“Tower Heist” is a 2011 heist action, comedy film that revolves around a group of honest and hardworking employees of an apartment building and wealthy businessman Arthur Shaw. Josh Kovaks is the long-time manager of one of the most secure and luxurious high-rises in the city. Soon, Shaw, one of the apartment’s most famous residents, is ordered to house arrest for embezzling more than $2 million from his investors. The investors also include Josh and the rest of his associates, and naturally, they decide to get their money back through a scam.
As a result, to get back the money Shaw stole from them, Josh pays off a small-time con artist, Slide, to enlist his help and break into Shaw’s luxury condo along with several of his associates. The comedic elements and heist theme combine to make for a fun watch, but the interesting use of locations throughout the film is sure to spark interest in learning about the Tower Heist movie’s actual filming locations.
Where Was Tower Heist Movie Filmed?
“Tower Heist” was shot entirely in New York, specifically New York. Principal photography for Ben Stiller in the title role is believed to have begun in late October 2010 and ended in February 2011. By choosing to shoot the film in New York City, where the story takes place.
The production team added an element of authenticity and improved the overall quality of the narrative.
New York
All key sequences for “Tower Heist” were shot in New York, the most populous city in the United States. The Trump International Hotel & Tower at 1 Central Park West in Manhattan represented the exterior of a high-rise apartment managed by Josh Kovaks and occupied by Arthur Shaw. Aerial footage of Shaw’s shed above was also shot on location.
Trump Tower at 725 5th Avenue can also be seen in several scenes. Some parts of the building were built on a green screen to incorporate several of the film’s visual effects.
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During filming, the heist film’s cast and crew were also spotted at 1514 Broadway and West 44th Street, which housed a Toys R Us store during production. The bar scene between Josh and Special Agent Claire Denham was filmed on location at Neir’s Tavern at 87-48 78th Street in the Woodhaven neighborhood of Queens.
The sequences involving Josh’s apartment were filmed at 19 29th Street, between Broadway and 31st Avenue, in Queens. Additional scenes for ‘Tower Heist’ were filmed at the Goldwater Memorial Hospital at One Main Street on Roosevelt Island, the New York County Courthouse at 60 Center Street, and the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building at 26 Federal Plaza in the Civic Center district of Manhattan.
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Several vehicle sequences were also shot on some of the Brooklyn soundstages. A foot and car chase was reported on Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. In addition, the neighborhoods of Astoria, Broadway and West 60th Street (near Columbus Circle), and 31st Street in Queens served as pivotal filming locations for the film.
Interestingly, since the break-in scene in the film takes place during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the production team had to record several parts of the actual parade and then recreate the scene of the event several days later in order to shoot additional sequences for the Tower Heist film.
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