Karen And Richard Carpenter Home in Downey Controversy

[michelleloves2swim]

The original house still stands but there's a lot of trees in front of it. Instead of the recording studio there's a nasty over the top house with two huge statues of a lion and an eagle. Sucks that history got torn down for tasteless statue.

[bubblesandpickles]

Is the old Carpenter house still standing today? I think it is. Didn't the new owner's tear down the recording studio and build that huge house in it's place and leave the original Carpenter house where it was? I would hope they keep it for historical and musical history reasons.

[rcenzo]

Very sad, to see such a beutiful home that once was destroyed....

[cherry75ish]

I loved the old furniture in the carpenters home especially the bar room very nostalgic.I hate they demolished the home of the famous singers if someone could have appreciated the home and history.Very sad a person like me would have loved to purchase the home and left the old interior exactly as it were when the carpenters had lived in the home. I am very nostalgic i was a baby when the carpenters were in.

[rcenzo]

Buy the house and have it moved...

[JAFZX1207]

Grew up in Downey & left 26 years ago. Back then Downey was real nice and people thought you were "rich" if you lived there. It was a great American town. I think it has gone down hill in my opinion. I'm glad I live in Idaho now. My folks moved 10 years ago after a murder took place in the alley behind our house, the same alley I used to ride my bike & play. Also moved when they realized they could hardly find anyone who spoke English anymore at the local fast food places. RIP Karen.

[HattieLovesCattie]

Not many whites left in Downey,thats for sure.

[sandinyourshoes]

@HattieLovesCattie, whites in general flip when brown and black skin show up.

[HattieLovesCattie]

@sandinyourshoes It depends.My area has some blacks but then they have the % to buy our big houses around here.:)

[sandinyourshoes]

@HattieLovesCattie, being able to buy is what counts.

[HattieLovesCattie]

@sandinyourshoes I see I typed % instead of $.That is what happens when you get home from a trip and are tired.:)

[sandinyourshoes]

@HattieLovesCattie, I thought the dollar sign was what you meant.

[tokyokurisu]

"coming,coming.....alot of people" what do you expect you pinche loca? it was the home of the carpenters!!!

judging by her accent, she's probably from somewhere where they never heard of the carpenters. she doesnt deserve to live there! either make it a graceland or let a real fan live there! If your not willing to deal with fans then move out because thats wat you get with owning a celebrity home! stop butchering something that means a lot to many people!

[lizardsy]

Too many illegal immigrants in California now... I'm moving to Arizona. California is going downhill fast.

[sandinyourshoes]

@lizardsy, Arizona would be no better.

[u221531]

Sadly life is for the living and time moves on. Things can be replaced, people cant. It wasnt their house that made them who they are.

[falldownhard]

Carpenters are my #1 favorite pop act and it is sad, but for all the symbolism it's just a house, of which there are too many in this country right now. Downey is just one of a million places that peaked and went downhill as we just kept building, building building with seemingly no other way to run our economy. I grew up in Ohio where this process started first. It matters not - the Carpenters music is timeless and will hopefully outlive us all.

[polarisathena]

Let the owners do what they please.Its there house now. Time to move on and let go of the past.

[barriobajaj]

A lot of old ranch style homes in Downey are being torn down to build McMansions.

It's very sad indeed. One may argue that it's the owners property and they can do with it as they like. True, but must they build such tacky eyesores?

[arsj2008]

Can't believe some people on here are making this about race or nationality. Downey was and is a great city to live in, irrespective of who has moved in...it's streets are clean and quiet, and it's home values (except for during this recession) have only ever increased...and the city hasn't been "white" since the early 1990s. If that home is in peril, it's because the Carpenters sold it to the Parras. Period. Richard doesn't even live in Downey anymore!

[JP5466]

@arsj2008 The father owns a ice cream/ bakery business and does quite well. The family moved here from Cuba. They bought the house in early 1997 for almost $700K (these were originally two lots with two different addresses) not really knowing much about the Carpenters and Karen's legacy.

However, Downey is definitely not what it used to be. Many drug traffickers live in the area. Northeast Downey (where the Newville house is) is still nice, but most of Downey is getting run down and dirty.

[califgirl11]

@JP5466 Its a shame! I remember Downey in the 70's, so beautiful! But then most of California back in those days was so great. The beaches were just so clean and pretty. Now....just so many discusting people.

[lesterclaypool1]

@califgirl11

Disgusting people, huh? Nice one. Glad you're not my neighbour.

[lcd2201]

@JP5466 i always wondered why they lived in Downey when they could've lived in Beverly Hills or malibu. was Downey all that in the old says?

