The Buccini/Pollin Group spared no expense when developing The Residences at Mid-Town Park, a luxury building in the heart of Wilmington, Delaware. Focused on meeting the needs of the modern urban dweller, they prioritized elegant design, top-of-the-line amenities, and an access system that would provide residents with unprecedented flexibility, convenience, and security.
We spoke to Sallie Hendricks, the building's property manager, about why they opted to install Latch—the first full-building smart access system.
In buildings with traditional locks, access sharing creates countless inefficiencies for both residents and building staff—and poses a potential safety risk. Keys left at the front desk can be copied; beyond that, when a concierge needs to wait for a resident’s dog walker or delivery, they're using time that could otherwise be spent addressing more critical property demands.
With Latch, these become problems of the past. “Residents can send guests a code to get in when they’re not home, so they don’t have to worry about sharing a key or letting the concierge know,” said Property Manager Sallie Hendricks.
Looking for a solution that would prioritize efficiency and security, Mid-town Park chose Latch, outfitting the building’s common spaces and units with digital locks that can be managed from a single web-based platform. “Latch is easier overall for both the staff and the resident,” said Hendricks.
From the Latch App, users can easily give access to guests and services remotely via temporary codes, and monitor access logs to ensure that their visitors arrive when they’re supposed to. “With Latch, the resident has the capability to send access whenever,” says Hendricks. “A lot of our residents share Latch access with friends and family. If someone’s mom is coming to visit, they can share access for long periods, or send a code to a delivery person for a shorter amount of time,” she said.
Similarly, property management can use the Latch Manager platform to share access with services, vendors, and residents for easier remote access management.
“I can log on and easily let someone in. It’s very simple and quick,” Hendricks said. “We also set up USPS, FedEx, and UPS with Latch access because the concierge may be away from the desk from time to time while assisting other residents or patrolling the grounds.”
The Residences at Mid-town Park have received positive feedback from residents who are enjoying increased flexibility, convenience, and security with Latch. In particular, they’ve been pleased to see their packages delivered when expected. “Latch has eliminated the need for the concierge to be present for deliveries. Delivery services can simply use Latch to ensure safe and secure package delivery on any day of the week, including Sundays,” she said.
Property managers have benefitted from the integrated hardware and software platform as well. “My favorite overall benefit is that while we have a 24/7 concierge here, they don’t need to be responsible for letting guests into a resident’s apartment. We instruct all the residents to send a Latch Doorcode to all the people they want to have access,” Hendricks explained. “Latch definitely simplifies the process.”
