The Office was a mockumentary comedy series that aired on NBC for nine seasons. The pilot aired on March 24, 2005, and the series finale aired on May 16, 2013. Steve Carrell starred as boss Michael Scott until his departure in season seven. The show also featured an ensemble cast who portrayed the various office employees.
The original Office series was produced and filmed in the UK. It ran for two seasons and was a big hit. NBC decided to try and adapt the series for an American audience. They greenlit a short 6-episode season. When it was clear that the show would be a hit, they renewed the show for a second season.
Dunder Mifflin and Scranton Business Park
Starting in season two, production of The Office was based at Chandler Valley Center Studios. The production facility is located in Panorama City, just west of North Hollywood. The studio has 2 soundstages. Stage 1 was home to the permanent sets of the office setting. The building housing Stage 2 became the exterior of the Scranton Business Park, and was featured in most episodes. The exterior and parking lot is instantly recognizable to any fan of the show.
Dunder Mifflin – Season One
The first season of The Office was filmed on location at an actual office facility in Los Angeles. The building had an office area and a warehouse that suited what producers were looking for.
During this season, we do see the exteriors of the building as well. Fans who go back and rewatch the first season will notice that the building looks nothing like it does in the rest of the series.
Los Angeles Area Locations
Most episodes were filmed in the studio, however a number of episodes required shooting on location. As the production was based at Chandler Valley Studios in Panorama City, many location shoots also used the greater Los Angeles area.
First Christian Church of North Hollywood
In season three, we see Phyllis marry Bob Vance (Vance Refrigeration). The episode was filmed at the First Christian Church of North Hollywood. This is where you could see Michael pushing Phyllis’s father’s wheelchair down the aisle, and where he prematurely announced them as being married on the altar steps.
You may recognize the church from other shows like Young Sheldon, The Fosters, and 7th Heaven.
Michael’s Condo
Michael buys a condo in season 2, thinking he’s getting a 10 year mortgage. He later finds out it’s 10-years-fixed, 30 total. Michael lives in the condo throughout his time on The Office. We see it numerous times, including fan-favourite episode The Dinner Party. The house is located in a gated community, and can only been seen from the side street, through the gate. The address is 7303 Bonnie Place in Reseda.
Jim and Pam’s House
Jim and Pam live in the house that Jim grew up in. He ends up buying the house as a surprise for Pam, and turns the garage into an art studio for her. The house is located at 13831 Calvert Street in Van Nuys.
Fun story: when we visited the house, we had a chat with the next-door neighbour. He told us that he was paid several hundred dollars by the show to allow someone to go into his house and turn on a bedroom light. This was in the episode Broke, when Michael pics up Pam very early in the morning, honking his horn and waking the neighbours.
Darryl’s House
Darryl’s house is located at 14152 Emelita Street in Van Nuys. We see his house in the episode “The Meeting”. If you’d like to see more, check out my buddy Scott On Tape’s video where he visit’s the house with the actress who plays Darryl’s sister. You can see it here.
Meredith’s House
Meredith’s house on The Office is actually right next door to Darryl’s house, at 14142 Emelita Street. Unfortunately the house has been completely demolished, and when I visited, there was a new house being built.
Toby’s House
Toby’s house is located at 5752 Calhoun Avenue in Sherman Oaks. It is not seen very often in the series.
Oscar’s House
Oscar’s house can be found at 5232 Longridge Ave in Van Nuys. This is where Oscar lives with his “roommate” and Dwight catches him skipping work.
David Wallace’s First House
David Wallace actually has two houses during the series. The first house was located in Pasadena. When I visited in June 2023, the house had been completely gutted, with only the frame remaining. It was rather shocking to see it in such a state, as it was a nice looking house. If you’d like to see what the house looked like originally, check out Lindsay’s photos and information here.
David Wallace’s Second House
Later in the series, David Wallace seemingly moved to a different house. It was never addressed on the show, but the production team began using a different house in Encino. The large estate is located at 5133 Louise Ave.