[JP5466]

@lcd2201 When Agnes and Harold moved from New Haven in 1963, Downey was an up and coming town with newer homes. It was Harold's decision to settle there. At the time he felt it was a good place to raise a family. If Richard was to break into show business, he wanted to be close to LA (but not directly in it).

Karen and Richard bought the Newville house as a gift for their parents in 1970 right after 'Close To You' hit #1 in the pop charts.

[lcd2201]

@JP5466 where is the newville house located

[JP5466]

@lcd2201 It is 9828 Newville Ave in the Northeast residential section of Downey. Very close to the I-605. It's in a cul-de-sac and it's hard to find, even with a map. Newville Ave breaks off into many different sections, which makes it even more confusing. I remember my first visit in the mid 90's... took me 30 minutes just to find the house. Agnes still lived there back then.

[Patsik]

This clip is added awhile ago.

Is the house still there?

It is on Google maps. They shouldn't touch it. They don't tare down Graceland do they?

[rouselonline]

They shoulld keep that house forever....

karen's memory is still there...

=)

[colormemichael]

i agree

[aubreytube]

As of October 09, the house is still there. It's such a shame that these people want the house down. They knew it was a celebrity house when they bought it. They are by no means obligated to give tours, but they do have to understand that people will drive by.

Perhaps the worst tragedy is that the house they built where the recording studio once was is hideous. It doesn't match other homes in the neighborhood, and has huge, gaudy statues in front. Very sad.

[supergingersnap]

So, is the house torn down or still standing? I, too, can't believe that Richard sold the house, including their memorabilia, if he, in fact, did. If he didn't want the house, he could have at least taken their THINGS.

[zibbyzubb]

I can't believe Richard sold the house like he did. Supposedly with a lot of Carpenters memorabilia still inside, not to mention the furniture etc. What was he thinking? Did it all mean nothing to him? It was the house they bought for their parents and is where they lived even after Karen died and he moved away. It should have been preserved. He may not think it, but the Downey house is like Graceland to Carpenters fans.

[cjh661]

amen to that!! i would have given anything to have bought that house. it only sold for about 800,00 dollars in 1997. but i am just a poor boy from bakersfield, and thus could never have afforded it.

[dtluis]

a ti mexicana espalda mojada , no tienes derecho de pisar suelo americano y menos echar a perder un templo de la musica y te lo digo en tu idiona para que entiendas , todo lo que tocan los mexicanos lo vuelven un mierdero

[Harshcore811]

This is sad.  Its real sad how a lot of bad Mexicans are ruining a once great city like Downey.

[cryptozoo22]

Damn mexkins. Ruin everything. They ought go back to where they came from...no, wait - they're ancestors have been on the North American continent for at least 40,000 years...

nevermind.

[flippyflyer]

@cryptozoo22 actually the incas and all the other inbred tribes came from asia before that..they actually displaced the cockroaches in LA..i speak for the rights of all the cockroaches, we want our city back..you insensitive mestizo mother f**kers

[cjh661]

no wonder richard left..lol j/k

[HattieLovesCattie]

@cjh661 Richard left Downey many years ago and settled in the La Mirada/Cypress area where Karen was first buried.He and his family I read are now in Thousand Oaks and he had Karen and his parents moved to a masoleum /cemetery near his home.

[capworld]

Is this the same movie that Richard sued over? If so that's interesting.

Also interesting is the end of news clip leading into a story about Lady Diana another Woman who like Karen. Had the love of Millions around the world.

Fans of both perhaps didn't know or even met Karen or Diana but, their Charisma oozes out on screen. Karen sounds like she is singing just to you even after 30+ years. Diana always looks lonely and vulnerable.

The Carpenter story is one of love. It will out live the house

[sonotantobello]

yes , the house is there, but it's just because the owners are waiting a little while just to demolish the home without fans and reporters around.

[germparrot]

How is it that a hispanic woman immigrant that doesn't appear very smart and can't even speak proper English, happened to have the money to but this house, when thousands of Carpenters fans couldn't raise the cash????

[carps1000]

@germparrot Yeah very good point this

[1LatinaFina]

@germparrot: You are calling this woman dumb because she has an accent? Apparently this women is not Mexican. She is CUBAN for those ignorants out there. And I see there's lots of racist people out there who are just jealous because she and other hispanics can afford 700k+ homes while they can't.  Sad to see "wetback" "illegas" blah blah living the American Dream! Thumbs up to all those latinos that can afford 700k+ homes!!

[sandinyourshoes]

@1LatinaFina, people from south of the border often get better treatment if they are white. Sure, many people in the U.S. do not like the accents, but being brown or black just continues to be nails on the chalkboard. Once a person says "Hispanic," then the critics begin to head for cover.

