Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood Home Faces Demolition Battle

The Los Angeles home where Marilyn Monroe lived and died is at the centre of a heated preservation battle. Current owners Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, who purchased the Brentwood property for $8.35 million in 2023, are seeking to demolish it and merge the lot with their adjacent residence. They can only proceed if a court overturns its designation as a Historic-Cultural Monument, granted in 2024.

Preservationists have fought to protect the property, convincing the Los Angeles City Council last year to recognise it as a landmark. They argue that the home holds unique historical value as Monroe’s only personally owned residence, which she purchased just six months before she died in 1962.

Owners Dismiss Historical Claims

The owners, however, dispute the significance of the site. Their lawsuit claims there is no physical evidence connecting Monroe to the house, stating, “Not a piece of furniture, not a paint chip, not a carpet, nothing.” Their attorney, Peter Sheridan, further argued that Los Angeles cannot treat every home of a deceased celebrity as a historic monument.

The case has reignited debate over how Los Angeles preserves its cultural heritage. In 2024, the city council unanimously voted to safeguard Monroe’s Brentwood home from demolition, prompting an earlier lawsuit from the owners, who accused the city of “abuse of power.” The court’s upcoming decision will determine whether the iconic property is preserved or cleared for redevelopment. (Inputs from News18)

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