A successful luxury office-to-residential conversion was achieved by DKL with a unified access platform from INOX.

My phone rang late one afternoon.

The call was from Donnie Aish of DKL, a long-established door and hardware distributor serving northern California. He said, “Q, I’ve got a project I really need your help with!” I could hear a high sense of urgency in his voice.

Aish described the project planned for 693 Sutter Street, a seven-story office building being transformed into luxury residential apartments in the heart of San Francisco.

Property and Construction Manager Ty Harris had spent considerable time researching smart lock and access control solutions. He wanted residents to enjoy a seamless access experience throughout the property. He wanted the front entrance, apartment units, storage rooms, rooftop terrace, and common areas to operate under a unified system.

He wanted maintenance personnel to receive temporary credentials without the burden of managing physical keys. And he wanted the hardware to complement the building's modern black-and-silver design aesthetic.

There was only one problem.

Despite evaluating multiple solutions, Harris had not found a system that delivered everything he wanted.

Some solutions handled apartment entrances well but offered limited control of shared amenities. Others require multiple platforms to manage different opening types. Some provided the functionality but lacked the architectural design quality expected in a luxury residential development.

Aish paused and asked the question that would ultimately launch the project: "Can INOX Smart actually do all of this?"

A few days later, Harris and I sat down to discuss his vision for the property.

As the conversation unfolded, it became clear that this wasn't simply a lock project. It was an access strategy project — one that would require multiple opening types, different access rules, coordinated finishes, and a management platform capable of bringing everything together under a single system.

A Project Meeting a New Trend

As cities across the United States convert underutilized office buildings into residential housing, developers face a unique challenge: creating a premium resident experience while maintaining security, operational efficiency, and architectural consistency.

The redevelopment of 693 Sutter Street is an excellent example of how integrated architectural hardware and smart access control can support those goals.

Originally a seven-story office building, the property was transformed into 17 luxury residential units by Structure Properties. Harris oversaw the conversion, ensuring that every element of the project — from finishes and fixtures to building systems — supported the vision of a modern, high-end residential community.

Rather than viewing access control as a standalone technology system, the project team sought a solution that would enhance resident experience, simplify building operations, and complement the overall design aesthetic.

The Challenge

Unlike a typical apartment building, 693 Sutter required multiple opening types to operate under different access requirements.

Residents needed secure access to:

• Apartment units.

• Basement storage units.

• Common building entrances and exit doors on the side streets.

• Shared amenity spaces such as a rooftop terrace.

At the same time, property management needed to provide temporary access to maintenance personnel and service providers while maintaining control over shared spaces.

One example was the rooftop terrace. Residents should be able to enjoy the space during approved hours, but management wanted access to be automatically restricted after designated times. Property managers, however, still needed the ability to enter the space at any time.

In addition to functionality, aesthetics played an important role. The development featured a contemporary black-and-silver design palette, making hardware appearance and finish coordination an important part of the overall resident experience.

The Solution

Structure Properties selected a combination of INOX architectural hardware and INOX Smart access control solutions to create a unified access platform throughout the building.

By utilizing coordinated hardware designs, matching finishes, and a common credential platform, the project team maintained a consistent appearance while addressing a variety of security and operational requirements.

Residential Unit Entrances

Individual apartments were secured using INOX Smart Grade 1 Mortise Locks.

Residents can access their units using mobile credentials, passcodes, or radio frequency identification (RFID) credentials while benefiting from the durability, security, and performance expected in a multifamily environment.

Storage Units

Basement storage units were equipped with INOX Smart Cylindrical Locks.

Instead of managing separate keys for storage spaces, residents can use the same credentials they use throughout the building, simplifying access while improving convenience.

Exit Device Openings

Doors equipped with panic hardware were fitted with battery-powered INOX Smart Exit Device Trims.

This allowed the project team to extend access management capabilities across life safety openings while maintaining code compliance.

