Marilyn Monroe’s final place of residence is located at 12305 5th Helena Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles. This property is where the iconic actress took her final breath, dying of an apparent drug overdose in her bedroom. After years of renovations and discussion of demolition, the property has been approved as a historical cultural monument.
Monroe called it a “fortress”
While Marilyn Monroe had lived in 43 different homes throughout her life, her Brentwood home was the first and only one that she purchased on her own. She had previously owned properties alongside her former spouses, but because this was solely hers, she described it as a “fortress where I can feel safe from the world.” With a life in the limelight, Monroe had finally found her sanctuary.
She made the decision to purchase the 1929 Spanish Colonial-style bungalow after her psychiatrist had advised that she “put down some roots.” The purchase happened in February 1962, following the end of her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller. Sadly, Monroe would only live at the property for about six months before she would die of an apparent overdose that same year.
The vote was unanimous
The Los Angeles City Council has recently voted on the landmark status of Monroe’s Brentwood home, held at a time when the property was considered for demolition. The L.A. Conservancy submitted a proposal for landmark status of the house, citing that it was “the first place she sought out and bought for herself and on her own while actively working in 1962.” The council unanimously voted 12 to 0 in favor of adding the house to properties of historical significance and was backed by the City Council’s land management subcommittee and the Cultural Heritage Commission.
While the new designation does not prevent the property from being demolished, its new status makes the review process for a proposed demolition far more rigorous. Commenting prior to the vote, City Council member Traci Park said, “We have an opportunity to do something today that should’ve been done 60 years ago. There’s no other person or place in the city of Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood home.”
Following the vote, the L.A. Conservancy took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the news. “The Marilyn Monroe Residence in Brentwood is now a Historic-Cultural Monument! Today, L.A. City Council unanimously approved the nomination for Marilyn Monroe’s final home. Thanks to all who voiced their support and a HUGE thanks to Councilwoman Traci Park & team!,” the post reads.
The owners have filed a suit
The current owners of the property are not too pleased with the decision. Brinah Milstein and her husband, reality television producer Roy Bank, purchased the home in 2023 for $8.35 million with the intention of demolishing it to expand their property next door. After a year-long fight to prevent the historical designation, they have now sued the city.
They believe that the designation would lead to unwanted visitors becoming even more of a problem and accused officials of “backroom machinations” for their part in the decision. Now, a trial date of August 13, 2024 is expected. In the suit, the owners claim that the home has already been substantially altered by previous owners, leaving no remaining evidence from the time that Monroe lived there.
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Milstein’s attorney, Peter C. Sheridan, said in a statement, “the City granted dozens of permits to over 14 different prior owners to change the home through numerous remodels, resulting in there being nothing left reflecting Ms. Monroe’s brief time there 60 years ago.” As such, they argue that the property no longer meets the criteria for a historical cultural monument. Additionally, they claim that several other neighborhood groups did not support the historic designation, nor did the Monroe Estate.
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