The new $200-million Trump International Hotel located inside Pennsylvania Avenue’s Old Post Office and Clock Tower in Washington, D.C., which opened in late September, was kept safe and secure during its construction phases by Modular Security Systems Inc.’s (MSSI) patented Modular Access Control (MAC) Portal.
The refurbishment of the Old Post Office Pavilion into a hotel, which was completed two years ahead of schedule, was a project that employed more than 1,000 construction workers. Critical to the success of the operation was safely and reliably controlling access to the jobsite and recording the whereabouts and time worked of the laborers as the various stages of construction progressed.
When it came to access control, the design and operation of the MAC Portals made them an ideal solution for the high-profile project, with the construction site’s general contractor choosing to use MSSI’s easy-to-install, full-height, high-security turnstiles, access-control technology and climate-controlled guard offices for the jobsite.
The makeover of the Old Post Office and Clock Tower, which was built in 1899 and is the second-tallest building in Washington, D.C., helped restore an historic landmark that had, several decades earlier, been considered for demolition.
The property was leased to the Trump Organization in 2013, which developed it into the luxury Trump International Hotel. The new hotel features 271 rooms, a 13,000-square-foot ballroom, 36,000 square feet of meeting space and two presidential suites. It employs more than 500 people.
Keeping the site safe
In use from November 2014 through the end of June 2016, the MAC Portals were an easy-to-use security solution because they were installed directly into a perimeter fence at the construction site. For the Trump International Hotel project, proximity security badges that provided access to construction personnel worked like a hotel key. They are not inserted into a slot, but are read when held in close proximity of the scanner. The turnstile will not open without the scanner approving entry.
“When a card is scanned on entrances and exits, it automatically logs the time of the worker and keeps track of an electronic time card,” Kevin Harrison, MSSI’s Vice President and Business Manager said. This helps prevent stolen time.
The MAC Portal’s access system can also keep non-approved individuals from entering the jobsite as there is no way for entry to be gained without the access card. The system also provides detailed reporting data for the contractor.
“Based on the type of access system installed, the reporting feature provides substantial benefits,” said Harrison. “This allows a manager to sit in his office and, at any time, see how many electricians are on site, and how many people from a particular company are on site."
MSSI recycles durable ISO containers to create the tamper-proof turnstiles that house the advanced security technology. The repurposed standard ISO shipping container is made of extremely robust 16-gauge COR-TEN weathering steel. The portals feature full-height turnstiles, motion sensors and state-of-the-art, client-specified access-control technology. The MAC Portal will integrate with any commercially available software system to generate reports, track worker time, prevent tool theft and issue payroll records.
