LOS ANGELES – The iconic Playboy Mansion, purchased by Greek-American Daren Metropoulos, son of billionaire investor Dean Metropoulos, is undergoing extensive renovations which continued throughout the COVID-19 lockdown in California as the state deemed construction “essential” so workers were allowed to come and go from the site, the Daily Mail reported.

The 29-room Playboy Mansion in the Holmby Hills of Los Angeles is a landmark and was owned by Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner for 43 years. Daren Metropoulos, a principal at private-equity firm Metropoulos and Co. which co-owns Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, purchased the mansion in 2016 for $100 million on the condition that Hefner would continue to live in the house until he died. 

After Hefner passed away at age 91 in 2017, “the mansion – which also boasts a wine cellar, grand hall and swimming pool –  was taken over by Metropoulos,” the Daily Mail reported.

Following Hefner’s death, Metropoulos said, “Hugh Hefner was a visionary in business, a giant in media, and an iconic figure of pop culture whose legacy will leave a lasting impact. I was fortunate to know him as a neighbor and friend and I extend my deepest sympathies to his family,” the Daily Mail reported, adding that Metropoulos previously said he “intended to connect the two estates into a combined 7.3-acre compound” after Hefner's passing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Metropoulos said that “the mansion's heritage 'transcends its celebrity' and that 'to have the opportunity to serve as its steward would be a true privilege,’” the Daily Mail reported.

When the mansion was sold, “it was agreed that the main structure of the residence would be protected from any renovations,” the Daily Mail reported, noting that “aerial images appear to show work on the roof of the house, which is covered in plastic.”

The mansion’s grotto, famous for its connection to many of Hefner's legendary parties over the years, “appears to have been drained,” the Daily Mail reported.