Building the Kranks' Neighborhood

The frosty, quintessentially Midwestern street where Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dan Aykroyd star in "Christmas With the Kranks" isn’t in Illinois at all. Instead, it was constructed thousands of miles away, far from any traditional Hollywood studio lot.

After an exhaustive search through Chicago’s surrounding areas yielded no results and existing studio spaces were deemed inadequate, production designer Garreth Stover persuaded producer Charles Newirth and director Joe Roth to construct the entire neighborhood from the ground up. The team built 17 homes, with five serving as the primary residences for the main characters, all on a parking lot in Downey, California.

We spoke with the filmmakers to uncover the secrets behind this impressive feat. Keep reading to learn more.

Searching for a Spot

The film, adapted from John Grisham’s novel "Skipping Christmas," follows the Kranks (Allen and Curtis) as they plan a Caribbean holiday escape, choosing to skip the neighborhood’s festive decorating frenzy.

"This was undoubtedly the largest set I’ve ever constructed," says Stover ("While You Were Sleeping," "13 Going on 30"). His thorough research helped him envision an ideal setting—a vintage neighborhood with a classic charm—but he was disappointed when he couldn’t find it in real life. "I also had to consider unpredictable weather, like snow when we didn’t need it or no snow when we did," Stover adds. "Another challenge was the tight schedule: three to four weeks for preparation and five weeks for filming, which coincided with Easter and Passover, making it impractical to ask residents to vacate their homes."

Existing studio backlots were also unsuitable. "They appeared smaller than life, lacked front yards, and had flat, uninspiring streets. They felt fake to me," Stover explains. "I wanted the street to feel authentic, as if it had existed for decades."

Choosing to construct the set from the ground up introduced another challenge: locating an appropriate asphalt parking lot measuring at least 400 by 700 feet. "A dirt lot was out of the question because rain would have caused major issues. It made more sense to bring in the specific dirt we required," Stover clarifies. "We shortlisted two sites. I was particularly fond of Santa Anita racetrack due to its surrounding trees, but the noise and round-the-clock work schedule raised concerns. They feared we might disturb or harm the horses, leaving us liable."

The Downey site provided both logistical and financial benefits—Stover was permitted to demolish four nearby buildings, "and they ultimately offered the most favorable terms."

Plan of Attack

Once the location was finalized, Stover had just three weeks to design the street and houses. "When the set was illuminated and decorated at night, the entire street had to appear enchanting and stunning," he explained. This was in addition to considering blocking, sightlines, and the spatial relationships between each house. The street was designed with varying elevations for different properties and oriented East-West to ensure the Kranks' home on the south side remained in shadow throughout the day, allowing the cinematographer to manage lighting effectively.

In Stover's imagined history for Hemlock Street, the neighborhood was developed in the 1920s on what was once a pasture with a flowing river, justifying the inclusion of a bridge. "The street features cobblestones peeking through the asphalt, battered curbs that appear decades old, and vintage manhole covers. Sidewalks were omitted to reflect the era’s authenticity. We went to great lengths to make the street look as aged and genuine as possible."

Stover then faced the challenge of making the vegetation appear decades old. "The only solution was to incorporate a core group of mature trees," he noted. Fortunately, the Downey property owner had several 40'-60' trees slated for removal, which Stover transplanted onto the set. "We also had to remove all the leaves to create a wintry effect." Crew members manually stripped the trees and added purchased evergreens. "Sod was also laid to complete the look."

Neighborhood Beautification

Despite the hundreds of trees planted, some real-world elements remained visible. "To block the view of Downey between the buildings, we constructed two house facades on wheels," Stover explains. "Scenic artists painted the backs of these houses to resemble adjoining backyards, allowing us to reposition them on flatbeds as needed."

Stover also designed a facing street to complete the illusion. "I added a curve to Hemlock Street to highlight the main houses, requiring a matching curved street at the end—two intersecting compound arcs." One unremovable building was painted "municipal park green" and integrated into the set as a processing plant.

For the houses themselves, Stover gathered books and photos to inspire the exterior, interior, and holiday decor. Each home was tailored to reflect the personalities of its fictional residents.

"Since the Krank house would be featured prominently, it was crucial that it didn’t overshadow the others. I designed it to be understated, so when undecorated, it appears as a stark contrast on the street. Once adorned with lights and decorations, it truly shines," Stover notes, using white lights to make it stand out.

The disciplined, patriotic Frohmeyer (Aykroyd) resides in a brick house with a trimmed hedge, a front-yard flag, and red, white, and blue Christmas lights. The Trogdon home features a Colonial design and a sloped driveway integral to the plot, while the Scheel house boasts a porch where the nosy owner (M. Emmet Walsh) observes the neighborhood. "All homes shared a similar design, typical of tract housing, but each had unique elements to help the audience identify them."

Inside and on the Roof

While designing, Stover displayed house sketches in his office hallway, "so I could visualize each house’s placement and ensure everything worked visually." Hundreds of workers, including carpenters, steelworkers, painters, and prop makers, were brought in to construct the Downey set, overseen by production coordinator David Elliott.

After the street and structures were completed, focus turned to the interiors, tailored to each character. "The Trogdon house was packed with decorations, reflecting a family with kids. Mrs. Scheel’s love for cats inspired numerous feline-themed details, while Frohmeyer’s home featured an elk’s head above the fireplace and a Christmas tree adorned with tiny flags."

The Krank house interior, intentionally bare of holiday decor until later in the film, was constructed at Downey. However, the second-floor interior and a replica of the rooftop were built at Culver Studios due to safety concerns. "The rooftop set was still 16 feet high, but I adjusted its slope to make it safer for Tim Allen’s stunt," Stover explains.

For the rooftop stunt featuring Frosty the Snowman, Stover ordered 20 versions in various sizes and weights. The 8-foot-tall figure looked perfect on the roof but wouldn’t fit in the basement, so a smaller version was used instead. A Christmas decor company supplied additional festive items like wreaths, ornaments, and lights.

Stover also collaborated closely with costume designer Susie DeSanto to align the holiday color scheme. Mrs. Krank, whose home features green walls, consistently wears red, while Mrs. Scheel, with red walls, dons green outfits.

Cue the Weather

Replicating Chicago’s winter weather was Stover’s next hurdle. "Snow had to be visible from the start, with everything covered by the film’s end," he explains. "We used cotton snow blankets for distant areas, topped with biodegradable fake snow made from starch, soap, or cellulose. For falling snow, we used foam, cellulose, and starch, though the fine starch created a constant mist in the air."

Though the snow has melted, Hemlock Street remains intact and available for future films, TV shows, and commercials. Despite lacking a structural foundation, "it was built to code," Stover notes. "It has electricity, water, and drainage systems." The crew took pride in knowing their work would endure. For Stover, the satisfaction came from overcoming a massive logistical challenge. "The bigger the challenge, the more rewarding it is to solve it," he says. "Designing the street exactly as I envisioned was a rare privilege."