1930's Valley Village Homes Next to Bulldozed Marilyn Monroe Home Also Threatened with Demolition

1930's Valley Village Homes Next to Bulldozed Marilyn Monroe Home Also Threatened with Demolition

By Marty McFly - Friday, August 28, 2015 - 7 Comments

Image courtesy Bing Maps

On the same street where the Marilyn Monroe home was demolished back in June comes news of nearby historical homes also threatened with demolition potentially erasing all history of Valley Village's Hermitage Street south of Chandler Blvd dating back to the 1930's.

Top image courtesy Jennifer Getz. Bottom image courtesy LA Daily News.

Image courtesy Google Maps

First it was Marilyn Monroe's home. She moved to 5258 Hermitage Ave with her in-laws in April 1944 while her sailor husband James Dougherty was far away at sea. It was during this time that Monroe was working at the local factory inspecting parachutes when Monroe was picked to model for morale-boosting military magazines. She left the home in the summer of 1945 and divorced Dougherty and became the great iconic figure still known and admired till this day. Unfortunately that home no longer exists as developer Joe Salem of Hermitage Enterprises LLC demolished without a thorough review despite an attempt by local activist, Jennifer Getz, who filed an HCM application and was three days away from a hearing. Sounds suspicious doesnt it?

Jean Lathrop's child in front of her property at 5303 Hermitage ca. 1950s. Image courtesy HCM Application

Now the same is about to happen with the construction of a 28 unit apartment with a total of 63 parking spaces at what was originally 5303 Hermitage St built by Jean Lathrop. Jennifer Getz is currently trying to save this property and prevent another Marilyn Monroe event from happening again. Recognized preservationist, Charles Fisher has a compiled a thorough and educational  HCM application with contributions from Getz (financially and otherwise) below complete with many historical pictures and details.

KCET.com also wrote an excellent article describing the Lathrop property, latest development, and destruction of the Marilyn Monroe home. There is also a CityWatch LA article questioning Mayor Garcetti's motives for demolition. You can also read more at the activist site, http://www.savevalleyvillage.com/home The location details are below:

1. 12302 Weddington St. Built in 1931 on 10,540 sqft lot with 4 beds/2 baths on 2,182 sqft (2 units). Last sold by Christopher Barrett to UB Valley Village LLC on May 15, 2015 for $1,125,000.
2. 12301 Weddington St. (also known as 5303 Hermitage & 5305 Hermitage). Built in 1934 on 15,930 sqft lot with 2 Beds/1 Bath on 1,738 sqft. Currently owned by the Edwards Living Trust. 
3. 5261 Hermitage Ave (also known as 5263 Hermitage Ave). Built in 1935 on 7,804 sqft lot with 5 Beds/5 Baths on 5,103 sqft (3 units). Last sold by Barry and Dinah Gres to UB Valley Village LLC on May 15, 2015. 

Valley Village HCM Application

Additionally, another apartment project two houses north totaling 56 units is in the works at the following location:

1. 5323 Hermitage St. Built in 1957 on a 8,012 sqft lot with 10 Beds/7 Baths on 4,905 sqft (6 units). Last sold by The Thomas A Dicandia and Ann R Dicandia Revocable Living Trust to Fourth Street Venture LP on January 6, 2015 for $1,450,000. 
2. 5333 Hermitage St. Built in 1954 on a 0.37 acre lot with 13 Beds/11 Baths on 6,705 sqft (9 units). Last sold by Parnes Family Trust to Fourth Street Venture LP for $1.5 million on June 29, 2012. 

This project is being shopped around by a broker that can be viewed on Loopnet.com with the following listing description and a brochure at the bottom:

**Can be bought with 5323 Hermitage, adjacent property for development of up to 56 Units.

Marcus & Millichap, as the exclusive listing agent, is pleased to present a rare development opportunity to purchase 3 contiguous parcels totaling 24,036 square feet of land with alley in the back in the Valley Village submarket of the San Fernando Valley area. The subject property is zoned LAR3 which allows the construction of up to 43 apartment units on the site (this amount includes a 35% density bonus).* Existing improvements on the site consist of 18 apartment units with current income during the planning and entitlement phase of development.

Valley Village is one of the most desirable neighborhoods within the Los Angeles metropolitan area nestled among the desirable neighborhoods of Studio City, Sherman Oaks, and North Hollywood markets. The property is situated on a tree-lined, multi-family residential neighborhood within walking distance to the Laurel Canyon MTA Orange Line Station. Commuter access to this site is offered through the 101, 134 and 170 Freeways. The subject location is highlighted by a multitude of dining, shopping, and entertainment facilities while offering easy access to employment centers in Hollywood, Downtown, and West Los Angeles. 

The subject development will be among the more unique developments of the area due to the impressive size and location of the project offering competitive advantage in occupancy rates.

Valley Village Apartment Project

You can read more SFV Architecture and R.E. here.

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Marty Mcfly

Anything and everything about the San Fernando Valley. This blog will take you back in time when the valley was covered with dirt and orange groves to a leader in the space race to its current status as America's suburb. Come along and join me on this adventure, I guarantee you have been influenced/impacted by the San Fernando Valley in one form or another even if you have never visited or heard of the SFV.

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