Elevating access control at a NYC high-rise
Helm Equities protects tenants with a comprehensive security and service solution that integrates 2N intercoms with Carson virtual doorman app and more.
Mission
When planning The Orchard, a new luxury apartment building in Lower Manhattan, Helm Equities knew future residents would expect the property to include high-end security and exceptional services. While many New York high-rises employ doormen to fill that role, the company realized it would be cost-prohibitive to do so for this case. Given that people are already comfortable using online services, management decided to explore a virtual solution instead.
Solution
A cohort of four companies seamlessly linked their open platform technologies together to provide Helm Equities with a complete security and service solution. 2N (an Axis company) provided a 2N® IP Verso audiovisual intercom for the front door. Carson, a 2N technology integration partner, provided a virtual doorman app and 24/7 remote doorman services. Brivo, another 2N technology integration partner, provided electronic door locks and an access control system. And Eagle Eye Networks, an Axis partner, provided the cloud video management system (VMS).
Result
Tenants can now answer intercom calls, open doors, direct the elevator to pick them up, communicate with Helm Equities, even pay their rent from a single app on their phone. The technology integration allows residents to use the same frequency operator button (fob) or app to enter the front door, unlock the package and bike rooms, and more. When they’re not home, they can rely on the doorman service to screen couriers, and service people and visitors through the 2N intercom.
Tenants expect upscale security and service in a luxury building like ours. With this integrated solution, we’ve given them even more than they expected. And it’s so easy to use that it’s become second nature to them.
Upscale service for upscale living
Helm Equities, a New York real estate developer and manager of luxury residential and retail properties, prides itself in providing its tenants with top-quality security, service, and support. When the company began planning construction for The Orchard, a new 29-unit apartment building in historic Lower Manhattan, it quickly became evident that employing a doorman 24/7 would be cost-prohibitive. This realization prompted the company to search for a more cost- effective alternative.
“At first we were just looking for a way to get packages into the building and store them in a secure room if tenants aren’t there to accept them,” says Ayal Horovits, co-owner of Helm Equities. “With everything being online these days, it made sense to search for a virtual solution.”
Helm Equities reached out to Carson, a 2N technology integration partner that offers a One-App Resident Experience ™ and 24/7 Remote Doorman Service. The real estate developer learned that the Carson app offers a lot more than a secure way to accept package deliveries and notify tenants. The backend management features of the Carson app streamline tenant-landlord communications, track resolution of maintenance issues, and even allow Helm Equities to store and share important building documents.
Technologies that play well together
“Helm Equities really liked the idea of having one app do everything,” says Neil Golub, Director of Sales for Carson. “This led us to introduce some key partners that we felt would take security at The Orchard to the next level. We only work with the best in the industry and have experience integrating with their technologies on past projects. So we knew they’d be a good fit.”
The cohort included 2N who would provide the touchscreen video intercom for the front door; Brivo, a 2N technology integration partner, who would integrate the electronic door lock systems and access control technology for the doors and elevator; and Eagle Eye Networks, an Axis partner, who would supply the cloud video management system (VMS) for the surveillance camera.
All the systems would link together seamlessly through the Carson app, making the complexity of the solution invisible to tenants. They would only need to log into a single app on their smartphone to screen visitors at the door, submit a service request to the landlord, operate the elevator, unlock the package room to pick up a delivery, etc.
Front and center with 2N® IP Verso intercom
When it comes to building security, entrance protection is the first line of defense. Carson chose the sleek looking 2N® IP Verso audiovisual intercom for the front door because it delivers outstanding HD-quality video and crystal-clear audio. “2N is the top model we recommend for front door intercoms,” says Golub. “It’s got a great reputation in the market and its open design makes it easy to integrate with all the other technologies we chose for this solution.”
The intercom’s wide-angle camera enables tenants and the Carson remote doorman service team to see the visitor as well as the surrounding area before deciding to unlock the door. The high quality of the two-way audio makes it easier for tenants to hear visitors even amidst the typical background noise one hears on a busy Manhattan street.
“The 2N® IP Verso gives us outstanding performance and lots of flexibility when it comes to operations,” says Golub. “Tenants can use a fob or the 2N® Mobile Key app embedded into the Carson app to unlock the door.”
Because the Verso intercom and Brivo are both integrated with Carson, tenants can use the same fob or mobile app to unlock the package and bike rooms, as well as ride the elevator to their floor and the rooftop recreation area.
Golub also notes that Helm Equities can program user credentials through the Carson app. When management adds or deletes a tenant, it automatically updates the tenant directory displayed on the 2N® IP Verso. Visitors use the intercom’s touchscreen to scroll through the directory and select the resident they want to call. When the resident answers the call, the two-way audio connection opens, and a live video of the visitor displays on the resident’s phone.
“If the tenant misses the call, it will either show as a regular missed call, or as missed call notification within the Carson app,” explains Golub. “Currently the system disconnects after a series of rings, but we plan to build a re-routing feature that will direct the call to a Carson rep to handle.” As an added security feature, the intercom video also streams to the Eagle Eye Networks VMS for storage in the cloud. In the case of a courier or vendor coming to the front door, a digital message on the Verso home screen directs them to a special button that sends a video alert to Carson’s virtual doorman.
When the Carson rep answers the call, they can visually verify the individual through the intercom camera before remotely unlocking the front door. The rep then can also unlock the door to the package room so the courier can securely store the delivery. At the same time, Carson sends a text message through the app to the intended recipient letting them know they have a package waiting. As with visitor calls, the video of the interaction is streamed to the VMS for archiving.
“If there’s an issue with a package delivery for instance, someone claims it was stolen or damaged we like the fact that we can go back through the video and investigate,” says Ayal Horovits.
Flawless performance in one easy-to-use package
“I have to admit, I was a bit concerned when Carson said they were bringing three other companies into the project,” says Horovits. “But everything came together so seamlessly that you don’t even realize that there are four different systems in the solution. To Helm Equities and the residents, it’s all one.”
Horovits describes the experience as “flawless.” Even tenants who aren’t tech savvy find the solution so easy to use that “it’s become second nature to them,” says Horovits. “Once we showed everyone all the things the system could do, they couldn’t stop using it.”
