Marilyn Monroe’s beloved final home was granted a last-minute reprieve from demolition after a member of the Los Angeles City Council rallied to its defense last month.
Councilwoman Traci Park announced her intent to save the historic Brentwood home during a news conference last month while dressed like the late star. Her speech came ahead of a city council meeting that day in which she brought forward a motion to consider the historic conservation of the home.
“My team and I learned that the iconic and historic home where Marilyn Monroe lived and died has been acquired by a new owner and that an application for a demolition permit had been submitted and was pending here in the city,” Park said in the news conference.
The new owners of the home have been identified as the Glory of the Snow Trust by The Los Angeles Times.
An aerial view of the house where actress Marilyn Monroe died is seen on July 26, 2002 in Brentwood, California. Photo by Mel Bouzad/Getty Images
Park said the new owners did not submit a plan indicating what they intend to do with the property. So, the politician sprang into action and met with city planning employees for more information and background.
“Unfortunately, the Department of Building and Safety issued a demolition permit before my team and I could fully intervene and get this issue resolved,” Park said.
“Like the many, many hundreds of people from all over the world who have contacted my office over the last 48 hours, I am extremely concerned about this and I recognize the need for urgent action by the city.”
The home, built in 1929 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, stands as a “touching reminder of her final days” and a place where she found peace, Park said.
“Each detail of her home, from its wooden beam ceilings to the tiles she handpicked on her journeys from around the world, the home reflects her personal character,” Park said.
“She deeply valued this home. It was her own. And to her, and to us, this home is more than just a brick-and-mortar building, it is a symbol of her journey and our identity as Angelinos.”
The city council held a public comment portion in which some residents, like Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger of the Sherman Oaks neighborhood, said the city has the “duty” and “honor” to preserve its history.
“Developers are destroying our city for personal gain,” Segarra-Bohlinger said. “It is a disgrace and should not be allowed.”
The city council ultimately conducted a vote and the motion to move forward in the process of considering the home a historic monument passed unanimously.
According to The Los Angeles Times, city employees in the Office of Historic Resources will conduct research, assessment and analysis before the issue goes before the Historic Cultural Commission for findings and recommendations. The city council would then have to consider the matter again in a process expected to be completed soon. The final decisions on saving the home have not been made.
“Because her journey ended too soon, it fuels our imagination. We are left to ask, ‘Would she have broken those glass ceilings if only she had a little more time?’ Although many women didn’t acknowledge it at the time, Marilyn was an era-defining figure,” Park said, adding that the city’s character is defined by “legends like Marilyn Monroe.”
She heralded Monroe as more than a pop culture icon but a woman who endured challenges from childhood to become a “global sensation” and a symbol of overcoming adversity, who also battled for things such as fair compensation.
“Like so many people around the world,” Park said in the news conference, “the life and legacy of Marilyn Monroe have always captivated me.”
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