Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
8-Foot Piece Of Guardrail Fell 81 Stories From NYC's Tallest Apartment Building
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 16, 2015
Modified Jan 16, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 16, 2015
Modified Jan 16, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
While a falling penny from a skyscraper might not kill you, the idea of an 8-foot piece of guardrail falling 81 stories from NYC's tallest apartment building is pretty freaking frightening. And this actually happened earlier this week at 432 Park Avenue.
According to the NY Times, "The section...hurtled to the sidewalk on Wednesday after it became dislodged from the hoist at the 81st floor of the 96-story condominium, according to Buildings Department records. It landed in front of the main entrance of an occupied building across 56th Street, the department said. Nobody was injured."
The NYC Department of Buildings website describes the incident as "8 FOOT PIPE FELL FROM AN ABOVE CONSTRUCTION SITE." Oh, that's all!
(CIM Group and Macklowe Properties)
A stop order was issued and the Department of Buildings inspected the site, rescinding it yesterday. Construction for 432 Park Avenue, home of the $95 million penthouse, is to be completed this year, and hopefully no one will be killed in the process.
Tagged
432 park avenue
falling debris
real estate
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 6:07 p.m. ET
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
News
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Riders at 53rd St. station where man was fatally shot say they worry about gun violence
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .