Crane dangles from NYC high-rise, clearing streets
NEW YORK (AP) — A construction crane atop a $1.5 billion luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan collapsed in high winds Monday and dangled precariously, prompting plans for engineers and inspectors to climb 74 flights of stairs to examine it as a huge storm bore down on the city.
NEW YORK (AP) — A construction crane atop a $1.5 billion luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan collapsed in high winds Monday and dangled precariously, prompting plans for engineers and inspectors to climb 74 flights of stairs to examine it as a huge storm bore down on the city.
The harrowing inspection task was being undertaken by experts who are “the best of the best,” city Buildings Department spokesman Tony Sclafani said
Some buildings were being evacuated as a precaution and the streets below were cleared, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Authorities received a call about at around 2 p.m. as conditions worsened from the approaching Hurricane Sandy. Meteorologists said winds atop the building could have been close to 95 mph at the time.
The nearly completed high-rise is known as One57 and is in one of the city's most desirable neighborhoods, near Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle and Central Park.
The New York Times recently called it a “global billionaires’ club” because the nine full-floor apartments near the top have all been sold to billionaires. Among them are two duplexes under contract for more than $90 million each.
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