Camera Systems Built for NYC Co-ops & Condos

In most co-ops and condos, yes — any work in common areas requires approval from the board or managing agent. The process varies: some buildings require a formal board vote, others just need sign-off from the property manager. We prepare a complete proposal package with camera diagrams, equipment specs, and scope of work that you can submit directly to your board or management company. We've worked with enough NYC buildings to know what the approval process typically looks like.

The core coverage areas are lobby entrance, elevator bank, mailroom, laundry room, and parking garage. Beyond that, it depends on what incidents the building has actually experienced. Buildings with roof access issues add rooftop door cameras. Buildings with bike storage theft add coverage there. We walk the building first and let the problem history guide placement decisions — a camera plan based on real incidents is more useful than a standard template.

You control it — footage is stored on the building's local NVR, not on any cloud server. We set up role-based access: the super typically gets view-only access on a tablet or phone, property management gets full access including footage export, and a board representative can have read-only access if the board wants it. No vendor has access to your system. Footage stays on-site and chain of custody stays intact for any police or insurance requests.

Concealed wiring always involves some degree of wall penetration, but we plan routes to minimize visible impact. In pre-war buildings with plaster walls, we route cable through existing conduit pathways wherever possible and patch everything cleanly. In newer construction, we typically run cable through walls with minimal visible surface work. We always patch and paint any openings we make. Our goal is a finished installation that looks like it was designed into the building — not an afterthought.

New York law prohibits cameras in areas where residents have a reasonable expectation of privacy — bathrooms, locker rooms, and individual apartment units. Common areas like lobbies, hallways, laundry rooms, mailrooms, and parking garages are appropriate for camera coverage. We only place cameras in legally permissible locations and will flag any placement that could create a liability issue for the building before the install begins.