Marilyn Monroe’s home will be saved from demolition after the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted 12-0 on Friday to begin the process of declaring the property a historic and cultural monument.
If the process is successful, the home will be protected from demolition. The L.A. Board of Building and Safety Commissioners, who had previously approved the demolition, revoked the permit following the council’s vote.
The effort to save Monroe’s final residence was led by L.A. Councilwoman Traci Park, whose district contains the Brentwood residence.
Councilwoman Park learned on Wednesday that the home had been acquired by a new owner, the Glory of the Snow Trust, and that demolition was planned for the structure. She explained at a press conference that the home’s Spanish Colonial-style aesthetics, including wooden-beamed ceilings and an international selection of tiles, reflected the character of the iconic Hollywood starlet.
The approval of the demolition was halted before Councilwoman Park could launch the process to designate the home as a protected cultural site. She mentioned that concerns about the demolition had been raised in her office from around the world.
“The global concern that has flooded my office over the last couple of days about the potential demolition of this historic site reaffirms its significance. The overwhelming sentiment here is clear: This home must be preserved as a crucial piece of Hollywood’s and the city of Los Angeles’ history, culture, and legacy,” Councilwoman Park said.
Other local officials expressed criticism towards the motives of the developers, although their plans for the site after a potential demolition have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Launching the 75-day cultural and historical review process, Councilwoman Park considers it a temporary victory.
“This is a great win for the time being. What is most important about what we achieved today is that this automatically and immediately triggers a temporary stay on all building permits while this matter is under consideration by the cultural heritage commission and the City Council,” Councilwoman Park told the Los Angeles Times.
