Only Murders in the Building is an enjoyable murder mystery series that stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. True to its title, the unlikely trio uncover the murderer from their apartment complex in their podcast. After a couple of seasons, the show continues to focus on the Arconia apartment complex, where they all reside. But the big question is: is the Arconia a real building from the show? Here's what you should know.
Is the Arconia a Real Building From Only Murders in the Building Show?
Yes, the apartment complex in Only Murders in the Building seasons 1 and 2 is a real building that can be found in New York City. But it isn't called the Arconia. Instead, the apartment complex is known as The Belnord, which was built on farmland in 1908.
In real life, the Upper West Side apartment complex is recognized as one of the grandest apartment-style homes. Apart from its popularity in the show, The Belnord has actually been recognized as a landmark building in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
In one episode of Only Murders in the Building Season 2, the show mentions that "architect and infamous playboy Archibald Carter" designed the Arconia. But in truth, the apartment was designed by H. Hobart Weekes of Hiss and Weeks architectural firm in 1908.
Did They Really Shoot Only Murders in the Building Scenes Inside The Belnord?
While The Belnord is a real building in the Upper West Side, it also has real tenants living in the property. The tenants would likely want to keep their residence a secret, which is why the production of Only Murders in the Building chose to film only the exterior shots of The Belnord.
Instead, the cast and crew shot the interior scenes on a soundstage.
It's also important to note that the first season came out in April 2021, which means the cast likely filmed during the height of the pandemic. Prior to the actual filming, the show's location manager found it "very challenging" to look for the right spot due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Showrunner John Hoffman told The Wrap:
“Right when we were looking to say, ‘Can we come and film in and around your building?,’ people weren’t coming out of their apartments. We knew we wanted a courtyard. I had sort of built the idea in my head a little bit off of the Apthorp, which is one of the more elegant ones on the Upper West Side and knew that that was probably going to be out of reach for us to work with and it proved to be that was the case. So we were looking for a model on that…and The Belnord surprised us all and kind of raised their hand as potential for us.”
Still, getting an approval to film at The Belnord didn't come until two weeks before production started.
“The whole time I kept on thinking like, ‘If this doesn’t happen, I don’t know what the show looks like at all.' So, it was terrifying in many ways but, as much of the time that we were living through was, I just kind of was rolling with the punches as much as possible and crossing my fingers. And as with so much of this show in that first season, most particularly, it felt a little touched with the fates and a little bit miraculous, truthfully.”
Will Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Still Take Place at The Belnord?
Now that Only Murders in the Building is filming its third season, we're curious to know if the show will continue to take place at the apartment complex. But since the show will center around Oliver's story, it's likely that viewers will be introduced to his world; which is the theater stage.
Hoffman, however, promised that the Arconia will continue to be a "very central" figure in the upcoming season.
"The beating heart of the show will always be located within this trio and within that building."
Does Sting Really Live at The Belnord?
In the first season of Only Murders in the Building, we come across one character who goes by his real name-- Sting. The English musician had a small role in the show as he was painted as a dog-hating tenant in the apartment complex. At one point, the investigation turns on him as Oliver Putnam (played by Martin Short) believed he could have been the killer after an encounter in the elevator. To try and prove this theory, the three go up to the U2 singer's apartment with a cooked turkey on hand. Unfortunately, they realize that Sting is not the killer and that he simply had a misunderstanding with Oliver.
This begs the question, however: does Sting really live at the Arconia, or The Belnord? No, it's unlikely that Sting will want to reveal his residence for a TV show. But there are articles that reveal Sting previously rented a duplex on the High Line building. The property was reported for sale since last year.
So who are the famous residents of The Belnord? The list includes actors Zero Mostel and Walter Matthau, writer Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Lee Strasberg. The latter was famously known as Marilyn Monroe's acting coach, who frequently came to visit him in his apartment.
Today, The Belnord has apartment units available for sale, with a price range that ranges from $3 million to $11 million. There is also a 12-bedroom apartment listed for rent at $30,000 per month.
The Belnord's sales director, Maya Kadouri, talked to The Wrap in the same interview and shared how the show has "increased awareness and appreciation for the building" particularly with the younger demographic:
“I would consider The Belnord itself a main character in the show and it kind of is the focal center. It has a presence of its own and we’re seeing that through social media and the reactions we get and the recognition we see people have for the building.”
Hoffman shared that he is happy with the fans' love for the historic landmark:
“I love the pictures I see online of people standing outside The Belnord gates. I hope The Belnord doesn’t mind too much, and I hope they are doing well by it all. And I love that there is some institutional sort of recognition of the grandeur of [New York City] that it deserves.”
You can catch glimpses of The Belnord in this featurette about the Arconia:
Only Murders in the Building Season 3 is currently in production. In the meantime, you can watch the two previous seasons on Hulu.
RELATED: When Is Only Murders in the Building Season 3 Coming Out?
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