Today's windy weather has blown debris from an unfinished Frank Gehry skyscraper in Lower Manhattan. Materials started falling from the 76-story Beekman Tower this morning, causing police to close off the "area between Gold Street, Ann Street and Park Row" to cars and pedestrians. The NotifyNYC service sent out an initial warning at 8:05 am urging New Yorkers to "[a]void the area near Spruce Street between Williams Street and Park Row," then followed up with another message at 10:04 am noting that "[d]ebris is falling because of the high winds."
An NYPD spokesman told Gothamist that there are no recorded injuries, and police "set up a perimeter around there, and as of 10 am it was still set up." A tipster informed us that Pace University has canceled all of its daytime classes (classes after 4 pm are still scheduled). According to the school, several nearby subway station exits are closed, and "[s]tudents in residences and administrative personnel now in Pace buildings should remain on campus and follow instructions of security personnel if it is necessary to go outside."
When finished, the Beekman Tower is expected to consist of rental apartments, a public school, an ambulatory care center, and retail space. Developer Bruce Ratner — best known as the mind behind the Atlantic Yards project — almost halted constructed at 38 stories due to the economic downturn, but he was able to cut costs by negotiating a new deal with labor unions that allowed the building to reach its full height in November. Scanner reports indicate that debris has also fallen from the Morse Building at 140 Nassau Street — a 10-story building that was once the city's tallest structure.
