The Wire locations

March 15, 2007 9:26 PM

Where does HBO's The Wire film?

Baltimore, obviously, but where specifically? Having lived there, I'm curious about the exact locations. I've seen kottke's post on where Marlo hangs out, but I've just started watching Season 1 so I don't even know who Marlo is.

Right now, I'm most curious about where they filmed the "Franklin Terrace"/towers scenes. They say it's on the west side, but it sure looks like the east side to me. Is there some website I can't find that has tracked them down and linked out to Google Maps?

As for the unit, I know downtown fairly well so I can usually place them by the backdrop. But bonus points for where they get drunk (bars, train tracks, parking lots, et al.).

And if it's possible to avoid disclosing pivotal plot points, I'd be grateful.

posted by deadfather to media & arts (12 answers total)

I don't know first-hand any of the locations (except for the Comm. College Stringer went to), I did google this article which has a map and synopsis of major locations from the Balmer City Paper:

http://www.citypaper.com/special/story.asp?id=11846
posted by cowbellemoo at 9:35 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

This fella thinks he found the is the Low Rise Pit.
posted by Duncan at 9:46 PM on March 15, 2007

This past summer they filmed around the area just east of Penn Station a lot. If you are familiar with the Copy Cat building (Guilford Ave just north of Mount Royal) they shot in the alley and loading dock just behind it (right under my window), and quite a lot in the school just up the street that closed down a couple years ago. I don't have cable, but I guess the current season has some stuff dealing with school kids.
Okay, I'm talking about numbers 8 and 9 from cowbellemoo's link.
posted by zoinks at 10:00 PM on March 15, 2007

Oh and they are going to be shooting in Dougherty's Pub on Chase Street for next season.
posted by zoinks at 10:07 PM on March 15, 2007

They discuss this on the DVD commentary track on one of the episodes of the first season. I think it was on the commentary for the first episode.

If I remember correctly, the towers were digitally added as the real towers were torn down by then (the towers in the scenes were actually an old folks home.) I don't remember if they said were they shot the scenes, but the commentary tracks are interesting anyhow for fans of the show.
posted by rpn at 1:00 AM on March 16, 2007

Thanks, all. Keep 'em coming if you have them.

For anyone interested, here's a Google Maps version of the one Duncan linked to.
posted by deadfather at 5:36 AM on March 16, 2007

This article also mentions that the tower scenes were filmed at a retirement home.
posted by transient at 7:31 AM on March 16, 2007

they are going to be shooting in Dougherty's Pub on Chase Street for next season

NEXT SEASON?. Well, that just made my day.
posted by mcstayinskool at 9:29 AM on March 16, 2007

mcstayinskool -- Yeah, there's a fifth season coming, but it is slated to be the last, sadly (for story reasons, not a network order thing).
posted by logovisual at 9:31 AM on March 16, 2007

hey logovisual---any other info on dates(or anything) for next season for us Wire junkies?
All I know is from the commentary of season 3 where chase says it will focus on the media.
posted by BillBishop at 2:16 PM on March 16, 2007

They always thanked the residents of McCulloh Homes at the end of episodes during the first season, so could that be it?

And BillBishop: A friend's boyfriend works on the show, so if I can find out anything from him, I'll e-mail you.

(Total derail: Season five is about the media, so they are rebuilding my workplace on a soundstage in Columbia and have sat in on news meetings. Sadly, I was not asked to be a star. If only I had a good accent!)
posted by Airhen at 4:24 PM on March 16, 2007

Airhen,

If you look at the map from Duncan's (and my) link, McCulloh Homes is the low-rise pit. I can't believe I ignored the credits; that's great confirmation of that location.
posted by deadfather at 7:10 PM on March 16, 2007