The Brief
- A massive Midtown high-rise conversion project triggered mass evacuations and a major traffic corridor lockdown after showing signs of a potential structural collapse.
- Before the collapse scare, the site was plagued by safety issues that racked up six major violations and over $32,000 in fines.
- Local residents and labor unions had repeatedly flagged the site for cutting corners.
NEW YORK CITY – As city engineers work to understand why a massive Midtown redevelopment project suddenly threatened to collapse on Tuesday, attention is rapidly shifting to the building’s paperwork.
While emergency crews have since stabilized the structure, public records and local labor leaders reveal a long history of safety violations, heavy fines, and unheeded warnings at the site.
The backstory:…