The Los Angeles crew began demolishing the 24-year-old treehouse, inspired by “The Simpsons,” on Saturday after a lengthy legal dispute between the creator and city officials, NBC 4 reported.

Former producer of the anime series, Rick Polizzi built a structure for his daughter in 2000, but grew into a neighborhood charm. According to NBC4. The demolition began on Saturday and ended what became a gathering location for the neighborhood children.

“I wanted it to look good, fit in the neighborhood and feel aesthetically pleasing,” Polizzi said. I said KTLA when workers remove the first section. “I wanted it to bring people together, so we would always come out here and invite people to come and see it.”

Rick Polizzi’s disappointment and demolition of the treehouse, inspired by the large “The Simpsons” in front of the Los Angeles home, began on Saturday. https://t.co/en36e2oalz pic.twitter.com/nf72qc1ld1

– ktla (@ktla) March 8, 2025

Treehouse fell into legal trouble after complaints from neighbors. City officials eventually closed the treehouse in 2017, classifying it as an Accessory Residential Unit (ADU), leading to permit and zoning challenges, NBC 4 reported. Polizzi told KTLA that he faced criminal charges after his neighbor complained about the Treehouse’s infamous name.

“We went before the trial [in January, and] He said in February. “We couldn’t have a say… When we left, I said, ‘I’m not back at this trial.’ Destroy it so that the case is dismissed. ”

Polizzi in NBC 4 brought the legal battle to over $50,000, with potential additional costs ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 if they continued fighting.

“We’ve got a lot of people,” Polizzi told KTLA. “We were victims of our own success.”

Locals expressed their sadness over the loss of the landmark. “My son is 39 and we were here for all Halloween for a big holiday,” one woman said. “Now, everything is happening in the world, so you need to understand [a way to keep the treehouse up]…This is a joy for our neighborhood. I’m in mourning today. ” (Related: Fact check: Did The Simpsons predict Hurricane Milton in an old episode?)

According to NBC 4, he said about the city’s position. It’s just sad because it’s been in operation for 24 years and never caused an incident. My daughter was upset. I didn’t think they would be so upset. ”