Issue link: https://securitytechnologyexecutive.epubxp.com/i/229956
INNOVATION AWARD WINNER: GOLD By Francisco Lantigua and John Aksoy Taino Towers security project showcases collaborative success Crime moves out of Harlem low-income housing complex with high-tech video surveillance solution I n 1972, one of the most ambitious government-funded, low income housing projects broke ground in East Harlem, a section of New York City. Spanning an entire city block, the Taino Towers complex boasted a four-story central building surrounded by four 35-story glass and concrete towers. The project was known as a "pilot block," meant to serve as a new urban model for the integration of low-income housing into large The Taino Towers provides 656 rental units for more than 3,000 residents. (Opposite page, L-R) , Plugout COO Juliya Ryndych Aksoy, Plugout CEO John Askoy, and security director Francisco Lantigua. cities across the United States. The complex provides 656 subsidized rental units for more than 3,000 East Harlem residents. It also includes commercial space and houses the Magic Johnson Computer Learning Center, Touro College, the Boriken Health Center and the Harlem Day Charter School. Yet, despite the promise of "luxury living 18 SECURITY TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE • November/December 2013 for the poor," the planned community has been plagued by the same high incidents of crime that have dogged other subsidized housing projects. The area alone had some of the highest crime rates in all of New York City. Several analog CCTV security projects were implemented over the years in an effort to reduce crime, yet gang- and drug-related incidents continued to rise. Management struggled with several analog camera systems that had failed to deliver a clear picture of events and proved difficult to search for incident details. Since most of the crime committed at Taino Towers was initiated by non-residents, management felt that a move toward digital technology could provide a proactive solution in preventing incidents and restricting access of unwelcomed guests. Recognizing that a more effective solution was needed, management turned to an all IP-based system. Phasing In Digital Security The two-phase project began in May 2011. Taino Towers executive director Maria Cruz and assistant director Manny Diaz hired IT and security integrator Plugout to deploy a state-of-the-art digital security solution. Plugout replaced the complex's aging analog cable network and in its place deployed IP-based megapixel surveillance cameras from Axis Communications throughout the entire square block running on a Genetec video management software (VMS) platform. In Phase I, 66 Axis IP video surveillance cameras were deployed on all outdoor corners of the city block and sidewalks, in the courtyard and playground, as well as at building entrances, lobbies, hallways, elevators and rooftops. The open platform integration features of the Axis cameras and www.SecurityInfoWatch.com