I’m not sure what it is about me visiting houses from The Office, but in May 2022, this house was also under heavy renovations. At least this house was moderately recognizable still, unlike David Wallace’s first house.
Erin’s Florida House
In season 8, Erin relocates to Florida. The house used is located at 7777 Cherrystone Ave in Panorama City, which is actually really close to the Chandler Valley Studios, where the show filmed. When I visited, the house was undergoing some exterior renovations.
A much derided scene shows Erin outside the house, but Ellie Kemper is clearly standing in front of a green screen. It is rather odd that they chose to do this, especially considering how close the house is to the studio.
Since the house was under repair, I felt it would be appropriate to do a green screen type photo, just like the show did!
Jim and Pam’s Wedding Rehearsal Dinner
Just before getting married, we see the rehearsal dinner for Jim and Pam’s wedding. While taking place in Niagara Falls, the show actually used a well known Burbank Restaurant. The Smoke House is located right next to Warner Bros. Studios, and has been around since 1946.
The restaurant has a number of rooms that patrons can dine in, but scenes for The Office were filmed in their banquet room.
Schrute Farms
While a couple locations were used for Schrute Farms over the years, the main location was at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch. The Ranch is located in Santa Clarita, and its a private property which is very strict about visitors. Fans can catch a glimpse of some of the Ranch, including some of the backlot, from along Placerita Canyon Road.
Scott’s Tot’s School
In one of the most infamous episodes, Michael has to visit a local school and renege on his promise to pay tuition for a class of students. It’s often named as one of the most awkward and cringe-worthy episodes, but I also think it epitomizes the person that Michael Scott is.
Both interior and exterior scenes at the school were filmed at Van Nuys Middle School in the San Fernando Valley. This same school was also seen on Fresh off The Boat.
New York City Locations
Over the course of the series, The Office filmed several times on location in New York City.
Dunder Mifflin Head Office
Michael Scott visited Dunder Mifflin’s head office a number of times during the series. While the interior scenes were filmed on the show’s soundstages, they used a real office building in midtown Manhattan. The building is located at 1345 6th Avenue of the Americas.
Rockefeller Center
In the third season episode “Valentine’s Day” we see Michael exploring New York, and he stops by Rockefeller Center. He gets distracted thinking he sees Tina Fey, and totally misses Conan O’Brien walk by. This was when he was still filming Late Night with Conan O’Brien at NBC Studios.
Michael’s Favourite New York Pizza Joint
When exploring the city, Michael goes to get a “New York slice” at his favourite pizza joint. Of course, it turns out to be a Sbarro, which is a chain of sub-par pizza shops. This particular Sbarro was located at the corner of 47th Street and 7th Avenue. The pizza outlet was closed several years ago, and the building has been extensively renovated. It is now home to the New York Edition Hotel. As you can see from my pictures, it looks very different. You may not be able to get a slice of Michael Scott’s favourite pizza, but there are lots of food carts to grab a bite to eat.
Times Square
That episode also features Michael walking around in Times Square, as he finds the Empire State Building too touristy. He explains that the name comes from “the good times you have while you’re in it”.
Niagara Falls
While most of Jim and Pam’s wedding was filmed in the Los Angeles area, the production did briefly visit Niagara Falls to film Jim and Pam on the Maid of the Mist. This famous boat ride brings you up close to the falls, and they supply a poncho to keep you dry.
Scranton Locations
While the show was not filmed in Scranton, the show tried to stay true to the geography. Many local place names were mentioned during the show.
The Steamtown Mall
The famous “Scranton Welcomes You” sign featured in the opening credits has been replaced, but the original sign has been on display in the Steamtown Mall. The mall, which was mentioned numerous times on the show, also featured a small The Office gift shop, and Dwight’s Bobble Head could be seen on the elevator. This was several years ago so I can’t confirm if these are still there.
The Penn Paper Tower
Seen in the opening credits, the Penn Paper Tower is a landmark in Scranton. Due to the popularity of The Office, one side of the tower now bears the “Dunder Mifflin” logo on it.
