K
anye West’s once‑prominent real‑estate holdings have collapsed into a series of derelict, abandoned sites, as fresh images show the damage left behind. Two days after the rapper sold his second Wyoming ranch, the Bighorn Mountain Ranch, Realtor.com released photos that expose the severe neglect of several of his other properties.
The Calabasas, California ranch, once a sprawling estate, now lies in ruin. The former Yeezy headquarters on Melrose Avenue, purchased in 2023 for $6.7 million through Oxphaha LLC, has been stripped to a concrete shell. The 7,400‑square‑foot building is surrounded by temporary gray walls, graffiti, peeling paint, and piles of trash. Workers had previously ripped off the roof, and the space that once hosted runway shows for the fashion line is now a vacant, decaying shell.
West also bought a former Cornerstone Church building in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley for $1.5 million with plans to convert it into a new location for his Christian school, Donda Academy. The Calabasas ranch, acquired for $2.2 million in 2018, was left empty and eventually burned in a 30‑minute blaze on October 14, 2024. Residents reported the building boarded up, surrounded by discarded shopping carts and debris. The fire, possibly arson, left the structure gutted; a fence with graffiti and a no‑trespassing sign now encloses the site, which is littered with trash and dead grass. A tax lien of about $19,525 was filed against West in 2024.
The Malibu beachfront home, bought for $57.25 million in 2021, was gutted and now serves as an open‑air art studio. The building caught fire in a suspected arson incident; no injuries were reported, but significant damage was sustained. The property is fenced and marked with a no‑trespassing sign, surrounded by trash and overgrown grass.
West’s real‑estate saga has sparked community backlash. Over 12,000 residents signed a petition demanding he be barred from purchasing the Calabasas ranch, citing his controversial statements and antisemitic remarks. Despite losing sponsors and contracts, some California pastors claim his recent rhetoric does not jeopardize their partnerships. The petition highlighted West’s 2021 comments on Hitler during an appearance on Alex Jones’ InfoWars, as well as his tweets containing threats and conspiracy theories about Jewish people.
The rapper’s Wyoming holdings have also deteriorated. In October, West sold the Bighorn Mountain Ranch—spanning 6,713 acres—to its original owners for $14 million, amid reported financial strain. The ranch, which he had bought in 2019, was his second Wyoming property; his first, the Monster Lake Ranch, was listed for $12 million in 2024 and remains on the market. The Flitner family, who originally sold the land to West, expressed relief at its return but noted it is far from its former state. “He didn’t demolish any buildings,” Pam Flitner said. “He may have intended it as a retreat for his family.” The ranch, established in 1906, sits within National Forest lands and features cattle operations, wildlife, cabins, and lodges. It includes a five‑bedroom, four‑bathroom cabin, heated helicopter pads, and walk‑in saunas, and was dubbed West’s “therapy ranch” where he worked on his album *Donda*.
West’s Calabasas ranch, listed for $1.95 million after a $2.2 million purchase, has been decaying for years. The property’s deterioration has drawn criticism from neighbors who felt the acquisition tarnished the neighborhood’s appearance. The ranch’s main house has partially collapsed, windows are cracked, and tiles are missing, with debris cascading from the structure.
In addition to real‑estate woes, West’s business ventures remain registered at the decaying properties. Yeezy Apparel and Yeezy Footwear are still listed at the Calabasas ranch, even as the site languishes. The rapper’s attempts to repurpose his properties—whether for Sunday Service gatherings, bachelor pads, or fashion events—have largely failed, leaving a trail of abandoned, neglected sites across California and Wyoming.
