CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Michael Jordan, Cam Newton and LaMelo Ball all own luxury condos valued at millions of dollars inside an exclusive Uptown building, yet a WCNC Charlotte investigation found The Trust has serious safety gaps that have allowed people who don't live there to easily gain access. In response, the building's management company is pledging significant security improvements.
The Trust, located on South Tryon Street, is marketed as a boutique, luxury residence, but Bryan Pierce knows first-hand that the building isn't always as secure as it should be.
"Everybody has to have a fob to get in there and still, that boundary is permeable," Pierce told WCNC Charlotte. "It's pretty clear that people can get in."
Pierce works for several high-profile clients who own condos inside The Trust. On a night earlier this year, an unknown man jumped out of an elevator inside the building and attacked the artist and builder.
"As soon as the elevator door opens, the guy comes at me," Pierce recalled. "The first thing I said was, 'Who are you? What are you doing here?' I ended up going to the hospital the next day."
Pierce said the four-and-a-half-minute tussle left him scratched and scraped up. He was also worried for the people who lived in the building, as well as their families and friends.
"On some level, I'm glad it was me and not one of the ladies or one of the kids," he said. "If you work for somebody for three-and-a-half years, it's not a paycheck. At some point, it becomes a relationship, so I care. I care about them. I care about the families that live there. There are kids that live in that building."
Videos of people accessing what's supposed to be The Trust's secure garage have flooded social media in recent years. Those videos show people startling Jordan, taking an obscene picture in front of one of Ball's cars and even getting inside his Ferrari.
Sources have detailed a range of problems at The Trust, including an unreliable garage door. While the floors where the well-known owners live have added security protections, a source with authorized access showed WCNC Charlotte just how easy it is to get into the building and enter their common areas, including the roof where someone filmed Ball riding his go-kart just months prior.
"You're a high net worth person. You're paying a management company to maintain the security of the building," Pierce said. "If you're paying the kind of money to live in a place that has security measures, then there's a reasonable expectation that those would be in place and work."
The Trust building is managed by Community Association Management Services, also known as CAMS. A recent listing shows the monthly association fees range from $2,800 to $5,600.
In response to WCNC Charlotte's investigation, the company pledged several security improvements, including a comprehensive review of all entry points, including the roof and basement areas, as well as reinforcing existing barriers, plus accelerating its ongoing security assessment to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Trust Condominium Association, by way of CAMS, said it is also upgrading its camera system to include "more high-definition cameras and expanding coverage to blind spots," has already repaired the garage door so it "functions seamlessly" and is adding more patrols.
"Furthermore, we are introducing additional security protocols, including increased security patrols during off-peak hours and reinforcing our resident communication channels to ensure that all security-related updates are promptly shared," the association said, in part, in an email to WCNC Charlotte. "Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious activity immediately, and we are committed to responding swiftly to any concerns raised."
The company added unit owners have played a role in this too, compromising security by propping open entry and stairwell doors. Nonetheless, CAMS said it "is deeply committed" to the safety and security of residents and their property and "remains fully dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure environment."
The association added, in reference to the January attack on Pierce by a person with unauthorized access to the building, "the exact method of entry remains under investigation." However, CAMS said, "We have and will continue to take this matter very seriously."
"CAMS has actively been working with law enforcement to determine how this breach occurred and has implemented additional measures to prevent any future occurrences," the association said.
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department incident report shows the early morning attack remains under "active investigation."
Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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