'House of Tomorrow' Offered Rent-Free For 50 Years...With $2.5 Million Renvoation

BEVERLY SHORES, Ind. (CBS Local) -- Indiana Landmarks has got a deal for you -- a chance to live in a one-of-a-kind historic home, rent-free for 50 years.

What's the catch? You have to restore it to the tune of about $2.5 million.

The "House of Tomorrow," as it is commonly known, is on Lake Michigan inside the newly designated Indiana Dunes National Park. It was one of five "Century of Progress" homes moved there by barge after Chicago's 1933-34 World's Fair, CBS affiliate WSBT reported.

The home was designed by Chicago architect George Fred Keck. It was a popular attraction. Visitors could see advancements in science and technology and a glimpse into the future.

Is a duodecagon -- it has 12 sides. It is estimated to be around 5,000 square feet. The ground level was designed as workspace. The top two floors were designed to be all plate-glass.

"It was just a vision. [Keck] was trying to say, hey this is how we would be living in 100 years," said Todd Zeiger, director of the Norther Regional Office of Indiana Landmarks.

There was a dishwasher, an open floor plan and an attached garage -- things unheard of in 1933.

Despite the deterioration many of the original features remain, including the metal staircase and the modern metal kitchen.

"We'd say 60 to 70 percent is still in place," Zeiger said.

The House of Tomorrow is the last of the homes to be renovated and will likely need about $2.5 million in work. Restoration would have to follow preservation standards and would include an approval process but Zeiger says the end result will be worth it.

"[The homes] still draw attention all these years later," said Zeiger. "Millions came through these houses because people were so fascinated by them. It continues today."