Marilyn Monroe’s iconic Brentwood home has been saved from demolition by a recent court ruling, highlighting its cultural significance and historical value.
Marilyn Monroe’s Former L.A. Home Saved From Demolition
UPDATE: A judge has denied a couple’s request to demolish Marilyn Monroe‘s former Brentwood home, which the city has declared a cultural landmark.
Brinah Milstein and her husband, producer Roy Bank, purchased the Brentwood residence in July 2023 for $8.35 million and obtained a demolition permit from the city. They intended to tear down the structure to expand their adjacent home.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant denied the couple’s petition after hearing arguments last week against the demolition of the landmark.
According to court documents from the City Attorney’s Office, the public inundated city officials with calls and emails to express their dismay regarding the proposed demolition.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Historic Designation and Community Response
PREVIOUS June 26, 2024: The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to designate Marilyn Monroe’s former Westside home as a historic cultural monument, thwarting the current owners’ attempt to demolish it. This decision came five months after L.A.’s Cultural Heritage Commission blocked demolition efforts due to the house’s cultural significance.
Councilwoman Traci Park, representing the city’s 11th District, stated before the vote: “We have an opportunity to do something today that should have been done 60 years ago. There is likely no woman in history or culture who captures the public imagination like Marilyn Monroe. Even today, her story resonates and inspires many of us.”
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The home at 12305 West Fifth Helena Drive is where the revered actress was found dead at 36 in August 1962.
In September, Park moved to save the house by designating it as a historic cultural monument, emphasizing that it would be a “devastating blow” for historic preservation in a city where less than 3% of historic designations are associated with women’s heritage.
Two weeks ago, the council postponed its vote after Park requested an extension to address concerns from the homeowners and local residents regarding privacy and safety with the designation.
Park assured that she has balanced these concerns as the designation progressed through the Historic Cultural Commission and the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee. She introduced a motion during the meeting to evaluate tour bus restrictions on West Fifth Helena Drive and surrounding streets.
On May 6, attorneys for real estate heiress Brinah Milstein and her husband, former Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? executive producer Roy Bank, filed court papers asserting that the city was violating the law by attempting to grant the home historical recognition. The couple purchased the residence in July 2023 for $8.35 million and had obtained a demolition permit, which was later revoked.
Judge Chalfant issued a tentative ruling in favor of the city, describing the Milstein-Bank motion as an “ill-disguised motion to win so that they can demolish the home and eliminate the historic cultural monument issue.”
An attorney for the property owners stated, “Council Member Traci Park, in bringing a motion to designate the former home of Marilyn Monroe as a Historic Cultural Monument, claimed to have ‘worked closely’ with the owners throughout this process to facilitate public access. The opposite is true. The owners have made countless attempts to collaborate with Ms. Park and her staff to find a solution that works for everyone, only to be met with non-responsiveness.”
