Howard University in Washington DC

Howard University Campus Locksmith

Howard University’s campus in Shaw and LeDroit Park is a working urban university that serves over 12,000 students and a historically protected campus at the same time. The locksmith work runs on two tracks: preserving the character of buildings built between 1867 and 1940, and providing current-standard security for students, faculty, and researchers in every one of them.

Howard Campus Overview

Campus Area	Buildings	Security Focus
Main campus (Georgia Ave/Howard Place)	Founders Library, Douglass Hall, Rankin Chapel, Cramton Auditorium	Historic preservation, public event security, administrative offices
Residential (east campus)	Drew, Cook, Slowe, Truth, Bethune, Tubman, Meridian, Howard Plaza Towers	Student room locks, building access, lockout response
Health sciences	Howard University Hospital, College of Medicine, Dental School	HIPAA areas, pharmacy, controlled substances, patient privacy
Research	Interdisciplinary Research Building, STEM facilities	Lab access control, equipment security, grant compliance
Athletic	Burr Gymnasium, Greene Stadium	Locker rooms, equipment storage, event-day configurations
LeDroit Park annex	Various academic and administrative buildings	Mixed academic/residential neighborhood, street-level security

Historic Building Locks at Howard

Howard’s oldest buildings are part of the National Register of Historic Places:

• Founders Library (1939)The building at the campus entrance has original Georgian Revival hardware and doors. We maintain the visible components in their original style and upgrade internal mechanisms for security without altering the facade.
• Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel (1895)One of the oldest buildings on campus. Original door hardware is carefully preserved while ensuring the building meets current accessibility and egress requirements.
• Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall (1935)Administrative and academic offices with period hardware that we rekey and maintain without modifying the visible components.

Urban Campus Security Challenges

Unlike a suburban campus with defined boundaries, Howard’s campus is woven into DC’s urban fabric:

• Open campus: no perimeter fence or gate. Buildings face public streets with pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Every building entrance is a perimeter security point.
• Neighborhood integration: Howard’s campus intersects with the Shaw and LeDroit Park neighborhoods, which have seen significant development in recent years. Increased foot traffic from non-university residents makes building access control essential.
• Metro access: the Shaw-Howard University Metro station brings thousands of transit commuters past campus daily. Buildings near the Metro entrance need strong access control to prevent unauthorized entry.
• Mixed-use surroundings: restaurants, retail, and residential development adjacent to campus also increase the security surface area that must be managed.

Student Housing Security

Howard’s residential halls have received national attention for maintenance and security concerns. We take dormitory security seriously:

• Lock functionality: every student room lock must work properly. The deadbolt throws fully, the latch engages smoothly, and the key turns without excessive force. Non-functional locks are safety hazards.
• Annual rekeying: complete rekeying between academic years ensures no previous occupant retains access.
• RA access: Resident Advisors need master access for emergencies on their floor, documented and controlled through the master key system.
• Building entry: card reader access on building entrances restricts entry to current residents and authorized visitors only.
• Emergency lockouts: 24/7 response because students get locked out at all hours, and DC weather makes standing outside unacceptable in January.

Howard Hospital Security

Howard University Hospital operates under healthcare-specific security requirements:

• Pharmacy access: restricted areas with combination locks and electronic access logging for controlled substance compliance.
• Patient areas: HIPAA-compliant locks on records rooms, patient chart storage, and administrative offices handling protected health information.
• Emergency department: 24/7 operation with controlled entry, patient safety locks, and rapid-response emergency lockout service.
• Research areas: medical research labs with controlled access for equipment security and research data protection.

Call (202) 830-0706 for Howard University campus locksmith services.