Access control built for multi-unit buildings.
Key fob systems, video intercoms, elevator floor access and common area control for apartment buildings, co-ops and condos. One system runs the front door, tenant credentials, visitor entry and package delivery.
Couriers get the package room, visitors get buzzed in, and residents get their own floor. One credential system runs all of it.
Apartment buildings need more than a key lock.
Managing access for 10, 30 or 100 units means tracking credentials, handling turnover and controlling far more than the front door.
Front door and lobby access
Key fobs or smart credentials for every tenant, in place of physical keys that get copied and never come back at move-out. A credential is turned off the moment a lease ends.
Video intercom
Tenants see and speak with visitors before buzzing them in, from any phone or tablet. Every visitor entry is logged with a time stamp, which helps with incidents and liability.
Elevator floor access
Tenants reach only their own floor and the common floors. Nobody wanders onto other residential floors, and building staff do not have to step in.
Common area control
Gym, laundry room, rooftop and package room all run on the same credential system. No separate key for every amenity.
Package delivery access
Couriers get temporary codes for the package room that expire on their own. No more propped-open lobby doors.
Tenant turnover
When a tenant moves out, their credential is turned off and stops working immediately. No rekeying and no chasing keys. The new tenant gets a new credential.
One cab, many tenants. Each fob lights its own floors.
A relay module in the cab enables only the buttons on the credential that was presented. Pick a credential.
Tenant 4C taps a fob in the cab. Lobby, 4, the roof deck and the laundry floor light up. Floors 2, 3, 5 and 6 stay dark.
Tenant 6A gets the same shared floors plus their own floor, 6. Their fob does nothing for 4.
The super is programmed for every floor, for repairs and building rounds.
Without a credential, only the lobby button works. A guest goes up with the resident they are visiting.
One credential system. Every door in the building.
Hardware that holds up in a busy lobby, and software a building manager can actually use.
PoE access panels
Power over EthernetPower over Ethernet controllers make for a clean installation, with no separate power run to every panel location.
Key fob readers
Weatherproof · heavy useWeatherproof readers for lobby entries, common area doors and garage access, built for heavy daily use.
Video intercom panels
Camera · phone appA lobby intercom with a camera. Tenants get the call on their smartphone and can buzz visitors in from anywhere.
Mobile app credentials
Phone as a keyTenants can use their phone as a credential, with no fob to lose. Building management issues and revokes them remotely.
Elevator relay integration
Floor by floorFloor-by-floor elevator access tied to each tenant credential. It works with the existing elevator in most NYC buildings, and we confirm yours on the walkthrough.
Audit log, on-site or cloud
Your choiceAccess data can run on a local server with no monthly software fee, or on a cloud platform for remote management. Either way, the building manager gets the full audit log.
From walkthrough to move-in ready.
Every building is different, so we scope the job properly before anything is installed.
Building walkthrough
We map every controlled door, the elevators and the common areas: front lobby, stairwell entries, amenity rooms and garage. You get a written scope before any work begins.
System design
We lay out the credential plan: how many access levels, which doors get readers, where intercom panels mount and how the elevator connects.
Installation
Panels wired, readers mounted, intercoms configured and elevator relays connected. We work around the people living there, and tenants are not locked out during the work.
Setup and handoff
Tenant credentials loaded, the building manager trained on issuing and revoking access, and audit log access set up. Fully working before we leave.
Apartment building access control, answered.
What is the difference between a key fob system and a smart lock for apartment buildings?
A key fob system runs on a central access panel that manages credentials for every door in the building: one platform, one management screen, full audit logs. Smart locks are standalone devices on single doors, each with its own app and no link to the other doors. For a building with more than a handful of units, a central fob system is almost always the right choice. You add or revoke tenant access in one place, run reports on entry activity, and put the elevator and intercom on the same platform. Smart locks make sense for a single rental unit, not a 30-unit building.
Can I control elevator access per floor with this system?
Yes. We add a relay module to the elevator cab. When a tenant presents their credential at the cab reader, only the floor buttons they are allowed become active. A tenant on 4 can reach 4 and the shared floors, such as the lobby and the roof if the building allows it, but cannot press the buttons for other residential floors. This is a standard installation in NYC apartment buildings and works with most existing elevators. We confirm compatibility during the walkthrough.
How do I handle package delivery access without giving delivery workers a fob?
We set up time-limited PIN codes on the package room reader. A delivery worker enters the PIN at the keypad to open the package room, and the code expires on its own after a window you choose, such as the end of the day or 24 hours. Management can create new codes without any hardware changes. The lobby and the rest of the building stay locked while deliveries still get in: no propped doors and no tailgating. Each use of the code is logged like any other access event, so you know when it was used.
What happens to a tenant's access when they move out?
Building management opens the access control software, finds the tenant's credential and turns it off. It stops working immediately on every door in the system: lobby, elevator, common areas, all of it. No rekeying, no waiting, and no hoping the fob comes back. If they kept it, it no longer opens anything. The new tenant gets a fresh credential when they move in. For most buildings that switch from physical keys, this is the biggest day-to-day improvement.
Does the system work during a power outage?
The access panels we install have battery backup, so readers and door hardware keep working through a short outage. For a longer outage, each door is set to fail-safe or fail-secure based on its use. Exit doors and doors on an egress path unlock when power is lost (fail-safe). Lobby entry doors usually stay locked (fail-secure), with a mechanical key override for emergencies. We pick the lock for each door around its use and the building's fire and life safety requirements, and set the fail mode for every door during design, so nothing about it is a surprise.
Access control for every home and building.
Multi-family and two to four-family buildings follow the apartment building approach on this page.
Ready to upgrade your building's access control?
We walk the building, map every door and common area, and give you a clear written scope and price. Same-day quotes when we can.