THE CUSTOMER

Intro Burbank is a 563‑unit luxury multifamily community in Burbank, California, consisting of two eight‑story residential buildings and an eight‑story parking garage. LaTerra Development is a design‑forward multifamily developer, and security design and installation for Intro Burbank were delivered in partnership with TPS Technologies, a Las Vegas‑based system integrator.

“Suprema’s solution offers the flexibility and affordability to cover a project of this size, where there are so many points to secure.” — Jason Fuller, President, TPS Technologies

THE CHALLENGE

Secure 116 access points, including exterior entries, amenity and service spaces, storage rooms and parking gates, under one access control system.

Provide residents with convenient and reliable access, without relying on multiple sets of keys and fobs across different properties.

Integrate access control with the intercom system so residents can manage guests and frequent deliveries (for example, DoorDash or Uber Eats) without having to go to the main entrance each time.

Use a common platform so property teams do not need to learn a different access control system for each new project, and support remote management for properties operated with limited on‑site staff.

Support self‑guided tours for prospective residents and allow access rights to be adjusted if buildings within a development are later split and sold to different owners.

“Since the rise of DoorDash and Uber Eats, access control integration with intercom systems is a must have. Without it, residents become frustrated every time they have to walk to the main entrance to meet the driver.” — Carlee Carpio, former VP of Design and Development, LaTerra Development
 

THE SOLUTION

LaTerra standardized on Suprema’s BioStar 2 platform with Suprema XPass readers as the access control platform for Intro Burbank and other LaTerra properties.

BioStar 2 centrally manages XPass readers installed on exterior entryways, interior community and service doors, and parking garage access gates.

XPass supports RFID and mobile credentials, allowing residents to use a single fob or their phone for access to amenity spaces and apartment locks.

BioStar 2 is integrated with the parking gate receiver and the visitor telephone entry system, so residents can see visitors through a third party app, speak with them, unlock the entrance door remotely and authorize temporary elevator access.

The system uses IP and PoE based readers, which can be managed through a web browser for system monitoring, firmware updates, device resets and configuration changes.

Bluetooth mobile credentials are used to provide time limited access for self guided tours of buildings, amenities and model units.

“We text a code to a future tenant that allows them to temporarily enter the building during a designated time window, use the elevator, view the public areas, and see what their unit would look like. Logs show us exactly where they went and what they saw.” — Carlee Carpio

KEY BENEFITS

Resident experience and delivery handling
Residents can use their phones to check who is at the entrance, talk to visitors, unlock the door and enable elevator access when needed, instead of meeting every guest or delivery in person at the main entrance. LaTerra notes that this type of integration between access control and intercom has become important as food and parcel delivery services have become more common.
 

Operational consistency and training
By using the same Suprema platform across multiple developments, property teams do not need to learn a new access control system for each project. Short, feature focused training videos recorded during onsite sessions are used to support onboarding and staff changes.
 

Remote management and multi site operation
Web based management allows the system to be monitored and updated remotely, including status checks, firmware upgrades and configuration changes. LaTerra reports that this makes it easier to support several properties with shared resources, and that smaller projects do not require a property manager to be on site all the time.
 

Self guided tours for prospective residents
LaTerra uses time limited Bluetooth mobile credentials to offer self guided tours. Prospective residents receive temporary access within a defined time window and can enter the building, use the elevator, visit common areas and see sample units, while access logs show which areas they visited.
 

Flexibility and biometric options
IP and PoE based readers are used across the site, and LaTerra has adjusted access rights remotely in a case where a multi building site was split and sold to different owners. Biometric credentials such as face or fingerprint are considered as an option to enhance security because they cannot be lost or stolen.
 

Long term collaboration
The project is part of a long term collaboration; TPS has worked with Suprema for more than a decade and continues to use Suprema solutions in its access control projects.