🔐 Coming Soon: A Smarter, More Secure Pilot House

If you missed the recent HOA Board meeting last night, you missed an exciting look at what’s ahead for Pilot House security. The Board has approved a set of enhancements that modernize our building’s access and surveillance systems—without taking away anything residents use today.

As a premier waterfront property in Norfolk’s Freemason District, The Pilot House continues to hold itself to a higher standard—both in appearance and in the systems that support secure, comfortable residential living. This project ensures our security infrastructure continues to reflect the quality, reliability, and experience expected of a property at this level.

The focus of this initiative is to replace aging equipment and bring our systems together into a single, modern, cloud-based platform. The result is a smoother guest entry experience, clearer and more dependable video coverage, and a stronger security backbone designed to serve Pilot House well into the next decade.

What’s staying the same

• All existing access methods continue to work as they do today: fobs, codes, mobile access, and physical keys

• The OpenPath system residents are already familiar with remains the foundation

What’s getting better

• An elevated guest entry experience

  • make it easier for visitors to locate residents. Residents who use the mobile app can see and speak with guests before granting access, while those who prefer a standard phone call can continue to answer and grant entry exactly as they do today—simply without video.

• High-definition cameras with cloud-based storage

  • Improved clarity, reliability, and retention without reliance on aging on-site hardware

  • Video can be viewed within the OpenPath Mobile App

• Unified security management

  • Access, cameras, and security events managed through one secure platform

• Operational efficiencies for the community

  • Including reduced reliance on phone lines and cost savings due to consolidation

• A future-ready foundation 

  • that keeps pace with modern expectations, introduces AI-enabled capabilities, and provides flexibility to integrate additional access points in the future should the Board choose to do so.

To see how the enhanced guest entry experience works in practice, you can view a short overview video here:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/4b72eb_c95b278f50d04dbfa90b3f8c10a97e04/720p/mp4/file.mp4

*Please note, the video above shows guest entry utilizing the Open Path Mobile App, however the use of standard phone entry will remain the same - No video and from a different number.

This upgrade is not about change for its own sake—it’s about maintaining the standard Pilot House is known for, improving everyday convenience, strengthening security, and protecting long-term property value.

Additional details, including installation timing and what residents can expect during the transition, will be shared soon.

Thanks for your attention,

Safety & Security Committee