Main Building Entrance

The primary entrance uses a hardwired INOX Smart access control, providing centralized management and continuous power at the property's most critical opening.

Shared Amenities

The rooftop terrace door and other common-use spaces were integrated with a Smart Grade 1 Cylindrical Lock into the same INOX Smart platform.

Property management can create schedules that automatically allow or restrict access based on time of day, user type, or operational requirements.

For example, residents may access the rooftop terrace during approved hours, while access is automatically disabled after designated times. Property managers retain access privileges, allowing them to manage the amenity space without affecting resident credentials.

Design Matters

While security and convenience were key considerations, the development team also recognized that door hardware contributes significantly to the perceived value of a luxury residence.

INOX Smart locks were specified with a graphite black ceramic-coated trim paired with stainless steel levers, complementing the building's modern design language and providing abrasion resistant performance on the finish longevity.

To further enhance consistency throughout the property, matching INOX interior passage and privacy sets were used within the residential units. Coordinating lever designs and finishes across both smart and mechanical openings created a cohesive architectural appearance throughout the building.

Rather than appearing as a collection of unrelated products, the doors throughout the property share a consistent design language that reinforces the premium positioning of the development and contributes to a more refined resident experience.

Operational Benefits

For Harris, one of the most significant advantages of the INOX Smart system is the flexibility provided through the software platform.

Using the mobile app and management portal, property staff can assign credentials, schedule maintenance access, manage amenity spaces, and adjust permissions without issuing or collecting physical keys.

The rooftop terrace became one of the most practical examples of the system's flexibility. Residents enjoy access during designated hours, while the system automatically restricts access after hours. Property managers retain full access privileges, providing security and operational control without requiring additional hardware or manual intervention.

For the storage units in the basement, the tenants have 24/7 access without any restriction, and changing tenants makes changing the credentials easy, fast, and flexible.

Harris explained, “The most important thing about the INOX Smart locks to me is the app and all the functions that come with it. I'm able to give the proper permissions for tenants, schedule access for maintenance, and even lock down shared spaces when needed.”

The result is a system that improves operational efficiency while providing residents with modern and convenient access experience.

The Evolving Role of the Distributor

This project reflects a broad shift occurring throughout the door and hardware industry.

Twenty years ago, the value of a door and hardware distributor was often measured by product knowledge, inventory availability, key systems expertise, and code compliance support. Those capabilities remain essential today, but owners and developers are increasingly seeking more.

As buildings become connected, distributors are being asked to help navigate technologies that extend well beyond traditional hardware selection, including:

• Smart locks and electronic hardware.

• Mobile credentials and digital keys.

• Cloud-based management platforms.

• Access control system design.

• Credential life cycle management.

• Software-as-a-Service solutions.

• Resident and property management experience.

Projects such as 693 Sutter Street demonstrate how the conversation has evolved from selecting individual hardware products to designing a complete access strategy.

Aish explains, “We're seeing more owners and property managers looking for complete access solutions rather than individual products. What attracted us to INOX Smart is the ability to address virtually every opening in a building through a single platform while maintaining a consistent design aesthetic. From the main entrance and amenity spaces to apartment units, storage rooms, and exit devices, INOX Smart allows us to provide a complete solution that is easy for property managers to operate and maintain.”

For distributors willing to embrace this evolution, the opportunity extends beyond supplying doors and hardware. They can become trusted technology advisors who help owners integrate security, convenience, operational efficiency, and user experience into a unified solution.

Conclusion

The success of 693 Sutter Street was not defined by any single lock, opening, or credential. It was the result of a unified access strategy that connected every opening in the building through a common platform and a shared design vision.

For owners, the result is greater convenience, enhanced security, and improved operational efficiency. For door and hardware distributors, projects such as 693 Sutter Street offer a glimpse into the future, where value is created not simply by supplying products but by delivering integrated access solutions that combine architectural design, diverse locking functions, advanced security features, and scalable access management into a single cohesive strategy.