The California home where Marilyn Monroe died in 1962 has been saved from demolition — for now.
After a unanimous city council vote, the sprawling Spanish colonial in Brentwood — whose owner, Glory of the Snow Trust, requested to have it torn down — was temporarily spared, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Immediately my team and I sprung into action. … But unfortunately, the Department of Building and Safety issued a demolition permit before my team and I could fully intervene and get this issue resolved,” Councilmember Traci Park said at a press conference Friday.
Park donned red lipstick and styled her short blond hair to resemble the “Some Like It Hot” star — who was found dead in bed at the age of 36 — as she announced she would introduce a motion for 12305 Fifth Helena Drive to be considered a historic cultural monument.
“I am here with you today as the custodian of the district which is home to Marilyn Monroe’s beloved final residence. I am also here today as a defender of our city’s rich history and heritage,” the lawmaker said.
The city’s Office of Historic Resources will research, assess, and analyze the situation before the Historic Cultural Commission will make a recommendation to the city council, the Times reported, adding that the process must be completed within 75 days.
The not-so-humble 1929-built 2,900-square-foot abode, which the blonde bombshell purchased in the early 1960s after her third marriage to playwright Arthur Miller ended — then cost $75,000.
Its former owner, Glory of the Snow LLC, bought it for $7.25 million in 2017. In July, the LLC sold the property to Glory of the Snow Trust for $8.35 million.
During the public portion of the meeting, some residents criticized the time spent debating the fate of Monroe’s former home while Los Angeles’ homeless crisis worsens.
Others, however, praised the initiative, saying it paid homage to the city’s history.
“Preserving our history is a dignity that we as Angelenos have,” said Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger, a Sherman Oaks neighborhood council representative. “It is our duty and our honor to preserve and protect historical monuments. Developers are destroying our city for personal gain. It is a disgrace and should not be allowed.”
The city council also voted unanimously to move forward with its plans to deem it a historic cultural monument.
The property was the only one Monroe ever owned, and Park said that “many, many hundreds of people from all over the world” contacted her office to express their concern over its potential demise.
“For people all over the world, Marilyn Monroe was more than just a movie icon,” she said. “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.”
Park explained that “each detail of the home, from its wooden beam ceilings to the tiles, “were handpicked by Monroe and served as a touching reminder of her final days.”