Vice headquarters is supposedly upstairs in the Gold Coast Shipping building

[mirrorimageegamirorrim]

I'm watching "Rites of Passage" and right before Valerie goes into the strategy room and watches the video with her sister she's talking to Crockett while sitting at Tubbs's desk.  For the first time I noticed Valerie saying that Tubbs was doing something downstairs.  This comes as a shock to me since I always assumed they were on the ground floor.  You're probably wondering why I would post such a mundane thing but all these years I assumed that Vice HQ was on the ground floor.  I'm unaware though of any instance where we are allowed to see out of the windows to ascertain on which floor the office is located.  So it definitely could be upstairs.  For some reason I always just assumed incorrectly it wasn't.  Knowing it's upstairs feels kind of weird.      

 

 

ps- It just occurred to me that there might be an instance where you can see somebody getting on or off of an elevator on the same floor where Vice HQ is located.  Can anybody remember?

Edited August 22, 2014 by mirrorimageegamirorrim

[M.A.Castillo]

Wasn't it at the Vice HQ when in the season 5 episode "Redemption in Blood" Stan is escorting Crockett (still a bit in his Burnett character),

to the elevetors - Crockett hits him in the head, stunning him for a sec, and steals his gun and presses the elevator buttons? If so, then they were going downstairs.

 

Did this happen at the Vice HQ or just a normal police station/jail? 

[Matt5]

Wasn't it at the Vice HQ when in the season 5 episode "Redemption in Blood" Stan is escorting Crockett (still a bit in his Burnett character),

to the elevetors - Crockett hits him in the head, stunning him for a sec, and steals his gun and presses the elevator buttons? If so, then they were going downstairs.

 

Did this happen at the Vice HQ or just a normal police station/jail? 

 

Yes this happened at the Ocb when Burnett/ Crockett walked in 

[James]

 

Two floors, upstairs would be where all the offices are for the detectives and such.

[Matt5]

 

Two floors, upstairs would be where all the offices are for the detectives and such.

 

 

Of course the set which housed the OCb unit at Greenwich Studios in North Miami at Ne16th Ave/ Ne121st Street was on the ground floor.          

[mirrorimageegamirorrim]

Of course the set which housed the OCb unit at Greenwich Studios in North Miami at Ne16th Ave/ Ne121st Street was on the ground floor.          

 

Right on!  

[mirrorimageegamirorrim]

Wasn't it at the Vice HQ when in the season 5 episode "Redemption in Blood" Stan is escorting Crockett (still a bit in his Burnett character),

to the elevetors - Crockett hits him in the head, stunning him for a sec, and steals his gun and presses the elevator buttons? If so, then they were going downstairs.

 

Did this happen at the Vice HQ or just a normal police station/jail? 

 

I thought about this scene specifically but I remembered the inside of that building looking quite different from the hallways outside of Vice HQ.  I figured it was a different building.  I'll go back and watch this scene again and edit this post if needed.

 

By the way, I purposefully avoid the use of "OCB" to designate Vice HQ because it's just another example of nonsense Dick Wolf brought to the show starting in season three.  Though I don't care for Dick Wolf's vision, I readily acknowledge that my avoidance of "OCB" is a little "OCD".  

Edited August 23, 2014 by mirrorimageegamirorrim

[Tom]

Maybe "downstairs" has to do with the fact there is a basement or garage. In one episode in season 1 there is a scene where Crockett and Tubbs talk while walking through the garage of the OCB building to the car. This garage clearly looks like one level below ground floor.

[mirrorimageegamirorrim]

I just watched the scene from Redemption in Blood again and, as he is walking down the hall, Crockett passes a door on which a number starting with "2" is clearly visible.  Vice HQ is on the second floor.  In the part where he sucker-punches Stan at the elevator the hallway is a different style than the hallway outside of Vice HQ but I think it is supposed to be all set in the same building.  I can't believe I never noticed all this.

 

Tom, I remembered that scene, too.  I believe it's in one of the Golden Triangles.  When I first asked this question I didn't even realize that the GCS building was two stories.  In my mind it had always been one story.  I guess I never paid attention to the second level of windows outside.  This has also got me wondering how common below-ground structures are in Miami and if being at sea-level is an impediment to building them.  

Edited August 23, 2014 by mirrorimageegamirorrim

[miamijimf]

Yes not only is the area close to sea level but the water table (Florida aquifer) and limestone type rock are not far below the surface.  Below ground structures are rare but not impossible.  I remember numerous fall-out shelters below ground in people's back yards.  That's why the Metrorail is above ground not a subway system like you see in other cities.

Edited August 23, 2014 by miamijimf

[mirrorimageegamirorrim]

Yes not only is the area close to sea level but the water table (Florida aquifer) and limestone type rock are not far below the surface.  Below ground structures are rare but not impossible.  I remember numerous fall-out shelters below ground in people's back yards.  That's why the Metrorail is above ground not a subway system like you see in other cities.

