Unstable arches close Encounter restaurant at LAX
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Officials shuttered the Encounter restaurant in the iconic Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport today after workers discovered the space-age arches that surround the eatery are unstable.
Inspectors uncovered the problem after a 1,000-pound piece of white stucco fell off the underside of one of the arches and smashed into the eatery’s roof. No one was injured.
The arches, which don’t provide structural support for the glass-encased restaurant, haven’t been renovated since they were erected in the late 1950s.
Officials said the restaurant closure, expected to last at least six months, is a psychological blow to LAX, which is eagerly awaiting intense worldwide media attention when the massive Airbus A380 arrives March 19 on its first U.S. test flight.
The Theme Building — along with the Hollywood sign — has long been considered one of Los Angeles’ signature landmarks.
jennifer.oldham@latimes.com
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