The Carpenters Apartments

So in weird Hollywood news, did you know that the Carpenters had their own apartment building? Actually, they had two apartment buildings, each bearing the names of their biggest hits...and they are still around.  One building is covered with 'We've only just begun,' while the other is splashed with 'Close to you,' the two songs that put them on the map.

As the story goes:
After having a string of hits in the early 70s, Karen and Richard Carpenter were told to make some real estate investments, so in 1971 they purchased two adjacent buildings in their hometown of Downey and splashed the names of their biggest hits across the sides.  Who doesn't want to live in a Carpenters song...right?

The Carpenters were once  a squeaky clean brother and sister duo responsible for some of the corniest ballad jams of the 70s, but at the height of their fame in 1983, tragedy struck when lead singer Karen Carpenter succumbed to heart failure brought on by a years-long battle with anorexia, a disease that wasn't widely reported on at the time. What followed her shocking death were sordid tales of drugs, abuse and shame, and the Carpenters story morphed into cautionary tale about the trappings of fame.

So, as you can see, there wasn't a happy ending in the Carpenter world and it's kinda weird to see these apartment complexes still bearing their name. Karen's story, Rainy Days And Mondays always get me down.

To check them out in person: 8356 5th St., Downey, CA.  Be sure to drive by singing one of their songs....sing of good things not bad.  I bet birds will suddenly appear.

After all these years, the buildings are still functioning and still have the Carpenters song titles splashed across their fronts.

It would be fun to live there, I'd feel "Top Of The World" and that is why we ❤️you!!!