The Great Miscalculation: The Race To Save New York City’s Citicorp Tower

Completed in 1977, the Citicorp Center soared 59 stories into the New York City skyline, instantly standing out with its striking slanted roof and unconventional support columns. Engineered by the renowned William LeMessurier, this skyscraper—essentially built on stilts—was a testament to modern ingenuity. But what was hailed as a structural marvel harbored a hidden danger: a greater than average chance of a terrifying collapse. Greenburg (The Mad Bomber of New York) tells the gripping true story of LeMessurier’s shocking realization that a critical design flaw threatened the very stability of his creation. With hurricane season looming, he faced an unthinkable choice—risk his sterling reputation in the industry or sound the alarm on his own mistake. As the city battled economic struggles and political unrest, an unprecedented race against time unfolded to secretly reinforce one of Manhattan’s most iconic towers.