[lpride1]

@1LatinaFina I cringed when I read the comment about this woman that "doesn't appear to be very smart" Should we be surprised on YT? Rascism abounds. The ugly side of people ... Yes she can afford the house. I'm sure no one gave it to her. PEOPLE try to let go of your stereotypes it will only hurt YOU. I'm white so what.

[1LatinaFina]

@lpride1 I agree, it is said and unfortunate to see on a daily basis racist or crude comments in almost every video here on YT. I just saw a few racist comments on a "In loving memory of ..." video. Seriously? People have no respect! They think they are being cool by saying those things but it only makes them look like complete idiots! Oh, and thanks for taking a stand against racism!

[lpride1]

@1LatinaFina Thanks, I know what you are saying. I was just looking at a video about flea markets and half the comments were anti-American & anti-gay...WHY? Most of the time I can just ignore it but sometimes I need to say something.But I guess they just want a reaction It makes me sad when I look at their profile and they appear to be very young. Am I perfect and without prejudice? No, but I try to be aware of it.

[Clemburke1111]

life goes on

[mikey09k]

who cares, i live down the street and nobody gives a shit about the house!

[kathyannemay1991]

did they actually tear it down in the end?

would be such a shame if they did :(

ne1 no if they did?

[lukejake777]

No I live in NJ and I went by the house first week in Feb. of 09 and the main house was fine and appears to look the same.

[fireplace911]

it's their house....they bought it...they can do with it whatever anyone else in the street can do with their own house.....if wrecking it for a new home lowers the actual value, then it is their problem....but if they bought it without restrictions then it is not fair for us to complain...

[karencarpenterfan]

Those people are wrecking the Carpenters' legacy. If a Carpenters fan had the money, he or she would've gladly taken the house and probably would've been fine letting people take pictures and look at it because they realize that it's definitely of value.

[JP5466]

Funny how the owners complain about all this, but were perfectly fine having a garage sale to sell the contents of the music room, pool room, bar and wine cellar before it was demolished. A bit hypocritical if you ask me.

[boilerbabe82]

Why did they buy it, then? Surely you would know that people stop by and take pictures, etc. Stupid.

[aubreytube]

NO! don't tear it down!

[Blackstone1955]

Are they living in it? I looks like it's full of furniture. I wonder what Richard did with all of his family's belongings? I know they used Karen's actual clothing in that movie "The Karen Carpenter Story". It looks like it was filmed inside the real house. Was it?

[asong4u08]

yes, it was filmed inside the real house. Richard gave a lot of the furniture to relatives, and left the rest behind (including their pool table and lot's of other things). These people are living in the main part of the house, or they were anyhow. Not sure if that's been demolished now too. The house wasn't really ALL THAT... it was nice, but not worthy of Karen's superstardom. Furniture was tacky... very old school rich.

[Blackstone1955]

Thanks! It sounds like they should have had an auction or a yard sale. I guess it's great to have the movie so fans can see the real thing but from the pics I've seen, it's a residential neighborhood, and the "fans" should have some respect for the people who live there now and keep out. I always thought they (Richard and Karen) lived behind iron gates and had security guards, what a surprise! It must have driven them all nuts with the doorbell constantly ringing.

[pce2allkaren58]

It was kinda neat just to see the house as they used to have it. But hey, nowadays that tacky furniture is in! lol remember lime green or orange shaggy carpets? lol

What was the address of their old house?  Gosh, used to live in Pasadena and Huntington Beach but nver knew where their house was.:(

[BestKacFan]

9828 Newville Ave, Downey, CA - But the house is really not there 0 Remember the legacy that remains. Happy Holidays!

[jlennon10]

Yes it was filmed in that house. The scenes in the home were all filmed there, and they actually got the same ambulance crew that arrived on scene when she died to reappear in the movie. You can see the garage as well in the beginning of the movie when Richard pulls up as the ambulance is pulling away

[NRunitdvr35]

This would make a great episode for Ty Pennington

[dabebe39]

didnt they realise that this would happen when they got the house. i mean no one would buy Elvis's house and say "why are all of these people coming to my house? They should just sell it to someone who appriciates the house for what it is.

[pce2allkaren58]

EXACTLY! At the same time people should have respected there privacy but duh, what did they expect? I agree with you. Even if the Carpenters had lived in a one room building, I would still find it fun to see. What a sad thing to have it torn down.:( I am sure people are still driving by and saying, that was where the Carpenter's house used to be:) And you can't tear down Downey:) Not easlily.lol

[carps1000]

@dabebe39 Very good point agree

[surfsandsun35]

is this news report recent?

[asong4u08]

Yes. It was on yesterdays newscast (Feb, 18, 2008)- It's been a news story all over the country, even appearing in the New York Times yesterday.