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To save a very small number of bucks, the Los Angeles Times has again decided to close the building's historic entrance — and to block public access to the carefully restored Hugo Ballin murals and the paper's own newspaper museum. For those who don't remember, the last time the Times delivered this particular slap to Los Angeles, in 2005, the decision was reversed in 24 hours. That closure was announced just a year after the Times made a big deal about re-opening the Globe Lobby, closed as a security measure since Sept. 11, 2001. But then, Sam Zell hasn't exactly been averse to repeating old mistakes, nor has publisher Eddy Hartenstein shown much sensitivity to the Los Angeles community. The Ballin murals, painted in 1935, are promoted on the Times' website as "some of the finest murals produced in Los Angeles during the 1930s." Other Ballin work decorates the Griffith Observatory rotunda, the Wilshire Boulevard Temple dome and other buildings around town. The memo follows:
After Friday, January 2, 2009, the exterior doors to the Globe Lobby will no longer serve as an entrance to the Times Building.This change was made in order to manage business operations more effectively and efficiently. In an effort to reduce any inconvenience to Times employees, the Security Services Department will open an alternate entrance to the Globe Lobby.
This entrance is located directly west of the Globe Lobby exterior doors at 210 West First Street. The hours for this entrance will be the same as the Globe Lobby, 7 am until 6 pm. Employees entering this door will still need to swipe their ID card on the access control reader to gain entrance to the building.
Although the Globe Lobby exterior doors will be closed, the Lobby and elevators will remain operational and accessible from inside the Times Building and via the 210 West Temple Street door.