Many other buildings are still evacuated and people are left waiting and wondering what to do next.
The building on 222 East 44th Street raised serious concerns on Tuesday over its stability and sent neighbors racing out of apartments and offices as the city ordered a large radius to be evacuated.
"I've been out here for since 8:30 a.m. or so, and I haven't been able to get back into my apartment. And I think that whoever owns the building that's responsible for the shady construction should be responsible for compensating all these individuals who are going to have to find hotel rooms," one resident said.
By early evening, nearby buildings were given the green light to allow tenants back to grab essentials.
Dr. Jake Benton was in the operating room when the evacuation was first issued but managed to come home.
"I was on call, and so I was able to get somebody to cover my shift. Come down to grab some clothes and then, you know, try to ride it out," Dr. Jake Benton, an anesthesiologist, said.
"I was in my office, but my fiance was still in the apartment, so I quickly gave her a call and she rushed out right away. So they were prioritizing people with pets and medications, and then from there," another resident said.
As engineers investigated how this building's columns buckled, neighbors spent the day scrambling for a safe place to spend the night.
"I probably should let my mom know because she's probably freaking out right now," Elliot Johnson said.
The Summit apartment building was fully cleared for residential use.