Quick Answer: Multi-unit residential technology packages for luxury condominiums and co-ops typically include pre-wired structured media centers, enterprise Wi-Fi infrastructure managed by the building, smart thermostat integration, and optional Crestron or Lutron whole-unit automation. Restrepo Innovations works with developers and HOAs to specify technology packages that add value at delivery without requiring unit-by-unit customization.
Luxury residential developers face a consistent challenge: buyers expect premium technology, but the economics of per-unit custom integration. individual design, unique programming, bespoke installation. do not scale to a multi-unit project. The developer ends up either underdelivering on technology or overspending to an extent that erodes the development’s margin.
There is a third option, and it works well when it is engineered correctly: a standardized technology package designed for repeatability. The same core platform across every unit, installed from the same documentation, programmed to a common baseline, with unit-specific adjustments limited to room dimensions and fixture locations. The result is a premium technology offering at a cost structure that makes sense for the development.
<.-- BEGIN newsletter inline block (proxy v2) --> <.-- END newsletter inline block (proxy v2) -->This project was a 12-unit luxury townhome development in Bergen County. Each unit was approximately 3,200 square feet across three floors. The developer wanted every unit delivered with a smart home technology package as a standard feature. not an upgrade option, not a post-close add-on. Technology was part of the product.
The Unit Package
Every unit received the same core technology stack. Crestron Home as the automation platform, handling lighting, climate, audio, and security integration from a single app and keypad interface. Lutron Caseta for lighting and shading control, chosen for its reliable wireless protocol and the broad compatibility with Crestron Home. Ubiquiti UniFi networking per unit: a USG gateway, a compact PoE switch, and two U7-Pro access points per floor. Sonance in-ceiling speakers in the main living space and primary suite, powered by a Sonance amplifier in the unit’s media closet.
The selection was deliberate: every product in the stack is documented, serviceable, and supported by manufacturers with long-term platform commitments. These are not consumer-grade products that will be discontinued in three years. A buyer purchasing a unit in this development is buying into a technology infrastructure that will be supported and upgradeable for a decade or more.
“Developers who treat technology as an afterthought end up retrofitting it, which costs more and looks worse than doing it during construction. The best time to design the technology package is when the plans are still on paper.” __EMDASH_PROTECT_0__
Centralized Infrastructure
The development’s mechanical room houses the centralized infrastructure: a main distribution frame for voice and data, the ISP demarcation for the building’s fiber service, a managed switch that trunks to each unit’s network closet, and the rack for the building’s common area systems. Each unit’s network closet is pre-wired and documented, so any subsequent changes or service work follow a clear, consistent structure across all twelve units.
Pre-wiring was pulled during the framing phase: Cat6A to every room, in-wall speaker cable to all Sonance positions, shielded cable to all Lutron keypad locations, and conduit for future low-voltage at all TV positions. The cost of this cabling during open-framing is a fraction of what a retrofit installation would require. Developers who skip this phase invariably find that buyers want it later, at a cost that reflects the difficulty of working in a finished space. something we examine in detail in our post on retrofitting vs. starting fresh.
Procurement Advantages at Scale
Standardizing across twelve units creates genuine procurement use. Equipment quantities were sufficient to negotiate favorable pricing with distributors, reduce lead times, and simplify the logistics of receiving and staging materials. Programming time was significantly reduced because the Crestron and Lutron configurations were developed once and replicated with unit-specific adjustments. Installation crews worked from the same set of documents on every unit, which reduced errors and shortened the per-unit completion time substantially compared to custom, one-off installations.
The developer also benefits from a single point of accountability for the technology package across the entire project. One contract, one warranty framework, one service provider relationship. For a development of this scale, that simplicity has real value at both delivery and post-close.
Buyer Experience
Each unit was delivered with the Crestron Home system fully commissioned, the network configured and tested, all Sonance speakers calibrated, and a one-hour walkthrough provided to each buyer before move-in. The onboarding documentation was unit-specific but drawn from a common template. Buyers received a system that worked on the day they moved in, without requiring them to engage their own integrator to finish the job.
If you are a developer planning a luxury residential or mixed-use project and want to design a technology package that adds value to the product without adding complexity to the construction process, our commercial and development practice specializes in exactly this scope.