Much to the dismay of Rick Polizzi, the demolition of the large “The Simpsons”-inspired treehouse in front of his Los Angeles home began Saturday.
Polizzi, a former producer on the beloved animated series, told KTLA 5’s Andy Riesmeyer late last month that the structure became a community staple and gathering spot for children in his Sherman Oaks neighborhood.
Officials and nearby residents, however, aren’t as fond of the treehouse; legal challenges over permits and zoning have threatened its future. According to Polizzi, he built the treehouse 24 years ago and spent nearly a third of that time in a legal dispute that cost him $50,000 to defend and even led to criminal charges after a neighbor complained about the increased attention the treehouse was drawing.
After going to pre-trial at the beginning of the year, Polizzi came to an unfortunate conclusion: it was time to give up.
“We went to pre-trial [in January, and] it was just so frustrating,” he told KTLA in February. “We did not get to have our say…When we left, I just said ‘I’m not going back to this trial. We’ll tear it down so that the case gets dismissed.’”
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A Sherman Oaks homeowner is at odds with the City of Los Angeles over his massive treehouse, which officials say needs to be torn down. (KTLA) -
A Sherman Oaks homeowner is at odds with the City of Los Angeles over his massive treehouse, which officials say needs to be torn down. (KTLA) -
A Sherman Oaks homeowner is at odds with the City of Los Angeles over his massive treehouse, which officials say needs to be torn down. (KTLA)
KTLA 5’s Carlos Herrera spoke to Polizzi on Saturday as the first parts of the treehouse were being taken down, and he said the process of watching nearly a quarter century’s worth of memories be removed piece by piece was “tough.”
“I wanted it to look nice, fit in the neighborhood and be aesthetically pleasing,” he said. “I wanted it to bring people together, so we were always out here inviting people to come over and see it.”
“We got big crowds,” he continued. “We were a victim of our own success.”
Polizzi and his family aren’t the only ones who are grieving the loss of the iconic structure; one woman told KTLA that she, like many others who live in the area, spent countless years visiting the treehouse, especially on Halloween.
“My son is 39 years old and we used to come here every Halloween in preparation for the big holiday,” she said. “With everything going on in the world right now, you have to figure out [a way to keep the treehouse up]…this is joy for our neighborhood. I am in mourning today.”
