Home where Marilyn Monroe lived, died, has been saved from demolition — for now
L.A. City Council passes motion to consider Marilyn Monroe’s home a historic site, granting temporary stay from demolition
An aerial view of a Brentwood home once belonging to iconic actress Marilyn Monroe is seen on Sept. 6, 2023. (KTLA)
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(KTLA) – A home in Los Angeles once occupied by Marilyn Monroe has temporarily been saved from demolition after the city council passed a motion Friday to designate it a historic site.
The motion, introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park, recommends that the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission or the director of planning review the 2,900-square-foot Spanish colonial-style home, located in Brentwood, to determine if can be listed among the city’s historic cultural monuments.
Monroe purchased the estate in 1962 for $77,500, according to Architectural Digest. Her body was discovered in the home in August of that year following a fatal overdose.
“It is imperative that the City’s historic-cultural treasures be celebrated, and foremost, that its historical sites be preserved for future generations,” reads the motion introduced by Councilwoman Park. “As such, the historic-cultural merits of this property need to be assessed.”
On Friday, the city’s Board of Building and Safety Commissioners sent the home’s current owners a notice of intent to revoke the permit request to demolish the estate.
“Under the Cultural Heritage Ordinance, this action immediately triggers a temporary stay on all building permits while the matter is under consideration by the Cultural Heritage Commission and City Council,“ the letter from the board reads. “Also, the property, regardless of whether a permit exists or does not exist, shall not be demolished, substantially altered or removed.”
The letter further explains that the permit to demolish was “issued in error.”
“This home is more than just a brick and mortar building, it is a symbol of her journey and our identity as Angelenos,” Park said during a news conference Friday. “This home must be preserved as a crucial piece of Hollywood’s and the city of Los Angeles’ history, culture and legacy.”
The estate, built in 1929, boasts four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The current owners purchased the home for $8.35 million, the L.A. Times reported.
Following news of the proposed demolition last week, Monroe’s admirers on social media had also launched a push to preserve the home. A petition to stop the demolition, at Change.com, has garnered more than 5,800 signatures as of Saturday.
