Willis Tower, a landmark in Chicago for over five decades, has evolved into a contemporary workplace and community hub, offering diverse experiences for tenants, locals, and visitors.
Originally named Sears Tower, it was rebranded as Willis Tower in 2009 following a change in ownership. Major renovations began in 2017 and concluded in 2022, enhancing its functionality and appeal.
Currently, Willis Tower features a variety of amenities, ranging from temporary workstations to conventional leases, alongside dining, retail, and entertainment venues. Its iconic Skydeck, situated on the 103rd floor at 1,353 feet, offers stunning vistas extending up to 50 miles across four states, making it a popular attraction drawing millions annually.
Addressing security needs
Part of Willis Tower's recent transformation included removing the structural separations between the office and Skydeck spaces, fostering a more open and accessible environment. This update necessitated a strategic security upgrade, led by Director of Security Keith Kambic, CPP, who sought partners to safeguard tenants, visitors, and staff.
Kambic engaged Guidepost Solutions, a national security and technology consulting firm, to aid in this mission. He then prioritised finding a local integration partner and identifying effective security solutions.
Collaborative security partnerships
The security upgrade at Willis Tower involved retrofitting the access control system to a cloud-based solution4S Security was selected as the integration partner for its comprehensive approach to delivering optimal results. Leor Elfassy, Director of Business Development at 4S, stated, "We are different than the average integrator. We have software developers on staff who write integrations, and as a matter of business principle for the last 30 years, we only work with software manufacturers that allow us to do so."
The partnership with 4S Security significantly enhanced Willis Tower's security protocols.
Implementing technological solutions
The security upgrade at Willis Tower involved retrofitting the access control system to a cloud-based solution. The new Video Management System (VMS), Salient CompleteView, was chosen for its seamless integration capabilities with the access control platform. "In the end, the client wants a single pane of glass that they can work from and Salient’s CompleteView is well-designed to let integrators bring their vision to life," continued Elfassy.
Key factors influencing the decision included Salient’s open architecture, features like Dynamic Resolution Scaling (DRS) for bandwidth management, and agnostic integration potential for analytical enhancements. The personal attention from Salient's team, from its President to system engineers, fostered a productive collaboration that advanced the project significantly.
Kambic remarked, “when we selected Salient, we did so not only for their product, but because we could tell that both of our companies were cut from the same cloth – great service, and great people.”
Outcome and future prospects
The collaboration between 4S and Salient resulted in a 40% reduction in bandwidth usage across the Willis Tower network. The integrated system enhanced security monitoring, providing real-time awareness of incidents like forced-open doors, tailgating, and panic alarms. Both companies provided extensive learning tools to ensure a smooth transition to the new VMS.
Sustained local support from Salient and 4S guarantees timely software updates and exploration of new technological advancements, furthering video surveillance capabilities through CompleteView. The Willis Tower team praises the collaboration's success, the efficacy of Salient's product, and the exceptional level of service received.
Willis Tower, an iconic symbol in Chicago for over 50 years, has undergone significant transformations to become a modern workplace and community hub that delivers the best experiences for its tenants, area residents and visitors.
Originally known as Sears Tower, it was renamed Willis Tower after a change in ownership in 2009. Major renovations took place in 2017, culminating in a complete transformation in 2022.
Currnetly, Willis Tower offers a range of amenities from short-term workstations to traditional leases, as well as dining, retail, and entertainment spaces. The Skydeck on the 103rd floor, 1,353 feet above street level, provides breathtaking views of up to 50 miles across four states, attracting millions of visitors annually.
Challenge
As part of Willis Tower’s transformation, the structural separations between the office and Skydeck areas were eliminated, creating a more open and accessible space for visitors and tenants. Recognising the need for a customised strategic security plan, Director of Security Keith Kambic, CPP, spearheaded efforts to find the right partners to ensure the safety and security of tenants, visitors, and employees.
Kambic’s first step was to engage with the national security and technology consulting firm Guidepost Solutions. The next priority was to establish a strong partnership with a Chicago-based integration partner and to identify the best security solutions in the market.
Kambic chose 4S Security as the integration partner because of their holistic approach to achieving optimal results. The partnership with 4S Security elevated the security measures at Willis Tower to new heights.
“We are different than the average integrator,” said Leor Elfassy, Director of Business Development at 4S. “We have software developers on staff who write integrations, and as a matter of business principle for the last 30 years, we only work with software manufacturers that allow us to do so.”
Solution
The upgrade to Willis Tower involved retrofitting the access control system to a cloud-based solution and the new Video Management System (VMS), Salient CompleteView, was selected based on its ability to integrate seamlessly with the access control platform.
“In the end the client wants a single pane of glass that they can work from and Salient’s CompleteView is well-designed to let integrators bring their vision to life,” continued Elfassy.
Salient’s open architecture was an essential factor in the decision, along with product features like Dynamic Resolution Scaling (DRS), a powerful bandwidth management tool, and agnostic integration to analytic platforms for future system enhancements. Specific features like snapshot and CompleteView’s interactive mapping feature were also important selection factors. While all of these product capabilities are important, in the end it came down to the personal attention of Salient team members – from the President to the system engineer – and their efforts to go above and beyond in every way. Salient’s dedication to working cohesively with the Willis Tower and 4S teams created an effective partnership that propelled the project forward.
Kambic said, “when we selected Salient, we did so not only for their product, but because we could tell that both of our companies were cut from the same cloth – great service, and great people.”
Both Salient and 4S provided learning tools prior to implementation to ensure a seamless transition to the new VMS for the Willis Tower security team. 4S created customised training videos and pamphlets and held onsite training sessions, while Salient educated the security team through its YouTube training videos.
Results
The result of the partnership between 4S and Salient was a 40% reduction in bandwidth usage across the Willis Tower network. In addition, the integrated system provided immediate awareness of events such as forced-open doors, tailgating, and panic alarms.
Ongoing top-notch local support from both Salient and 4S ensures smooth and timely software release updates and exploration of new technological capabilities, advancing video surveillance through CompleteView. Pleased with the results, the Willis Tower team attests to the success of the partnership, efficacy of Salient’s product, andoutstanding level of service from Salient both before and after the sale.
