Domain is dedicated not just to building high-quality communities, but also to running them with high hospitality standards. Primarily in the business of developing, holding, and operating properties long-term, Domain has made a name for itself in New York and Louisiana.
The Big Apple and the Big Easy. Two multifamily markets, different as can be, separated by thousands of miles and distinct cultural heritage. Despite the contrast, Domain was undeterred and has found success in both locations.
Still, there was one surprising characteristic shared by both markets that Domain knew needed to be addressed.
An Outdated Similarity
“Louisiana is a bit behind the times, you could say,” said Chris Livingston, Domain’s Director of Technology. “Smart tech was just not a thing there. I mean, in 2021 we still had a high percentage of our rent still being paid in paper checks.” He then explained that New York, surprisingly, didn’t have much of it either. “There’s a long history of old buildings in NY. Most people are used to a concierge or doorman, not an apartment community with a bunch of tech in it.”
Chris clarified they knew smart tech was growing in importance, that it was a great ROI opportunity, and that Domain could be the first in their two submarkets to implement it. He said it was just a matter of prioritizing it and getting started.
The Influence of a Tech-Savvy Market
2019, the year Chris joined Domain, was also when the company added yet another submarket to their portfolio: Salt Lake City, UT. The expansion became two communities in downtown Salt Lake. And there was something about Utah that became apparent immediately. Chris explained:
“In Utah, everyone knows about smart home technology. I mean, their sports venue is called Vivint Smart Home Arena. How different of a market it is compared to Louisiana and New York presented a challenge for us. We knew right away, okay, we’ve got to meet these market demands.”
He explained how observing the SLC submarket trends showed what benefits residents value most: unified building and unit access control and smart climate control. These observations helped them standardize their package and deliver the most value to residents while also empowering staff.
The implementation was smooth and benefits manifested fast. “The data Level gives us quarterly is invaluable. Knowing where my residents are, how popular amenities are, how popular features of the app are. We use all this to inform future building decisions.”
Breaking Technological Ground
Since implementing smart tech in their Utah communities, Domain has used Level in every one of their new properties. In 2021, they built a 28-story apartment building with Level that was downtown New Orleans' first smart apartment community. A year later, they partnered with Level in their newest South Bronx building which was one of the few properties with a smart technology platform in that area, as well.
“Since we’ve been implementing and advertising all of this, many of our competitors have followed suit,” Chris said. “We knew right away this is an amenity we can use to market our buildings.”
Domain currently has three different NYC projects in development. They’re planning on having Level in all of them.
“I love that I have a single point of contact at Level who knows how we do things at Domain. He knows my property managers, he knows the little quirks between all the different buildings. There really is only one thing that’s the same between all our buildings, and that’s Level.”
Learn more about Level here and see how our next-generation platform can help you reach the goals you have for your multifamily properties.