By: Meyer Wolfsheim

The New York City Fire Museum, a treasured institution preserving over a century of firefighting history, has been shuttered for nearly a year due to extensive structural damage — damage the city attributes to construction activity for Disney’s new Manhattan headquarters, as reported by the New York Post.

The museum, housed in a 120-year-old Beaux-Arts firehouse on Spring Street, was forced to close last May after vibrations from the neighboring construction site triggered alarming safety concerns. The site, now home to a $650 million, 22-story Disney office tower, reportedly caused nearly $6 million in damage to the historic structure, according to court documents filed by the city.

The impact was immediate and severe. Museum staff preparing for a children’s birthday party that day felt the floor shift beneath them. “They said they heard a loud banging, the building started to shake and then they said to me the floor felt soft,” recalled executive director Patti Murphy.

That sudden scare led to an emergency evacuation and a closure that has since left the museum in financial disarray. Operating as a self-sustaining nonprofit since its founding in 1987, the museum has struggled to stay afloat during the lengthy downtime. Its annual revenue in fiscal year 2023-2024 dropped to just $571,000 — well below the $772,000 it typically requires to operate.

“We need immediate support,” Murphy said. “Our operations are pretty much in a dire position because we’ve been closed so long.”

The museum is now preparing to launch a public fundraising campaign to help cover costs and ensure the preservation of its 30,000-item collection — which includes rare firefighting artifacts like a 1901 La France steam engine and tools such as the Jaws of Life. The building is currently considered “structurally sound and stable,” but only a small number of staff members are allowed inside, and public access remains off-limits.

Efforts to relocate or secure the collection during repairs present another logistical and financial hurdle. “That in and of itself is very costly and complicated,” Murphy explained. “We don’t have the resources or expertise readily available for something of this magnitude.”

City officials filed suit on March 28 against Hudson Square Realty, Skanska Inc., and Lendlease US Construction Inc., citing “negligent” construction practices. The city says these practices were responsible for the extensive damage to the historic site.

A spokesperson for the city’s Law Department said, “Construction work at the site of the new Disney HQ caused damage to the FDNY’s historic building, which is home to the NYC Fire Museum. This filing protects the City’s rights while we work with Disney and its insurers to determine whether we can resolve this matter without further litigation.”

Disney, which completed its gleaming new Hudson Square headquarters in December and describes it as “a collaborative town square in the bustling city,” acknowledged the legal filing. A company spokesperson said Disney is cooperating with the city “to address any damage that may have been caused,” and confirmed that the legal move was part of “a process to ensure those conversations can continue.”

Skanska, one of the firms named in the suit, claimed its involvement in the project ended in 2020. Lendlease and Hudson Square Realty have not publicly commented.

Ironically, Murphy had hoped Disney’s presence in the neighborhood would bring more visitors through the museum’s doors. Now, instead of enjoying a new influx of tourists and local families, the institution is fighting for survival.