A Look Back at Billions ’ Most Over-the-Top Real Estate

With a title like Billions, it should be no surprise that the filming locations for this Showtime hit are some of New York’s toniest. The drama is approaching the end of its sixth season, and while this was the first season without billionaire hedge funder Bobby Axelrod (Damien Lewis) as the protagonist, the sets are as opulent as ever. With Attorney General Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) still in the mix and Michael Prince (Corey Stoll) in a more prominent role, the show was even renewed for a seventh season, according to Variety.

In honor of this, AD is taking a look back at all of the places the action has led the characters over the years, from buzzing midtown Manhattan to the elite enclave of the Hamptons. Unlike other shows that purport to take place in and around the Big Apple, this Wall Street drama actually shoots in many real life locations. From famed turn of the century estates on Long Island’s Gold Coast to sun-drenched penthouses in the moneyed redoubt of Tribeca, Billions accurately portrays the peregrinations of the one percent, perhaps better than any other series. Read on to take a look at some of its most stunning filming locations.

145 Hudson Street, New York City, New York

Bobby Axelrod’s penthouse.

Bobby Axelrod’s penthouse.

Photo: Jeff Neumann / SHOWTIME

As is befitting to a character such as Bobby, the Billions protagonist has a truly palatial city home. And while its size may have led many to assume it was actually a set (New York is not known for its space, after all), this penthouse is indeed a real apartment. Located at the elite 145 Hudson Street (also known as The Sky Lofts) in Tribeca, it boasts a floorplan of a whopping 7,500 square feet, plus 18-foot ceilings and a 4,500 square-foot wraparound terrace. While the unit hasn’t been on the market in five years, its last listing price was a cool 45 million—definitely Axe-appropriate.

A townhouse in Brooklyn, New York’s Park Slope neighborhood

Chuck Rhoade’s Brooklyn brownstone.

Chuck Rhoade’s Brooklyn brownstone.

Photo: Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME

The foil to Bobby’s bad-boy financier role is, of course, Chuck Rhoades, the Attorney General of New York. Unlike Bobby’s palace in the sky, Rhoades’ abode is a charming, but reasonably sized brownstone in Brooklyn. While the show puts the home’s address in stately Brooklyn Heights, the actual building where the pilot episode was filmed (a replica set was created for later episodes) is located on 8th Avenue in family-friendly Park Slope. Built in 1899, the four-story townhouse was designed by AD100 architect Elizabeth Roberts and interior designer Allison Tick and is owned by fine jewelry designer Page Sargisson.

855 Sixth Avenue/EOS Nomad, New York, New York

The Axe Capital office.

The Axe Capital office.

Photo: Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME

In the third season of the series, Bobby’s company Axe Capital moves its offices from suburban Connecticut into the heart of midtown Manhattan. While interior office scenes are filmed elsewhere, the exterior and aerial shots of the building are at 855 Sixth Avenue, a gleaming glass tower that was erected in the 2010s. At just under 500 feet tall, it has the dubious distinction of being New York’s sh
ortest skyscraper. And diehard Billions fans take note: while 855 Sixth Avenue is zoned for office use, the structure also encompasses apartment building EOS Nomad; meaning you can rent an apartment (kind of) at Axe Capital.

A mansion on Billionaire’s Row in Southampton, New York

Bobby “Axe” Axelrod and Lara Axelrod’s Hamptons home.

Bobby “Axe” Axelrod and Lara Axelrod’s Hamptons home.

Photo: Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME

Perhaps the only real estate holding more jaw-dropping than Bobby’s Tribeca penthouse is his Hamptons manse. In reality, it’s located on the überexclusive stretch of Southampton known as Billionaire’s Row. Luminaries such as Calvin Klein and Ian Schrager have called the area home over the years, as well as Michael Loeb, who owns the beachfront estate that stood in for Bobby’s. According to an article in The East Hampton Star, the 12-bedroom home is over 17,000 square feet, sits on an impressive 7.5 acres, and has amenities like a zipline, billiard room, and home theater.

1010 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York

Chuck Rhoades, Sr.’s home.

Chuck Rhoades, Sr.’s home.

Photo: Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME

In Billions, Chuck Rhoades Sr. is, of course, Attorney General Rhoades’ father, as well as a successful businessman in his own right. Characterized as coming from a blue blood family, it’s unsurprising that his Manhattan home is located on a prime corner of Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side. The actual building that stands in for Rhoades Sr.’s is 1010 Fifth Avenue, a famed pre-war co-op located across the street from The Met. Currently, a five bedroom unit is for sale there for 11.7 million.

Panfield Estate in Lloyd Harbor, New York

Panfield estate.

Panfield estate.

Courtesy of Margaret Trautmann, COMPASS

Jack “Black Jack” Foley is known on Billions as “The Kingmaker.” He wields considerable power to anoint those looking to advance their careers, so it’s no surprise that his own home is a massive waterfront estate. The show used a property called Panfield as a stand-in for Foley’s, an elegant 1915 mansion that has been updated with all the creature comforts a multimillionaire could desire. Notable features of the home include 400 feet of waterfront, a deep-water dock that can accommodate large boats, an indoor and outdoor pool, and a tennis court.

Salutation, Glen Cove, New York

Bobby’s country house.

Bobby’s country house.

Photo: Jojo Whilden/SHOWTIME

Perhaps the filming location with the most history is Salutation, a private island off the coast of Long Island. Built by J.P. Morgan’s grandson Junius Spencer Morgan III in 1919, the ivy-covered, English-style mansion is an enormous 27,000 square feet and comes equipped with a 250-foot dock that’s large enough to accommodate seaplanes. Striking interior features include an 80-foot-long marble-tiled hallway, a mahogany-paneled library, and grounds designed by famed garden
er Frederick Law Olmsted. It is also rumored that Jackie Kennedy spent time on the island in a guest house during the summer after JFK’s assassination. On Billions, Salutation’s facade stands in for Bobby’s country estate; the house was also featured on an episode of Succession as the home of the Pierce Family. At its last listing in 2017, the island was valued at an impressive $125 million.

Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, New York

Mohonk Mountain House.

Mohonk Mountain House.

Courtesy of Mohonk Mountain House

Eagle-eyed fans of historic hotels were able to spot this Hudson Valley resort during the episode when Bobby attends the Mike Conference. In real life, Mohonk Mountain House has played host to many of the country’s political and social elite, including five US presidents and industrialists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. The Victorian-style castle sits on 40,000 acres of lush forest, and provides guests with amenities like an ice skating pavilion, 85 miles of hiking trails, and a half-mile-long glacial lake.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest