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Case Study with Garden Spot Village
September 5 2025
Flexible video tech supports open-door philosophy for large senior living campus
Garden Spot Communities in New Holland, Pennsylvania, present a unique challenge in senior living security. Unlike many traditional retirement facilities that rely on gates and fences for security, this continuing care retirement community maintains an intentionally open-door philosophy, welcoming the broader community while ensuring resident safety. With 1,100 residents across 1.4 million square feet on 230 acres, the facility operates restaurants and a cafe open to the public, creating security considerations that traditional approaches couldn't address.
Since 2006, their partnership with integrator App-Techs has evolved from a four-camera system into a sophisticated 110-camera network running the Milestone Systems XProtect®video management software (VMS) platform.
 Customer
Garden Spot Communities |
 Location
New Holland, Pennsylvania |
 Milestone technology
XProtect®
VMS video management software |
 Camera Count
110 video cameras |
 Integrations
Health Utility Monitor (HUM),
|
Challenge: securing an open community without compromising values
Garden Spot faced a fundamental challenge that many senior living facilities don't: how to maintain security across a large, open campus. The Garden Spot's philosophy rejects gated community concepts, instead welcoming neighbors who walk dogs through the grounds, families who bring children to play by the creek, and local professionals who grab coffee at the on-site Starbucks. This openness, while fostering community connection, creates unique security considerations that traditional approaches could not address.
"Having a comprehensive video system is key to our operating such a large enterprise. Garden Spot's core philosophy from the very start has been that what we don't spend on fences and gates, we can spend on cameras. We need to have eyes on what's happening across campus, and with a system like Milestone, we can do exactly that. We can view video from our security workstation or from our office desktops. We can also access it from our phones, making the system efficient and effective to use, and allowing us to respond to situations in a very timely manner."
Solution: open platform for an open community
The solution centers on Milestone XProtect video management software (VMS), selected for its open platform architecture that accommodates diverse camera brands and technologies. Over the years, Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based integration partner App-Techs has deployed over 100 cameras throughout the facility, with strategic wireless links extending coverage to perimeter areas up to 300 meters from main buildings. The system operates across multiple on-site Dell servers, with centralized management enabling seamless monitoring of all campus locations from a single interface, including remote facilities connected via fiber-optic links.
Results: enhanced safety without sacrificing community spirit
The video security system has become an integral operational tool, enabling staff to respond quickly to emergencies, verify reported incidents, and maintain situational awareness across the expansive campus. Most significantly, the technology provides valuable peace of mind by helping staff quickly locate residents when needed and ensuring their safety throughout the community. The system's reliability and ease of use have made it an essential daily resource for facility management, while the open platform design ensures long-term scalability and cost-effective expansion.
Video as an everyday operational tool
This accessibility has transformed daily operations beyond traditional security functions. Matt Stoltzfus, director of facility services, Green Spot Village, accesses Milestone daily to address resident concerns that extend beyond typical security matters.
The system proves most valuable when a resident is missing from their normal routine. Staff immediately turn to video as their first investigative step. In one memorable case, the staff was able to quickly spot a gentleman with dementia leaving campus with the goal of walking to find his granddaughter at a local grocery store. The cameras enabled a rapid response that located him before any harm occurred.
Weather monitoring represents a practical operation application. During Pennsylvania's harsh winters, managers can check multiple campus cameras from home rather than sending crews out at 3 a.m. to assess snow conditions. This capability helps determine whether plowing can wait until business hours, saving labor costs and unnecessary overnight work.
The facility's aeroponic greenhouse benefits from remote monitoring as well, through a camera positioned above the growing towers. Staff can verify plant health during long weekends when traditional sensors might miss subtle environmental changes affecting their delicate greens.
Even routine mysteries become easier to solve. When a small section of a stone-wall facing fell off in a parking garage, video investigation revealed the failure was from an earlier minor collision rather than recent vehicle impact.
Additionally, the system has helped resolve theft incidents involving visitors. Systematic video tracking has enabled staff to identify individuals taking items from common areas, resulting in the swift resolution of these situations.
"We get a lot of perceived security issues from residents, and the system allows us to alleviate much of the anxiety that goes with that. As people progress through life, they may develop different anxieties in response to various situations. Being able to identify for sure that something is not happening really goes a long way for easing the worries of the resident and family members."
A community transformed
The system operates as a force multiplier for local police, with officers frequently collaborating with operators on high-level activities such as drug investigations and warrant service. Law
enforcement regularly visits the LSC office to review video evidence, though they cannot directly access or control the system. For evidence sharing, App-Techs created a digital evidence delivery system that maintains strict chain-of-custody protocols. This file-sharing system allows LSC operators to compile, document, and securely transfer video evidence to law enforcement personnel through an efficient, browser-based interface.
"Lancaster was a small town that had big city problems. Our location along the East Coast corridor between Philadelphia and New York makes us vulnerable. In the late 80s and through the 90s, we watched drugs flow into our community, bringing along gang activity and violence. Despite our size, we were dealing with open-air drug markets and crime levels that threatened the very fabric of our neighborhoods. Residents were afraid to let their children play outside, and the downtown was becoming abandoned after business hours."
Technology infrastructure adapts and grows
Andrew Dietzel, the chief information officer for Green Spot Village, manages the technical backbone that enables this operational flexibility. Running on Dell servers spread across four locations, the system provides centralized management and seamless access to cameras from any facility. The open platform proves especially valuable for camera selection.
The partnership with App-Techs extends beyond equipment installation to ongoing system health. App-Techs’ Health Utility Monitor (HUM) software provides telemetry data from Garden Spot's servers every five minutes, enabling proactive maintenance that often resolves issues before staff notice them. This proactive monitoring contributes significantly to the system's reliability, allowing Garden Spot staff to focus on operations rather than technical troubleshooting.
"We have a lot of flexibility when it comes to camera make and model, type of lens, quantity of lenses, etc. The open platform VMS allows App-Techs to recommend and sell us the best camera for the job, rather than our being locked into a single manufacturer's compatibility requirements."
Proven technology for community values
Garden Spot's video system demonstrates how technology can support ather than compromise organizational values. The platform has adapted and grown alongside facility needs, proving that early investments in open, scalable technology provide lasting returns.
For other senior living facilities considering similar approaches, Garden Spot’s experience shows that success requires both appropriate technology and clear organizational priorities. Their system has become integral to daily operations while maintaining the community openness that defines their philosophy.
The Milestone open platform continues enabling new applications as needs evolve, from emergency response to operational efficiency to resident peace of mind. Most importantly, it provides the confidence necessary to maintain an open, welcoming, and secure environment.
“We never get an emergency call from Green Spot. They're very self-sufficient and well organized, and it's a nice collaborative relationship.
They were early adopters of network video, and they have progressed and grown their system now for nearly 20 years, and we’re very proud to
be part of that history."
