As the weather turns colder, let’s warm up with a visit to Florida. But we’re not exactly heading to the Sunshine State. The Florida Tropical House, a piece of Chicago history now located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Indiana, is available for the first time since its restoration. But the house at 250 W. Lake Front in Beverly Shores is not actually for sale. The nearly 3,500-square-foot residence with 225 feet of lakefront can be yours for the next half-century. Yes, you read that correctly. The all-cash $2.5 million price covers a 52-year lease.
Originally part of the “Homes of Tomorrow” exhibition at the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago, the house was created by Florida to attract tourism to their state. Then-Florida Governor David Sholtz invited fairgoers to visit what he called the Playground of the Nation. The exhibit showcased the latest technologies of the time as well as a range of modern architecture. Designed in the Art Deco style by Miami-based architect Robert Law Weed, the streamlined home’s stucco exterior is painted in Floridan pink, while other features reflect a warm climate with its flat roofs and various outdoor spaces.
After the fair closed, real estate developer Robert Bartlett purchased this home and 15 other structures, including a replica of Boston’s Old North Church that had been exhibited on Chicago’s Northerly Island. He then barged them across Lake Michigan to help promote his new resort community of Beverly Shores, near the Indiana Dunes. “The reason we bought these model homes,” Bartlett said, “is that they represent what we find are the most outstanding examples of modern home building, combining beauty and practical value.”
The practical aspect did not turn out to be as true as Bartlett had hoped. Many of the original fair buildings were completely destroyed because of neglect or severe weather conditions. Some were left in a state of disrepair. Due to their close proximity to the lake, erosion of the shoreline posed a concern for the future of the Florida Tropical House, along with four other surviving residential buildings. The National Park Service took over the responsibility for these homes, now officially part of the Century of Progress Architectural District, and initiated a rent-and-restore program in collaboration with Indiana Landmarks.
As part of the lease agreement, occupants are required to cover restoration costs using their own finances and also consent to open their homes to the public once a year during an annual tour held on the last weekend in September.
While this arrangement may not be everyone’s cup of tea, consider the potential rewards as the home’s new steward: You are helping to preserve history and share it with the public. Also, think about the cost. Imagine living on the lakefront for only $48,077 a year, or $4,006 a month, and not having to worry about paying property taxes.
According to the listing agent Peggy Sayre, former occupants Bill and Lisa Beatty spent more than $2 million on restoration and renovation work during the 25 years they rented the home. Between 2007 and 2023, they completed a range of extensive tasks including putting in a new — and historically accurate — all-metal kitchen, rebuilding the home’s structural supports, installing new electrical and plumbing systems, restoring the decorative railing, completely insulating the home, and applying a fresh coat of paint to the exterior only a year ago.
A new tenant will buy out the remaining 52 years of their sublease, which the Beattys signed three years ago. Both the National Park Service and Indiana Landmarks must approve the new sub-lessee, who will also have to be financially responsible for annual maintenance, future repairs, and landscaping of the home. As stipulated in the agreement terms, the home must be occupied by the new steward on a full-time basis or used as a secondary residence, and cannot be rented out for profit.
At the end of 52 years, the historic property will revert to the National Park Service. However, the sub-lease can be included in an estate plan or be taken on by a new sub-lessee before the term ends. Under the careful supervision of the Indiana Landmarks team, the new occupant can make changes to the home, such as potentially restoring the shades of yellow and coral that once existed inside. Historic murals, removed by an art conservator and stored off-site, could also be recreated. The interior layout, which includes an aluminum staircase, must be maintained (except for the non-historic basement). And yes, the flamingo pink has to stay!