Kanye West’s $1.5 million abandoned church building in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley was destroyed by fires after months of warning from neighbors to look after the structure.
According to THE SUN, the 47-year-old rapper bought the building in January 2023 for $1.5 million, after it was initially owned by a Cornerstone Christian Church nearby.
There were thousands of petitions to not have him lease any space at the church due to his wild outbursts about the Jewish community, yet Ye ended up purchasing the property behind it.
RELATED STORIES
Kanye West reportedly intended to use the space for his ill-fated Christian school Donda Academy yet had a change of plans, leaving it to rot.
Community members have complained about the state it was left in with boarded-up windows, old shopping carts, and trash stashed on the land.
“I had no idea Kanye bought it but … it’s not a good look for the neighborhood. He needs to clean it up, you don’t want a bum breaking in and living there”, one neighbour said at the time.
Now, photographs obtained by The U.S. Sun show the security fencing on the empty land after a huge fire saw it burn to the ground late last year.
Police have confirmed the blaze unfolded shortly after 12:45 am on October 14, 2024, and could be a possible act of arson.
Firefighters battled large flames engulfing the home for about 30 minutes as the fire spread to nearby trees.
KCAL News reported that no injuries were found, but a neighboring residence sustained superficial damage from the heat and flames.
Photographs show the site in worse condition than when it was abandoned, with graffiti-covered fencing and debris scattered across the property.
Yellow caution tape remains near the sidewalk, while a broken fence with a “No Trespassing” sign leans against a nearby tree.
Aerial footage shows the property has been utterly destroyed, leaving only piles of debris and large trash containers.
It is unclear whether Kanye West is aware of the fire, as his representatives are yet to respond to the situation.
The U.S. Sun revealed that in December 2024, Kanye was hit with a lien on the home for outstanding taxes summing up to approximately $19,525.
Kanye previously took over rooms at Cornerstone Christian Church after befriending former pastor Ronald Nagin.
However, more than 12,000 people signed a petition to prevent him from leasing or purchasing land from the church.
The petition was launched by Faithful America in 2023 and it condemned Kanye’s antisemitic remarks, urging Cornerstone not to associate with him.
It cited his December 1 appearance on Alex Jones’s InfoWars, where he clutched a Bible and made inflammatory comments about Hitler and Jewish people.
In an open letter to Nagin, Faithful America wrote: “There is no room in God’s house for hatred. Allowing Ye’s Donda Academy to operate at Cornerstone would lend it credibility it does not deserve.”
Nagin, who has since moved to another church, previously lived in the home before he sold it to Kanye West.
Property records show it was purchased under Kanye’s Blue Spruce Trust, with “Ye” listed on the documents and since then, the home has not been resold or rented out.
In the BBC documentary The Trouble with Ye, journalist Mobeen Azhar visited Cornerstone while Kanye was planning his presidential run.
He reported that Kanye used the church’s back building for his campaign headquarters and had seamstresses producing Yeezy clothing there.
It was also revealed that Kanye intended to use the space for his private school, now operating as a charity following lawsuits from former staff.
READ ALSO: Brazen baton attack in high-school race leaves spectators in shock
Meanwhile, Kanye West has announced the return of his Sunday Service in collaboration with longtime friend Jason White but his fans are waiting for a statement from his representatives after the news of his 1.5 million Los Angeles church destroyed by the fires.
