A multi-tenant office building has one owner or manager and many tenants: law firms, clinics, agencies, startups and small businesses, each with its own suite and its own security concerns. The building controls the lobby, elevators, stairwells, loading dock, parking and common corridors; each tenant controls its own space. Common problems include tailgating, unauthorized visitors, package theft, after-hours break-ins, tenant disputes, vandalism and parking issues. The building owner has to cover the common areas well without watching tenants' offices. This guide explains how to lay out cameras in a multi-tenant office building in New York and New Jersey: what the building should cover, what tenants should handle themselves, how to pair cameras with access control and what a sensible system costs.
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your attorney, insurer and tenants' leases about responsibilities.
1. The Short Version
| Zone | Camera goal |
|---|---|
| Street entrances | Everyone entering and leaving |
| Lobby/visitor desk | Check-in, deliveries and disputes |
| Elevators and stairwells | Movement between floors |
| Common corridors | Wide views down halls |
| Loading dock and mail room | Deliveries, packages and after-hours entry |
| Parking | Cars, plates and approaches |
| Roof and mechanical rooms | Access doors |
2. What Office Buildings Face
Tailgating is the persistent weakness: a stranger follows a tenant through the door. Package rooms attract theft. After-hours cleaners, contractors and vendors have access. Stairwells and parking garages feel unsafe. Break-ins target suites with cash, computers or equipment. Disputes arise when tenants claim the building failed to protect them. Our guide on camera placement explains how to plan coverage.
3. Entrances and Lobby
Cover every street entrance with a face-level camera and a wide exterior view. In the lobby, cover the visitor desk, elevator banks and turnstiles. Require visitors to sign in, show ID and receive a badge. Link visitor logs to video. Post signs that video is in use. Do not record audio at the desk without legal advice. Our local pages on commercial camera installation in Manhattan and business camera installation in Jersey City describe typical lobby setups.
4. Access Control and Tenant Credentials
Pair cameras with access control. Issue personal credentials to tenants and employees, log entries and remove access promptly when someone leaves. Limit after-hours access. Audit logs after incidents and compare them with lobby and elevator video. See our guide on access control and cameras. Tenants may have their own readers on suite doors; coordinate so systems do not conflict.
5. Elevators, Stairwells and Corridors
Elevator cameras are common and valuable for incident review. Stairwell cameras cover the entry and exit on each floor and on the ground floor. Corridor cameras should look down the hall rather than into suite doorways. Keep lighting bright and exits clear. Never block egress. Post notices in common areas. Restrict review of footage to defined purposes.
6. Mail and Package Room
Packages are a frequent complaint. Put packages in a locked room, log arrivals and pickups and cover the door with a camera. For high-value deliveries, require signature. In September 2026, according to Hoodline, police released surveillance images after packages containing sports cards worth about $17,400 were taken from a Brooklyn residential building. The setting was residential, but the lesson carries over: shared package spaces need a log and a camera.
7. Loading Dock and Service Entrances
Docks and service doors are used by cleaners, contractors and delivery drivers. Cover them inside and out, log deliveries and require contractors to sign in. Lock the dock when not in use and add lighting. Back and service doors are where after-hours entries often happen.
8. Parking
Garages and lots need lighting, clear sightlines and cameras at entrances, exits and stairwell doors. Plate-capable views at vehicle entrances help police. Remind tenants not to leave valuables in cars. Our guide on license plate cameras vs. overview cameras explains plate capture. Add intercoms or call buttons where people may feel unsafe.
9. Tenant Privacy and the Building's Role
The building should cover common areas and entrances, not tenant suites. Tenants decide for themselves whether to install cameras inside their space, subject to the lease. Write a clear policy: what the building's cameras cover, who can view footage, how long it is kept and how tenants can request clips. Our guides on camera laws in New York and New Jersey and on audio recording laws explain why aim and notice matter.
10. After-Hours Security
After hours, the building is a target. Use door contacts, motion alerts and local recording. Consider a night guard or professional video monitoring; see our guide on professional monitoring vs. watching your own cameras. In September 2026, News 12 reported that NYPD was seeking two suspects tied to 19 commercial burglaries across 16 Brooklyn neighborhoods. Call 911 for emergencies. Do not send staff alone to investigate.
11. Network, Storage and Cybersecurity
A building system has many cameras and sensitive tenants. Use a dedicated camera network, strong passwords, updated firmware and limited accounts. Store the recorder in a locked room with a UPS. Our guide on securing cameras against hacking explains the steps.
12. Retention and Requests
Keep at least 60 to 90 days of video. Storage planning: total GB = cameras x Mbps x 10.8 x days. Thirty-two cameras at 3 Mbps for 60 days is about 62,208 GB, or roughly 62 TB. Set a policy for tenant requests: ask for a police report number, release clips to police and keep a log. Our guides on how long to keep footage and on storage planning explain the math.
13. Common Mistakes
- Cameras inside tenant suites.
- No access control.
- No visitor logs.
- No package log.
