At the Webster Apartments(theparisreview.org)
theparisreview.org
At the Webster Apartments
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2024/05/28/at-the-webster-apartments-one-of-manhattans-last-all-womens-boarding-houses/
5 comments
Chicago still has a Men's Hotel similar to this, https://newrepublic.com/article/161808/ewing-annex-hotel-hou... though I think it is more focused on transient laborers and semi-homeless men then young people just starting out their professional life.
Looks much seedier than the Webster. I agree they are not catering to the same type of resident, gender notwithstanding. The Ewing seems to be a last resort for someone to not be homeless.
The key here is its non profit. That’s the limitation - due to the cost of land there’s no way you can commercially offer the service because prices increase to capture all the wages due to the lack of housing.
It's interesting that the view was "you've got 5 years to find yourself a husband". I suspect the entire concept was insanely progressive at the time -- a girl who moves away from her father and lives independently?!
It's possibly a contributing factor to the housing crisis that very few places like this still exist. It seems to be a more affordable way to live than to have to rent a fully isolated studio or 1-bedroom apartment as a single person and have to shop for food and prepare meals.