Evacuees ordered to stay away from a Midtown high-rise with buckling beams have begun trickling back to their hotels and jobs, though lingering frustrations and closures persist.
Most street closures were lifted Thursday after crews stabilized the former Pfizer building at 235 E. 42nd Street, where two support beams buckled Tuesday. The incident prompted wide evacuations, but several surrounding buildings and a restaurant remain under vacate orders.
Scottish tourists Lucy McCarron, Collette Miller, and Nicole Murrey were allowed to return to their hotel late Wednesday, a day after the evacuation. The group incurred approximately $2,000 in unexpected hotel costs, which they stated the Westin did not cover. One of the tourists noted that a single night's stay during the disruption cost as much as their entire planned week.
Sean Dow, a 25-year-old steamfitter with Steamfitters Local 638, was credited with first spotting the bending columns and raising alarms that led to the building's evacuation. His union colleagues have dubbed him the "42nd Street hero." Dow stated that he is not being paid while the office-to-apartments renovation project is paused and that he will not return to work until he receives documentation confirming the building's safety. The union held a rally along East 42nd Street, arguing the largely non-union project was unsafe.
Businesses in the vicinity are still grappling with the economic fallout. The Sandwicherie of New York experienced a significant drop in morning customers, with one worker describing the usual early rush as a mere trickle. A Budget and Avis car rental location reported a shortage of available vehicles because their fleet was parked on a street that remained closed.
Despite the disruptions, the Scottish tourists reported that New Yorkers were generally helpful and friendly during their ordeal, with the exception of the hotel staff. Westin staff declined to comment.