Key facts
- Construction halted at GFP Real Estate's 222 Broadway office-to-residential conversion project.
- The stop-work order was issued due to a contractor's failure to report cracked beams found in March.
- The project spokesperson stated the building's stability was never compromised and the issue was a reporting timeline discrepancy.
- The incident follows a structural defect at the former Pfizer headquarters, prompting increased regulatory scrutiny.
- The 222 Broadway project aims to deliver 788 luxury rental apartments and 40,000 SF of commercial space.
Construction has been halted at a second Manhattan office-to-residential conversion project, GFP Real Estate's 222 Broadway, following increased inspections by city officials prompted by a structural issue at another conversion site. The Department of Buildings issued a full stop-work order on July 24, citing a contractor's failure to immediately notify the department about cracked beams discovered in March on the 32nd floor.
A spokesperson for the 222 Broadway project, known as Wrey, stated that the beams were assessed, repaired, and signed off by a third-party structural engineer, and that the stop-work order was issued over a reporting timeline discrepancy, not safety concerns. The spokesperson asserted that the building's stability has not been compromised at any point during construction.
The incident at 222 Broadway, which is set to deliver 788 luxury rental apartments and 40,000 square feet of commercial space, likely came to light due to a construction defect at the former Pfizer headquarters on July 7. That incident, involving buckled support columns in a building being converted by MetroLoft Management and David Werner, led to emergency responders warning of a potential collapse and prompted city inspectors to reexamine other conversion projects.
While the industry has largely dismissed the Pfizer building issue as an isolated event, it has raised concerns among developers about increased scrutiny from regulators, lenders, and insurers, potentially driving up construction costs. Despite the stop-work order, GFP Real Estate's spokesperson indicated that the contractor is working to resolve the issue and they do not anticipate an impact on the project's timeline.