Marilyn Monroe‘s home in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood was authorized in its historic cultural monument nomination by the Los Angeles Metropolis Council on Wednesday, a designation which is meant to assist shield the landmark from demolition.
“The Marilyn Monroe Residence in Brentwood is now a Historic-Cultural Monument! At present, L.A. Metropolis Council unanimously authorized the nomination for Marilyn Monroe’s closing residence. Due to all who voiced their assist and a HUGE because of Councilwoman Traci Park & group!,” wrote the L.A. Conservancy on X.
Monroe lived for roughly six months within the 1929 four-bedroom Spanish Colonial-style home, then died of an obvious overdose there in 1962. The L.A. Conservancy wrote in its proposal for landmark standing that the home was “the primary place she sought out and acquired for herself and on her personal whereas actively working in 1962.”
An aerial view of the Brentwood home the place Marilyn Monroe died.
Getty Pictures
House owners Brinah Milstein and her husband, actuality TV producer Roy Financial institution, purchased the home final yr for $8.35 million and deliberate to demolish it to increase their property subsequent door. They waged a year-long battle to cease the historic designation, which they stated would result in extra nuisance guests. The house owners have sued town, accusing officers of “backroom machinations,” and the case is because of get a trial date on Aug. 13. Within the swimsuit, the house owners say that the home has been considerably altered and that there is no such thing as a proof remaining from the time when Monroe lived there, so that they contend it doesn’t meet the factors for a historic cultural monument. The swimsuit additionally says that a number of neighborhood teams and the Monroe property didn’t assist the historic designation.
The council’s vote was 12 to 0 in favor of including the home to properties of historic significance. The choice was backed by the Metropolis Council’s land use administration subcommittee and the Cultural Heritage Fee. Whereas the designation doesn’t utterly cease a property from being demolished, the standing topics it to a stringent overview course of if demolition have been proposed.
L.A. Metropolis Council member Traci Park stated earlier than the vote, “Now we have a chance to do one thing at present that ought to’ve been performed 60 years in the past. There’s no different particular person or place within the metropolis of Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood residence.”
In response to the vote, Milstein’s lawyer Peter C. Sheridan, who additionally represents the proprietor’s Glory of the Snow 1031 Belief and Roy Financial institution, launched the next assertion.
Council Member Traci Park, in bringing a movement to designate the previous residence of Marilyn Monroe as a Historic Cultural Monument, stated she has “labored intently” with the house owners “all through this course of” to relocate this home to permit for public entry. This isn’t true. Neither she nor her workers have labored intently with the house owners, all through this course of or anytime else, to relocate the home to permit for public entry.
In reality, the other is true. The house owners have made numerous makes an attempt to work with Ms. Park and her workers to discover a answer that will work for everybody, solely to be met with non-responsiveness by Ms. Park and her workers. Ms. Park has ignored the truth that her constituents — civic and house owner’s teams locally — are adamantly in opposition to the designation of the house. Ms. Park has additionally ignored that the Metropolis granted dozens of permits to over 14 completely different prior house owners to vary the house by quite a few remodels, leading to there being nothing left reflecting Ms. Monroe’s temporary time there 60 years in the past.
The designation at present was yet one more step in an admittedly biased, unconstitutional and rigged course of, as set forth within the house owners’ lawsuit. Traci Park’s actions at present and all through the method, disregarding the pursuits of her constituents and the info and deserves, display that nobody’s residence or funding is protected.