Eight More Under-Reinforced Columns Found at Former Pfizer HQ Site

Engineering drawings obtained by The New York Times show eight additional steel columns at 235 East 42nd Street — the former Pfizer headquarters — had insufficient reinforcement, beyond the two columns that buckled on July 7, 2026, triggering evacuations. The building was mid-conversion into 1,600 apartments. The findings expand the known scope of structural deficiency across the high-rise's frame, raising questions about whether stabilization measures addressed all vulnerabilities or only those that failed.