An expert in forensic engineering talks about the buckled Midtown highrise

Some shutdowns and emergency evacuations are still in place in the Midtown neighborhood where a building under construction appeared to be at risk of collapse Tuesday.

City officials say 235 East 42nd Street has been stabilized, but several nearby addresses are still under emergency evacuation orders. They include an Episcopal Church on 2nd Avenue and East 43rd Street and a Hampton Inn next door.

The 37-story structure was in the process of being converted from offices to residential units.

Michael Chajes is a professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware, and an expert in forensic engineering, investigating the root causes of engineering failures. He spoke with WNYC's Morning Edition host Michael Hill.