adjacent to an empty lot that recently took on rainwater that saturated the soil, according to Fire Department spokesman Jim Long. The FDNY believes the soil is pushing on a non-load-bearing wall in the basement, he said.
“The building itself is structurally sound. It is not in danger of collapse,” Long said in a statement. “The structural support members are intact and not impacted. The compromised wall is an infill wall in the cellar.”…