Little Tokyo Towers, Los Angeles: Occupied Multifamily Renovation

Little Tokyo Towers: four building-wide systems with residents in place#

Little Tokyo Towers is a multifamily building in Los Angeles that was renovated with residents in place. The low voltage portion of the renovation covered four building-wide systems: property-wide Wi-Fi, CATV distribution, surveillance cameras and access control.

The scope required adding systems that touch every unit and every common door without relocating anyone. Entry and television service were kept in operation through the changeover, unit entry happened only on notice and with the resident present, and the closeout carried the documentation the owner’s lender, compliance staff and property manager would ask for after turnover. Telelink Business Services is a licensed C-7 Low Voltage Systems Contractor, CSLB License #472017. This project is one of the occupied rehabs behind our multifamily and affordable housing approach.

Scope Telelink performed#

Property-wide Wi-Fi. A managed wireless network reaching the units and the common areas, which in a multifamily building meant cabling from the riser closets to access point locations selected from a site survey of the walls and corridors, network equipment in the closets and the main room, and configuration so the property can manage the network as one system. Our wireless networks page describes the design approach.

CATV distribution. A documented MDU distribution system from the headend through riser trunks and floor taps to an outlet in each unit, built to accept the video provider’s signal and installed to California Electrical Code Article 820.

Surveillance cameras. Cameras at entries and in common areas, cabled to a recorder that property staff could view, documented by manufacturer and model for the owner’s file.

Access control. Readers, controllers, power supplies and credentials at the common doors, integrated with the door release. Electrified door hardware was coordinated with the project’s door hardware scope, which falls outside the C-7 license.

Fire alarm systems fall outside the C-7 classification. Telelink does not design, install, or service fire alarm systems and coordinated with the project’s fire alarm contractor. Line voltage and network room power were the electrician’s scope.

How the work was phased#

The occupied building fixed the sequence and the work was performed inside it. The risers were the only vertical pathway, so they came first: closets surveyed, abandoned cable removed where the scope called for it, penetrations firestopped, and backbone fiber and coax trunks pulled while each closet was open once.

The network rooms and the CATV headend followed, so each floor could be brought live as soon as its units were done. Unit work was scheduled by stack, with the property manager issuing notices and a runner knocking ahead of the crew. Each unit received its wireless, coax and data work in a single visit with the resident present, and no crew member entered an occupied unit alone.

Common-area cameras and the access control panels were installed alongside the existing systems, then cut over so every door kept a working release and every lobby kept camera coverage. Wi-Fi went live floor by floor. Property staff were trained on the camera client, the access control platform and the wireless dashboard before turnover. The sequence followed the one described in our occupied building guide.

What the owner received at closeout#

The owner’s closeout package contained:

• Test results for every copper drop and signal level readings for the CATV distribution.
• As-built drawings showing access point, camera, outlet and equipment locations.
• A labeling schedule matching the labels on every outlet, patch panel and cable, following TIA-606.
• The manufacturer and model list for cameras, recorder, switches and access points.
• The access control user and credential database handed to property management, with administrator training.
• Manufacturer documentation and warranty letters for the installed equipment.

Next step#

If you own or manage an occupied multifamily building that needs Wi-Fi, CATV, cameras or entry systems, send the drawings and the resident notice lead time and we will return a bid phased by stack. Start at request a bid. General contractors carrying Division 27 and 28 on a rehab can read how we fit your schedule on the general contractor page.