Tenant sues Empire State Building, claims security measures are too lax.

Security at the Empire State Building needs beefing up, a new lawsuit brought by a building tenant alleges.

Attorneys Aaron Broder and Jonathan Reiter, tenants in the Empire State Building for nearly 50 years, contend that the building's main lobby, which houses such stores as Walgreens, Strawberry and Kinkos, is accessible to anyone, including potential terrorists. Citing the iconic tower's high profile, Broder feels that the building is already a prime target, made all the more attractive to attackers by lax security at the entranceways.

"The main lobby is open sesame," said Broder, who filed his case against the Empire State Building Company with the State Supreme Court. "All someone has to do is come in with some bombs at the front doorway and we're all dead."

Management at the Empire State Building countered Broder's allegations, claiming that the building is secure and well protected.

"We review our safety and security policies and procedures on a regular basis and work closely with federal and local law enforcement agencies charged with public safety," said Howard Rubenstein, spokesperson for the Empire State Building. "The Empire State Building has upgraded security tremendously. They installed a multimillion dollar security system ... all tourists, visitors and guests of the building go through metal detectors and package scanners similar to those at airports."

Broder admitted that security guards, metal detectors and package scanning stations were in place, but said they were located only at the elevator banks and not at the entrances to the lobby where he says they should be.

Rubenstein issued a statement stating "the Empire State Building will defend itself against the lawsuit vigorously."

Broder asserts that when he signed a lease renewal in April of 2003, he was given assurances by building management that security would improve. But despite fluctuations in the nation's terror alert since then and also warnings of terror attacks against specific financial institutions in New York City, Washington and Newark, N.J. in early August, the suit claims that security measures within the building have remained in stasis.

Referring to the government's warning, which identified explosives as the likely mode of attack, as opposed to a chemical or biological attack or a radiological "dirty" bomb, Broder fears that a bomb could easily be smuggled into the building's lobby. His concern regarding such an attack was perked on August 2, just a day after the government's announcement, which listed the New York Stock Exchange and Citicorp building as targets, when he spotted a woman with seven large packages on her person.

"I literally counted seven packages," Broder said. "It could have been seven bombs for all I knew. I wondered how on earth this woman could be right here in the middle of the lobby with all these bags. There's no security that's how."

"The other tenants are cheering me for bringing this lawsuit," Broder said. "I'm not the only one who feels this building is vulnerable."