Unclear Why Glass Fell From Times Square Building

A few more details on the pane of the glass that fell from 1 Times Square (where the ball drops on New Year's) yesterday afternoon: The 3' by 5' chunk was "between the seventh and eight floors" of the 23-floor building. The glass landed on a car, and the police later closed the area. The Department of Buildings says somehow the pane "had become dislodged" (the building's owner received a citation). Apparently there is renovation work going on at the building--but not that that particular window, so there mystery continues. Luckily no one was hurt, the way two people were when a 1,500 pound piece of glass fell from the Bank of America building down the street last week.

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By Jen Chung in News on August 18, 2008 8:53 AM

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NannyState

Yes, Jen, there's a building not far from where I live that was put up 23 years ago with nary a problem. Then, last year, all these windows in it just started to bow outward and a few blew out. Fortunately no one was injured but something did change in that time. Bad air pressure? Fatigue? Nothing lasts forever, baby: keep looking up. And remember those brick facades that kept peeling away from 20-30 yr. old buildings a few years ago? The ties that hold those masonry panels on many cheesy '70s and '80s buildings are vulnerable to the elements and can rust away leaving very little to hold those veneers in place. We're talking 30-50 story towers. That's what scares me.

zodak

"Unclear Why Glass Fell From Times Square Building"

i think it's obvious why it fell: gravity.

(it's not just a good idea, it's the law!)

Spleenhg

That window does not look "dislodged" but, rather, broken by someone accidentally ramming something into it.

cucarachita

This is not the last you'll hear of windows falling from buildings, kids.

I've seen plenty of windows not properly installed or repaired in that nabe. I've avoided walking in front of a building I was in where I saw a window being held in place by duck tape and boxes, while the maintenance people were impossible to find.

interlard

Our Towers of Babel and tumbling! It's the end of the world!

Jen Chung

Since a lot of this glass seems to be falling from modern, glassy buildings, will there be more and more incidents like this in the future as glass buildings age?