New York City's Department of Buildings (DOB) has rescinded a partial stop-work order at 750 Third Avenue, allowing construction to resume. The initial pause was due to contractors not providing documentation for welded splices in steel columns, but a re-inspection confirmed no structural issues. The owner, SL Green, stated construction is back on schedule.
However, two other Manhattan office-to-apartment conversion projects remain paused. One, at 222 Broadway, received a full stop-work order on July 24 after inspectors discovered cracked concrete beams on the newly constructed 32nd floor that had been repaired without proper notification or approval from the DOB. The project's structural engineer, DeSimone Consulting Engineers, eventually submitted required reports, which the DOB is now auditing.
The widespread inspection campaign across New York City followed a structural failure at the former Pfizer building office conversion on July 7, where two steel beams buckled, leading to an evacuation and the closure of ten city blocks. While temporary measures stabilized the Pfizer building, the cause of the buckling is still under investigation, and work remains halted there.
