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A quick stop at the lobby coffee stand isn't what it used to be at IBM Plaza: Visitors who want to pick up a cafe mocha there must first clear security, presenting a photo ID and signing in at the front desk before getting their caffeine fix.
Meanwhile, visitors to NBC Tower several blocks away enter the ground level unimpeded, facing security checks only when they try to enter NBC's part of the building.
What's evolved here since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is a patchwork of security measures, ranging from downright severe to surprisingly relaxed. While most downtown buildings have tightened security, the steps taken vary widely. Cost and effectiveness, meanwhile, are factors that every building owner and manager is weighing.
In the case of the NBC Tower, Larry Atkins, a manager of the building for Chicago-based Cushman & Wakefield Inc., says his company is trying to strike a balance between securing the premises and not inhibiting the flow of tenants' day-to-day business.
"All the downtown building owners have different perspectives on what security measures should be and what they're trying to guard against," Mr. Atkins says. "We've increased the number of guards stationed in the lobby and taken other measures, but we don't want to stop people from doing business."