- Corridor cameras aimed into doorways.
- Weak system security.
- Short retention.
- No policy for tenant requests.
14. Cost
Planning ranges in 2026: sixteen-camera system for a small building, $6,500 to $15,000; thirty-two-camera system, $15,000 to $40,000; sixty-four-camera system with server, $35,000 to $100,000 or more; access control, $5,000 to $100,000 or more; plate-capable cameras, $500 to $1,500 each; recorder and storage, $2,000 to $15,000. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
15. A Second Data Point
NYPD reported burglary down 19.5% citywide in May 2026 compared with May 2025 (NYPD). An office building's risk is its doors, its after-hours access and its shared rooms, so plan around those.
16. Questions to Ask Your Installer
- Which areas will the building cover and which will tenants handle?
- How will cameras work with access control?
- How will you cover the loading dock and package room?
- How will we secure the system?
- How much storage do I need for 90 days?
- Can the work be phased by floor?
See our local pages for commercial camera installation in Manhattan, business camera installation in Jersey City, commercial camera installation in Newark and our services page.
Managing an office building? Revolvis will walk the property with you and mark the spots, from the lobby to the loading dock.
17. A Hypothetical Office Building
A six-story Newark office building installs thirty cameras: two street entrance cameras, three lobby cameras, an elevator camera in each car, stairwell cameras on each landing, corridor cameras on each floor, a package room camera, two dock cameras and four garage cameras. Tenants use personal fobs. Footage is kept 60 days. After a package goes missing, the log and the package room clip identify who collected it.
18. Daily Routine
Open by checking cameras and entrances. Review overnight alerts. Verify the package log. At closing, confirm doors, set alerts and check lights. Wipe lenses monthly. Test an export monthly.
19. Tenant Communication
Include camera policies in leases and welcome packets. Post notices in common areas. Respond to tenant concerns quickly. Tenants who understand the system are more likely to support it.
20. Annual Review
Once a year, walk the building with an installer, by day and at night. Check coverage, lighting, access logs and network security. Review incidents for patterns. Update policies and training.
Wired Versus Wireless Cameras
Wired PoE cameras are the steadier choice here: one cable carries power and data, and the picture does not drop when many devices crowd the Wi-Fi. Wireless cameras and point-to-point bridges fit a temporary spot or a long run where trenching is impractical. Keep the recorder in a locked, dry room with a small UPS, label every camera on the recorder and check the system weekly so a dropped link is found before an incident, not after it.
More From Revolvis
Cameras are one layer of a secure property. The same in-house crew also handles the rest:
- Keyless entry installation and smart lock installation
- Access control systems and commercial access control
- Video doorbells and intercoms
- Alarm system installation
- Complete unified security
Learn more about Revolvis, meet the team, see all services, browse the blog or contact us.
Areas We Serve
Revolvis installs residential and commercial camera systems across the New York metro area. Every borough and county has its own building stock, rules and wiring challenges, so the plan for a Queens two-family is not the plan for a Manhattan co-op.
- Staten Island: houses, detached garages and shop fronts. See security camera installation in Staten Island.
- Brooklyn: brownstones, row houses and storefronts. See security camera installation in Brooklyn.
- Queens: attached brick homes, two-families and busy commercial strips. See security camera installation in Queens.
- The Bronx: pre-war buildings, bodegas and warehouses. See security camera installation in the Bronx.
- Manhattan: co-ops, condos, offices and retail. See security camera installation in Manhattan.
- Long Island: Nassau County and Suffolk County.
- New Jersey: Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken and nearby towns.
The full list is on the service areas page.
Get a Custom Quote After a Site Visit
Revolvis prices every job after a site visit, because the building sets the cost as much as the equipment does. A few things make the estimate faster and more accurate:
- The address and property type: house, apartment, co-op, condo, storefront or warehouse.
- Which doors, sides and areas you want covered, and what worries you most.
- Photos of those spots and any spots where you already have cabling or power.
- How many days of footage you want to keep and whether you want to watch on your phone.
- Any landlord, board, lender or insurer requirement.
Call 347-258-9165 or use the contact page to book a site visit. The quote you receive is written and itemized, so you can compare it line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a building cover? Entrances, lobby, elevators, stairwells, corridors, loading dock, mail room and parking.
Can the building put cameras in tenant suites? No. Tenants decide for themselves, subject to the lease.
How do I stop tailgating? Access control, door cameras, signs and staff awareness.
Can I record audio? Usually not without legal advice.
How long should I keep video? Often 60 to 90 days.
Should tenants be told? Yes, in the lease and with signs.
Ready for a custom quote? Call Revolvis at 347-258-9165 for a site visit and a written, itemized estimate.
Safety note: A camera system supports, but does not replace, good locks, lighting, alarms and everyday habits. If you are in danger or witnessing a crime, call 911. Prices and legal summaries in this guide are general information for the New York metro area, not an offer or legal advice. A written quote after a site visit governs your actual price, and for legal questions you should confirm with the agencies linked in the article or a licensed attorney.