Cool info.  Thanks!

[Matt5]

Cool info.  Thanks!

 

 

I agree - great info Jim 

[C Glide]

It all goes back to Brother's Keeper. In the Pilot (and only in the Pilot) They filmed the OCB offices in a real building on the Miami River as I cover on my location site. If you notice the offices were all three digit numbers starting with a 2. Thus we are lead to believe the offices are on the second floor. So when the series filming started at the studio set in Stage A of Greenwich Studios they continued the 2** room numbers to keep us thinking we were in the same, real location. If you go there do not be fooled. The ground floor is the second floor and the second floor is labeled the third floor. That is because the rear of the building is lower and the first floor is at ground level in the back while being underground in the front. The filming of the OCB all was done on the ground floor (as you enter from the front) and the rooms are still labeled 2**. The third floor was used to film the jail scene where C+T arrive too late. 

[Viceguy]

The third floor was used to film the jail scene where C+T arrive too late. 

 

What episode was that?

[Crockettt]

What episode was that?

 

Brother's Keeper

[Matt5]

It all goes back to Brother's Keeper. In the Pilot (and only in the Pilot) They filmed the OCB offices in a real building on the Miami River as I cover on my location site. If you notice the offices were all three digit numbers starting with a 2. Thus we are lead to believe the offices are on the second floor. So when the series filming started at the studio set in Stage A of Greenwich Studios they continued the 2** room numbers to keep us thinking we were in the same, real location. If you go there do not be fooled. The ground floor is the second floor and the second floor is labeled the third floor. That is because the rear of the building is lower and the first floor is at ground level in the back while being underground in the front. The filming of the OCB all was done on the ground floor (as you enter from the front) and the rooms are still labeled 2**. The third floor was used to film the jail scene where C+T arrive too late. 

 

Great info Jeremy .

The original building is still standing and parts unchanged since the Spring of 1984.

 

[Crockettt]

Do you have any photos of this building from your recent trip, Matt ?

[Matt5]

Do you have any photos of this building from your recent trip, Matt ?

 

Yes I do Crockett - Ill put some up .  

[Matt5]

Crockett -  Exterior 3033 NW North River Drive - 2014   

[Matt5]

Interior and stairs from the Pilot ( 2nd floor) in 2014     

Edited August 25, 2014 by Matt5

[Crockettt]

Thank You Matt!

[jurassic narc]

So, for clarification:

The offices used in the pilot were at the location on River Street. The exterior of the OCB was only used for exteriors.

And was the OCB building always marked as "Gold Coast Trading"? I seem to remember that name was part of the original title of the pilot.

I know the logo on the building was always there, not sure about the name.

[Matt5]

So, for clarification:The offices used in the pilot were at the location on River Street. The exterior of the OCB was only used for exteriors.And was the OCB building always marked as "Gold Coast Trading"? I seem to remember that name was part of the original title of the pilot.I know the logo on the building was always there, not sure about the name.

 

Yes the interior  offices used in the Pilot were the real offices at 3033 NW North River Drive ( no exteriors were seen ) 

From "Heart of Darkness" the offices on SW2nd Avenue were "Gold Coast Shipping" this was used for exteriors only - and as far as I know Vice never shot inside this building - Jim may clarify this.  The interiors were based on a set at Greenwich Studios on Ivan Tor Bvld in North Miami where they shot till the end of the show to the Spring of 1989.

[jurassic narc]

Yes the interior  offices used in the Pilot were the real offices at 3033 NW North River Drive ( no exteriors were seen ) From "Heart of Darkness" the offices on SW2nd Avenue were "Gold Coast Shipping" this was used for exteriors only - and as far as I know Vice never shot inside this building - Jim may clarify this.  The interiors were based on a set at Greenwich Studios on Ivan Tor Bvld in North Miami where they shot till the end of the show to the Spring of 1989.

So Gold Coast was on the building before the show was created? Or does anyone know for sure?

[jurassic narc]

Found this online:

Overview of Gold Coast Shipping Corp.;7412 NW 8th St Miami, FL 33126.

Gold Coast Shipping Corp. filed as a Domestic for Profit Corporation in the State of Florida and is no longer active. This corporate entity was filed approximately thirty-five years ago on Friday, April 27, 1979 as recorded in documents filed with Florida Department of State.

Key People

Carlos Bardoni served as the President Carlos's past corporate affiliations include Florida Coast Shipping Corp., Tino Trading Corp. and two others.

Maria Bardoni was the Secretary of Gold Coast Shipping Corp.. Maria's past corporate affiliations include Tino Trading Corp., The Makeup Place, Inc.

The Vice President of Gold Coast Shipping Corp. was Alberto Bardoni.

The registered agent for the company is Carlos Bardoni. Also known as a statutory or resident agent, the registered agent is responsible for receiving legal notifications regarding court summons, lawsuits, and other legal actions involving the corporate entity.