Los Angeles City Council Prevents Demolition of Marilyn Monroe's Home

The Los Angeles City Council voted on Friday to prevent the demolition of Marilyn Monroe's home, a renowned American actress, as a historical and cultural site. Marilyn Monroe died of a drug overdose in 1962 in this house, located in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. The proposal was presented by Tracy Park, a council member, to stop the demolition of this house, which was built in the Spanish colonial architectural style. On Friday, September 8, the Los Angeles City Council accepted this proposal with 12 votes in favor and no opposition, and the city's Building and Safety Commission revoked the demolition permit that had been issued a day earlier. Accordingly, any major changes to this site are also prohibited until further investigations regarding the building and local conditions are completed. Currently, the ownership of this house is held by an investment company, which likely intends to construct a new building due to the property's prime location in Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles Times, Marilyn Monroe purchased this single-story house, measuring 270 square meters, for $75,000 in the early 1960s after her third marriage ended and her separation from Arthur Miller. This was the only residence of Marilyn Monroe, who spent part of her childhood in an orphanage and faced many hardships. Marilyn Monroe is considered one of Hollywood's legends and global cinema stars due to her beauty and tumultuous personal life, achieving great fame through her roles in several successful commercial films. The actress's body was found in August 1962 in the bedroom of this house; she was 36 years old at the time of her death. This half-acre property, which included a swimming pool and guesthouse, was sold to an investment company for $7.25 million in 2017, and earlier this year, another company bought it for $8.35 million. It is still unclear what the purpose of the demolition is and what plans the investment company has, but the news of the demolition permit sparked anger among local residents and many Los Angeles inhabitants. According to the Los Angeles Times, the City Council received numerous messages from critics demanding that the building not be demolished as a historical and cultural site. With the increase in criticism, Tracy Park decided to present the proposal to preserve the house to the City Council. In a press conference, she stated, 'For people around the world, Marilyn Monroe was more than just a film icon.' Marilyn Monroe named this house 'Cursum Perficio,' a Latin phrase meaning 'my journey ends here.' This phrase can also be seen on the tiles of the front porch of the house. This article is based on a report by Reuters.