432 Park Ave. It could rain “chunks of concrete” if high-rise cracks aren’t fixed in New York City

One of The tallest and most impressive towers in Manhattan It’s full of cracks — and some engineers fear chunks of concrete could fall onto downtown sidewalks if a $160 million renovation isn’t done.

The white concrete facade of the 432 Park Avenue tower — the nearly 1,400-foot-tall, 96-story “Billionaires’ Row” tower that reaches high into the downtown skyline — has been split, cracked and left with missing pieces since its completion in 2015. A disturbing study from the New York Times found on Sunday.

One expert said the problem is so bad that the towering skyscraper could be left “uninhabitable” if a major restoration is not completed soon.

“Chunks of concrete will fall off, and the windows will start to disintegrate,” explained structural engineer Steve Bongiorno, warning that water could begin to seep into the cracks and destroy the building from the inside out.

“You can’t get on elevators, mechanical systems start failing, pipe connections start breaking, water leaks everywhere,” Bongiorno said.

“The building has become uninhabitable.”

Units 432 Park Ave. The 125 units – which boast stunning views of Central Park, the Big Apple and beyond, and access to a private restaurant – Its sales reached $2.5 billion to Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez And the Saudi kings only three years after it was unveiled.

Available apartments range from two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms on the 52nd floor for $10.5 million, to a luxurious six-bedroom residence with six full bathrooms and two and a half bathrooms for $55 million. According to StreetEasy.

However, the stunning building has been plagued by problems for several years.

Residents have complained that the elevators sway in the wind and groan like a ship at sea, and that leaks, power outages and elevator problems have continued since they moved.

These problems have led to The ongoing legal battles between the building The board and developers, including Macklowe Properties, WSP and CIM Group.

But facade problems are said to have been known risks when the building was still under construction, as the white concrete chosen was prone to cracking. The developers went ahead anyway because they were determined not to compromise on their design vision, The Times reported.

“They are on a dangerous and slippery path that I believe will ultimately lead to failure and the lawsuits to come,” Jim Herr, principal of one of the building’s chief designers, Rafael Viñoly, said in a 2012 email obtained by The Times.

It was one of several topics that designers and engineers debated over white concrete, with some arguing that it would become a problem in the future, while others stubbornly insisted on using the troublesome material without compromise.

“Color or cracks,” read another email on the thread from a WSP engineer, explaining that there are two options, according to the Times.

Photos of the exterior of 432 Park Ave. Numerous cracks in the concrete facade, many of which appear to have been repaired or filled.

But in some places entire sections of the facade – from very high floors – appear to have been separated from the structure.

The Department of Buildings told the Times that it is common for “small amounts of loose materials” to be removed from facades during inspections, noting that 432 Park Avenue passed inspections and was not found to have unsafe conditions.

The most recent facade inspection by DOB at 432 Park Ave., the agency said. It was in 2023.

Building residents Reforms have been consideredwith emails obtained by The Times showing a $160 million overhaul over three years that would repair current damage and support future problems is on the table.

The 432 Park Avenue building appeared to be in full compliance, the Times reported, adding that there were no collapse risks.

However, some engineers are concerned about the scale of what happened to the building in just 10 years of facing the elements, according to the Times.

“A 10-year-old building should not show this level of deterioration,” said Jose Torero, an engineering expert at University College London.

Bongiorno is afraid Innocent bystanders on the streets Below may be people who get hurt if something is not done.

“The building is being stressed beyond what was intended,” Bongiorno said. “There’s no sidewalk shed that’s going to protect you from chunks of concrete falling from a 1,400-foot building.”

Macklowe Properties and WSP did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

CIM Group called reports of damage and the need for repairs “baseless” in a statement to The Times, and said claims that developers ignored problems are “completely untrue, defamatory, and another error by the board that will result in lower property values.”