A. Bayside Elementary School.

Q. Where is it supposed to be on the show?

A. In Miami.

Q. When did we see it on the show?

A. In Episode 7 (of Season 2), "That Night, A Forest Grew ".

Dexter & Rita attend a school presentation by Rita's young son, Cody.

After a classroom scene (in which Cody delivers his speech about Saudi Arabia), we see the family coming out of the school.

As they do, Dexter receives an emergency phone call from Lila (who doesn't want Dexter & Rita to reconcile), and he has to run - which upsets Rita.

Q. What is it actually in real life?

A. A former post office building.

Q. Where can I find it in real life?

A. The building seen as Cody's school is actually the north side entrance to the old central Los Angeles Post Office,known as Terminal Annex, at 900 N. Alameda Street, in downtown Los Angeles.

It's at the northeast corner of Alameda and Caesar Chavez Ave. (The doorway faces towards Bauchet Street, east of Alameda.)

The show's producers added the school name above the door, and the two flag poles.

Here is a Google StreetView of the doorway.

It's just north of the historic Union Station (which is was designed to compliment), and just northeast of the popular Olvera Street.

Built in 1939, it originally handled all incoming & outgoing mail for Los Angeles. It operated 24-hours a day, until increasing mail volume eventually made it obsolete.  It closed in the late 1990's.


The photo above is a public domain shot.

Here is an aerial photo of the building, with the doorway marked. And here is a map link.


  Warning: Like any big city, parts of downtown L.A. can be a bit unpredictable at times.  Exercise reasonable caution.


( The "Dexter" producers have used a number of different school locations over the years. Don't confuse this one with the location where Rita tries to pick up her kids after school , or the other location where Dexter picks them up in the third season, or the school playground where young Dexter almost kills a school bully. )