Marilyn Monroe’s Home in Danger of Demolition Could Be Saved by New Findings, Say Preservationists (Exclusive)

A recently formed organization called the Monroe Preservation Group wants to shed light on the Hollywood home's ties to important local history

A preservation group dedicated to saving Marilyn Monroe's last home from demolition has uncovered new information about the address they say could protect it long term, PEOPLE has exclusively learned.

In early September, a permit was approved to tear down the home on 5th Helena Drive where Monroe famously lived and died. A few days later, it was temporarily saved, thanks to an L.A. City Council vote revoking the permit.

Now, the recently formed Monroe Preservation Group are working to ensure it becomes a protected historic landmark — and they've made a significant discovery that could aid their cause.

PEOPLE spoke with several members — Scott Fortner, April VeVea and Elisa Jordan — who explained the group formed with a common interest: to preserve the home and the Brentwood neighborhood’s rich history. They researched the process of protecting the property, and after many hours, realized the home bears a strong connection to the famous local architect Harbin Hunter.

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“I was going through old newspapers and ads because we knew that there was a connection to the Hunter family,” Jordan tells PEOPLE. “And [April and I] both discovered at the same time that Hunter was the co-architect on the first house in Hollywoodland.

Architect John DeLario is commonly given credit for much of Hollywood’s architectural stylings, they say. However, Hunter contributed quite a bit as well — particularly in the Spanish Colonial Revival homes that still stand today in the community that was originally erected with the iconic Hollywood (formerly Hollywoodland) sign. And much of his design is evident throughout Monroe's house.

“They planned the entire neighborhood together, from the layout and the housing styles and everything,” VeVea explains of Hunter and DeLario. “Their most famous actual building in the Hollywoodland development was the Kanst Art Gallery, which is still standing. And when you look at that, you can see a lot of elements that were also used in the 5th Helena address.”

Records show Hunter actually lived in the home, along with his brother Asa, according to VeVea. And his parents owned the home from 1929 until 1949, before it was purchased by Deborah and Richard Pagan, from whom Monroe ultimately purchased the home in 1962.

Hunter is still an esteemed and highly respected architect in the area. Jordan adds that he has a number of landmarks in the Southern California area, including Santa Monica’s Lido Hotel Apartments, as well as Madonna’s iconic home in the Hills. Therefore, they say, tearing down a home that he styled and lived in would be a huge disservice to Los Angeles history.

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“People think this house should be saved because Marilyn lived there for six months and died there,” Jordan says. “But what we're hoping this shows is that this house actually has deep ties to the Los Angeles community. It's actually a pristine example of the architectural styles that were popular in the 1920s.”

“(Hunter) really defined the style for the decade,” she adds. “So we want to show that this house has much more significance than [the fact that] somebody died here.”

The next step, they say, is to present their case to the city.

“We've been working on a pretty extensive document that covers all of the history of the home,” Fortner explains. “And our plan at this point is to submit it to officials within specific agencies throughout the city of Los Angeles who would have any influence or final decision in determining whether or not the house is going to be listed as a protected site.”

“It’s our intention to share all of this information with those individuals making that decision so they're fully aware of the full history of the property,” he adds. Jordan and Fortner also go into great detail about their mission on their podcast, All Things Marilyn.

The New York Post was the first to report the news that an unidentified new owner had filed permits to demolish the house, for which the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety approved a “plan check,” in early September.

The previous owners, Emerald Lake hedge fund manager Dan Lukas and his wife Anne Jarmain, sold the property to the new buyer for roughly $8.35 million in August, according to Robb Report.

The four-bedroom, three-bath property, sprawled across more than 2,600 square feet, still retains its original wood-beamed ceilings, terracotta tile floors and casement windows, evoking the Golden Age of Hollywood. However, the kitchen and bathroom interiors have been remodeled and the guest house has since merged with the main house, the Post reported.

Monroe purchased the property in February 1962 for $77,500. Six months later, she was found dead inside her home at the age of 36 from an overdose on Aug. 5.

The blonde bombshell was discovered by her housekeeper, Eunice Murray, after she noticed Monroe's bedroom light was on in the early hours of the morning.

When Monroe did not answer Murray's calls and she discovered the bedroom door was locked, Murray alerted Monroe's psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson, who later broke into the room through a window.

The movie star was found nude and face down on her bed with a telephone in one hand and empty pill bottles scattered around the room.

Monroe's death was ruled an overdose and "probable suicide,” but according to the coroner's toxicology report, the official cause of death was acute barbiturate poisoning. 

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