Marilyn Monroe's former Brentwood home declared a historic cultural monument by the Los Angeles City Council; saved from demolition

BRENTWOOD, LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Marilyn Monroe's former home is officially a Los Angeles cultural landmark, with city officials confirming the designation Wednesday after delaying a vote to address concerns from homeowners and neighborhood residents.

In a 12-0 vote, council members approved a motion — introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the 11th District, which includes Monroe's former home at 12305 West Fifth Helena Drive — to preserve the home following an attempt by the owners to demolish it last year.

City councilors Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Eunisses Hernandez and Kevin de Len were absent from the vote.

“We have an opportunity to do something today that should have been done 60 years ago,” Park said before the vote. “There is no other person or place in the city of Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood home. »

The actress died on August 4, 1962, at the age of 36, from a drug overdose at her home. Monroe had been one of Hollywood's most popular stars in the 1950s and early 1960s.

“Some of the most famous images of her ever taken were taken in that house, on that land and by her pool. Marilyn died tragically there – it forever ties her in time and space to that very house,” Park said. “There is probably no woman in history or culture who captures the public imagination the way Marilyn Monroe did. Even all these years later, her story still resonates and inspires many of us today.

In September 2023, in response to concerns from residents, fans and historic advocates, Park decided to save the house by designating it as a historic cultural monument. The city councilor said it would be a “devastating blow” for historic preservation and for a city where less than 3% of historic designations are associated with women’s heritage.

Residents near the Brentwood home have expressed concerns about privacy and security related to the designation. Park said she balanced those concerns as the designation moved through the council's Cultural Historical Commission and Land Use Planning and Management Committee.

To further that effort, Park introduced a motion at Wednesday's council meeting to evaluate restrictions on tour buses on West Fifth Helena Drive and surrounding streets.

“My team and I will continue to work closely with the community to address any future concerns,” Park said. “I also understand that access is an important part of preservation, which is why throughout this process, my team and I have worked closely with the owners to evaluate the possibility of moving the home to a location where the public could actually be able to visit and spend time.”

Those conversations have not yet taken place, but the councilwoman expressed hope that they could happen in the future.

Council members were scheduled to consider Park's motion on June 12.

However, Park requested that the case be extended until Wednesday to continue discussions with the landowners, who had challenged the designation, suing the city for an injunction. On June 4, a judge provisionally denied their attempt.

Lawyers for real estate heiress Brinah Milstein and her husband, producer Roy Bank, have already filed court papers with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant in which they said the city was violating the law in trying to give the house historical recognition. The two purchased the residence last July for $8.35 million and obtained a demolition permit from the city – which was later revoked.

According to Milstein-Bank court documents, the couple will suffer irreparable harm without a preliminary injunction. The motion sought a court order blocking the landmark designation and allowing the plaintiffs to proceed with their razing plan so they can demolish the structure to expand their current home, which is adjacent to the property.

The judge issued a tentative ruling in favor of the city, calling the Milstein-Bank motion a “poorly disguised motion to win so they can demolish the house and eliminate the historic cultural landmark issue.”

The couple would not suffer the irreparable harm they claim they did by being denied a preliminary injunction because the City Council would consider the matter, Chalfant said.

Bank and Milstein filed the petition on May 6, alleging “unlawful and unconstitutional conduct by the city” with respect to the home where Marilyn Monroe lived occasionally for just six months before tragically committing suicide 61 years ago “.

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