The Crisis at Citicorp Center
The Citicorp Center case centers on the ethical responsibilities of engineers when public safety, client loyalty, and public disclosure come into conflict. After the Citicorp Center opened in New York City, structural engineer William LeMessurier was informed that the building was more vulnerable to quartering winds (winds hitting the building at a 45-degree angle) than originally calculated, especially because key joints had been bolted rather than welded. Although the building complied with the legal building code at the time, LeMessurier concluded that a serious safety risk existed and worked with Citicorp and city officials to repair the building at night before a major storm with high winds could strike. The central ethical question is whether LeMessurier acted properly by quietly fixing the problem while withholding the full truth from the public and the building’s occupants. This case highlights the tension between an engineer’s duty to protect public safety, the duty to be truthful in public statements, and the practical concern that full disclosure may create panic or interfere with urgent repairs.