The Los Angeles City Council has acted to save Marilyn Monroe’s final home from demolition.
The council voted on Friday 8 September to begin a process that would make the Brentwood-based home a historical and cultural monument, according to Reuters. The decision ultimately halted the demolition of the home, where fans have continued to leave flowers nearly 60 years after Monroe’s death.
The motion to preserve the Spanish Colonial-style house was first introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park, and approved unanimously by the council, according to Park’s spokesperson, Jamie Paige.
Reuters also noted that, in response to the vote, Los Angeles’ Board of Building and Safety Commissioners immediately removed a demolition permit that had been issued. Paige also added that, when she visited the house on 7 September, before the council voted, no work on it had been done.
The property is the last home that Monroe ever owned, as she died of an overdose six months later, on 4 August 1962.
The four-bedroom house was discovered on a relatively quiet street in Brentwood after Monroe’s death. There’s also a kidney-shaped pool outside of the home, which is surrounded by towering palm trees.
As noted by The Economic Times, the 2,900 square-foot home was originally built in 1929 and was independently owned by Monroe. The movie star reportedly paid $75,000 for the property in the 1960s.
Glory of the Snow LLC went on to buy the property in 2017, before selling it to Andrew Sahure of th Glory of Snow Trust for $8.35m.
During a press meet before the city council’s vote on Friday, Park expressed how she’s a “defender of [the] city’s rich history and heritage,” before describing the impact that Monroe had on her fans.
“For people all over the world, Marilyn Monroe was more than just a movie icon,” she said, as noted by The Economic Times. “Her story from her challenging childhood growing up in orphanages and foster homes to becoming a global sensation is a shining example of what it means to overcome adversity. Her path was full of obstacles, but she knew no limits, and she left an indelible mark on Hollywood and the entire world.”
She went on to quote The Seven Year Itch star, saying: “Sometimes good things fall apart so that even better things can fall together.” Park continued her speech by applauding Monroe’s career, before emphasising how the star’s actions still resonate with her fans today.
“Despite her iconic status, Marilyn Monroe constantly battled for fair compensation, often earning far less than men, and far less than what she was actually worth. An issue that women are still fighting to correct today,” she added.
As noted by The New York Times, Park also said that an application would most likely be filed to Los Angeles’ Office of Historic Resources in October, as part of the process of saving the home from demolition.
The property would then be assessed by the office, before a hearing is held on 16 November to consider if it could be nominated as a “City Historic-Cultural Monument”. The office’s recommendation will then be offered to the full City council, who will have 90 days to decide what will happen to the home.
