THE GREAT MISCALCULATION

A fascinating story of how a potential office tower disaster was averted.

Just after the architecturally renowned and structurally innovative Citicorp Center opened in 1977 with its distinctive 59-story office building, the project’s lead structural engineer, William LeMessurier, discovered a heretofore unrecognized problem that increased the odds of a structural failure. A change from welds to bolts for the connection of certain columns, coupled with the realization that a specific wind load had been inadequately considered, required immediate attention. Greenburg, a practicing attorney and author of The Court-Martial of Paul Revere, describes the events that led to this revelation and the highly coordinated efforts that resulted in its quick resolution. Of particular concern was the possibility that a severe storm would cause the office tower to collapse, causing a loss of human life and extensive damage to nearby buildings. Drawing on interviews and documents, Greenburg provides a day-by-day description of the meetings held, the options considered, and the decisions made. He focuses on LeMessurier, who was responsible for the structural design and, with the highly respected structural engineer Leslie Robertson as consultant, led the team that organized the remedial action, interacted with journalists, and liaised with local and state governments, insurance companies, and law firms. For Greenburg, none of this would have happened if LeMessurier had been more diligent in considering the wind loads, more attentive to the change in column connections, and more conscientious about checking on his subordinates’ calculations. The book’s title signals Greenburg’s adversarial stance, and its final sentence accusing LeMessurier of “his willingness to risk all” clearly states the author’s belief that LeMessurier is to blame. The book, though, is better read as a praiseworthy story of how individuals and organizations came together, without rancor, to act responsibly in the face of a potential crisis.

A compelling tale of professional and business responsibility amid the uncertainties of technological innovation.