There were two additional exits and a passageway on the west side of Fordham Road and Grand Concourse. They were nearest to the former location of "Alexander's" and "Caldor". The northwestern exit led directly to the store. Today, the building houses a mix of smaller stores. In 1989, the MTA proposed closing off the free zone passageway on the west side and convert the northwestern and southwestern entrances to exit only; formerly, they were only open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. This was done for safety reasons because the corridor was considered a crime haven. Despite the former proposal, the passageway remained open until April 1991, when the western areas were closed off to the public or operated reduced hours on an interim basis, and the stairs were also slabbed over on street level; the free zone passageway on the east side was also gated off. In 1993, riders wanted the western entrances reopened as they would have been safer and more convenient for shoppers going to the Fordham stores. The MTA did not reverse the decision because the western passageway was problematic before its closure and very few passengers used the exits.