The Smartest DIY Home Improvements

A World of Connections at Deer Valley Town Home
Upscale renters today are looking for more than a place to live. They're looking for a home where they can pursue hobbies, enjoy social activities, take advantage of multimedia activities and live life to the fullest. Along with spacious floor plans and distinctive touches, the smart builder of multifamily housing offers a menu of luxury amenities. But you don't have to invest a lot of money to add one of the hottest options available: the capability for high-speed Internet and networking connections to keep everyone plugged in. Structured wiring, which provides the backbone for distributing these connections, is simple to install in new construction and is a magnet for attracting tenants. It's one of the many conveniences at Deer Valley Town Homes, a luxury community of one- and two-bedroom apartments built by Santini Homes in Ellington, Conn. Located 15 miles from Hartford, the state capital, and near Bradley International Airport and Springfield, Mass., Deer Valley is close to shops, employment hubs, arts and entertainment venues. The community is targeted to young professionals, families and empty nesters who consider multimedia capability an asset.

"We wanted to build Deer Valley for the future," says Eric Santini Jr., who works with his father, Eric Santini Sr., in the family-owned company. "We knew the demographics of our prospective renters through our experience as custom builders, and were familiar with their needs for home offices and networking." Right from the start, Santini planned to offer connectivity in every room so residents would be able to plug in computers, share printers, set up home offices and multiple telephone lines wherever it suited them, and without the tangle of wires these connections usually bring. The aesthetics of the installation would fit in nicely with Santini's vision of a community of apartments with the architectural features of private homes, including high-end details such as nine-foot ceilings, oak kitchen cabinetry and crown moldings. "People are looking to rent homes, not typical box apartments," says Santini. Every unit at Deer Valley has the ambiance of a private residence, with no tenants living above or below the renter.

During the planning stage of the Deer Valley complex, Santini asked the development's electrical contractor, Jim Lanouette of JJL Electric, in Deep River, Conn., to recommend cost-effective ways to provide the necessary structured wiring. Santini envisioned a compact, efficient system that would be expandable and provide optimal connections. It would also have to be user-friendly, so tenants could easily modify settings. A longtime contractor in the custom home market, Lanouette was aware of the growing popularity of structured wiring enclosures. Recently, a team from Leviton Integrated Networks®, a division of Leviton Manufacturing Company, had conducted training seminars for his installers. He was impressed with the versatility and flexibility of Leviton Integrated Networks Structured Media™ centers and recommended the product to Santini, who approved the selection.

The Leviton Structured Media™ centers are available in 14" and 28" sizes. One of Lanouette's first decisions was to choose the appropriate size to install in Deer Valley. After initially deciding on the 14", he switched to the 28" enclosure because it could neatly accommodate modems and other modules. The 28" enclosures fit into the garage of every unit. Next, he selected the modules to place inside. These consist of a networking router, which provides a firewall-protected network to shield computers from intruders; Category 5e wire (gray for phone, blue for computer networking); a cable TV splitter; RG-6 coax wire for TV (black); and a multi-telephone number distribution module (see photo). The centers support either satellite or cable TV, giving tenants the option to use the service they prefer. The telephone capability can accommodate four separate telephone lines for personal, business, fax and the Internet. This setup is ideal for telecommuters, who need to keep in touch with their office and work as efficiently from home as they do on the job site.

Security and distributed audio can also be added to the enclosures. The Deer Valley Structured Media™ centers contain a security system interface, but security is an option between the builder and the tenant. Depending upon the chosen components, remote cameras can be installed to monitor indoor and outdoor areas.

According to Jim Lanoutte, "Deer Valley is targeting young professionals. The more wire in the home, the more versatility we have. I feel Eric Santini sees the value in these systems and so do the residents." The good thing about all this wire is that it is hidden in the wall. The apartments have sufficient outlets to meet a resident's connection needs, with handy receptacles in every room, including one conveniently placed near the dining table. The structured wiring installations complement the lifestyle of busy residents who can set up computers in the kitchen, or the children's room, or TVs everywhere, without tripping over wires. Families can share printers, or opt for cable or satellite TV. The installations are truly "plug and play." All the residents have to supply are a computer with a network interface card and networking software, plus their choice of high-speed Internet service, such as cable modem, DSL or satellite. The systems can also work with standard dial-up.

Key to the successful selling of structured wiring to prospective Deer Valley tenants was the sales training and marketing support provided by Leviton Integrated Networks to the Santini staff. Leviton representatives and Jim Lanouette met with Leasing Consultant, Sarah Zetterstrom, to educate her on how to present the concept of structured wiring to renters so they could best understand the value of it. Pointers included tips to help tenants remember the purpose of different jacks, such as the blue jack in the four-port plate is for the network, and the gold TV jack is for satellite. The Deer Valley property maintenance manager was fully trained to accurately make changes to the phone and data module if an occupant wanted to change a jack to a second or third phone number, or to add more jacks to the network. Additionally, a training flyer with a photo and description of the inside of the structured media center was distributed to salespeople. Marketing materials were supplied, including a flyer explaining the benefits of network-ready wiring to hand out to renters, plus a yard sign, and an easel for literature. These tools made it easy for the staff to market structured wiring to prospective tenants, and to maintain the networks once they were installed.

With the field growing every day, structured wiring soon may become as basic a commodity as electrical wiring for new construction. Because there is a great deal of flexibility, builders can work with contractors to create the structured wiring centers that best fulfill their needs. It's a great way to add value to your property in a competitive marketplace.

At Deer Valley, the feedback from tenants on the benefits of the Structured Media™ system has been very positive. Santini believes the system has contributed to the high quality of life in the community. His plans for the future include a pool and clubhouse for residents. Meanwhile, everyone is enjoying a world of good connections.