Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 09, 2025

A Lustron Steel Prefab in Pristine Condition

A Lustron Steel Prefab in Pristine Condition

Built in 1949, this steel prefab in Minneapolis is a blast from the past-not to mention a rare midcentury gem.

Between 1948 and 1950, the Lustron Corp. built prefabricated metal homes across the U.S. as part of an effort to combat the housing shortage for returning soldiers post–World War II. Despite these futuristic homes being considered low-maintenance and highly durable, only about 2,500 were constructed, as the structures were seen as too costly and complex to manufacture and assemble.

Nowadays, according to the Lustron Preservation Organization, there are only around 1,500 Lustron houses still standing, which makes the listing of this 1949 Lustron prefab even more special.



Sitting alongside five other Lustron homes on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, this rare prefab is cladded in sleek, "surf-blue" steel panels. A bright red door welcomes guests inside.

One of six Lustron houses along Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this iconic prefab is now seeking a new buyer after having been lovingly tended to for 26 years by its current owner. With the home listed at $350,000, our hunch is that it won't stay on the market for long.



The style of this specific Lustron is known as Westchester Deluxe. Featuring 1,153 square feet of living space, the 1949 midcentury still remains in its rare original condition.

The historic, 1,153-square-foot home has been exceptionally maintained throughout the years, and features two bedrooms, one bathroom, and extensive landscaping that extends the living spaces to the outdoors.



Fitted with eclectic midcentury furniture throughout, the home pays tribute to its historic past.

"It is a truly modern home and it still feels modern to me after living here all of these years," says the current owner. "My nieces used to like to play ‘Spaceship’ in the house-dramatically opening and closing the sliding metal doors as if they were starring in a science fiction film."



Vibrant red Masonite tiles line the floors in the dining and living areas, delightfully contrasting with the neutral color palette of the interior walls and ceilings.



In the kitchen, blue cabinets add another burst of color.

"Because Lustron houses are completely fabricated from steel, they are impervious to termites and also more resistant to fire," the owner adds. "They are solid steel homes built to withstand the elements and time."



Like other Lustron homes, the interior and exterior were built using porcelain-enameled steel panels (fun fact: the same kind used to make White Castle buildings), connected to a steel frame.



The home's interior cabinets, closets, and bathroom vanities are also made of metal.

"I feel that the legacy of my home is a promise for the future of sustainable prefab housing. The values of maximizing the efficiency in the use of space, the freedom of low-maintenance living and building with materials that will endure time and not end up in landfills are even more relevant in today’s world," says the owner. "The impact of climate change, with the increased frequency of natural disasters, demands that we find a better way to provide safe, affordable, and sustainable housing. Sadly, the Lustron Corp. was an idea too far ahead of its time-now, we need to catch up."



A light-filled corner nook offers an idyllic setting for reading and relaxation.



The durable, low-maintenance prefab also includes an office area, featuring plenty of storage.



A spacious concrete patio extends the living area to the outdoors.



With ample seating and an illuminated landscape, the backyard can facilitate easy entertaining.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
US Prosecutors Gained Legal Approval to Hack Telegram Servers
Macron Faces Intensifying Pressure to Resign or Trigger New Elections Amid France’s Political Turmoil
Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg as Sole Head of Corporate & Investment Banking
UK Asylum Housing Firm Faces Backlash Over £187 Million Profits and Poor Living Conditions
UK Police Crack Major Gang in Smuggling of up to 40,000 Stolen Phones to China
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Trump Proposes Farm Bailout from Tariff Revenues Amid Backlash from Other Industries
FIFA Accuses Malaysia of Forging Citizenship Documents, Suspends Seven Footballers
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
A Dollar Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait Expected to Be Issued Next Year
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
×