NEW YORK — Owners of ultra-luxury condominiums at 432 Park Avenue, one of Manhattan’s most recognizable skyscrapers, have launched a $165 million lawsuit accusing the building’s developers and contractors of concealing serious structural flaws — including thousands of cracks in its experimental concrete façade.
The complaint, filed in late April in New York State court, alleges “far-reaching fraud” by CIM Group and several other firms involved in the design and construction of the 1,396-foot-tall tower, which stands on Manhattan’s prestigious Billionaire’s Row. The tower’s developers, along with its architect and engineering team, are accused of knowingly downplaying or concealing the extent of the damage, which residents say has led to flooding, safety concerns, and a sharp decline in property values.
At the center of the lawsuit is the building’s unique white concrete facade — a material typically reserved for aesthetic purposes. According to the condo board, structural consultants and even the late architect Rafael Viñoly raised concerns about its use in such a tall and narrow building, particularly in high-wind conditions. Despite these warnings and failed mockup tests, the developers allegedly pushed forward with construction, ignoring the predicted risks.
Now, the consequences are reportedly visible. The facade is said to be riddled with thousands of cracks, some of which have penetrated deeply enough to corrode steel reinforcements within the structure. A 10-inch-deep crack in the building’s core is cited among the most severe examples.
The tower, completed in 2015 and once touted by developer Harry Macklowe as “the building of the 21st century,” has been dogged by complaints for years. In a 2021 lawsuit, residents cited recurring water leaks, malfunctioning elevators, and even loud noises from the trash chute that “sound like a bomb.” That earlier complaint also mentioned cracking — but the new legal action accuses the developers of deliberately concealing just how extensive the damage really was.
The latest lawsuit also claims that SLCE Architects, the architect of record, misled buyers by modifying language in the offering plan — switching a statement that the concrete “will prevent” water intrusion to one saying it was merely “designed to” do so. CIM Group and its partners, the suit alleges, rejected proposed solutions such as applying a protective elastomeric coating, fearing it would compromise the building’s visual appeal and elite marketability.
Additionally, the complaint claims that contractors misrepresented the damage in correspondence with New York City’s Department of Buildings, omitting data from a survey that found nearly 1,900 defects.
In statements to CNN, CIM Group and SLCE Architects strongly denied the allegations and said they would seek to have the case dismissed. Engineering firm WSP declined to comment. McGraw Hudson Construction Corp did not respond to requests.
The tower, with its striking pencil-thin silhouette and 15:1 height-to-width ratio, was designed to withstand extreme wind forces through a combination of unoccupied “wind floors,” deep anchors, and massive pendulum-like dampers. Yet for residents — including celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and global tycoons — the reality has not lived up to the promise.
As the case unfolds, it raises broader questions about the integrity of New York’s most luxurious real estate and the growing scrutiny of “super-slender” towers that have come to redefine the city’s skyline.
