American Seamen's Friend Society Sailors' Home and Institute

The red brick building you are approaching, now known as The Jane, was constructed in nineteen hundred and eight to serve as a sanctuary for sailors. The American Seamen's Friend Society designed this institute as a respectable alternative to the dangerous boarding houses and waterfront dives that once dominated this stretch of the Hudson River. To help sailors feel at home, the building featured a swimming pool, a bowling alley, a restaurant, and even a chapel for religious services.