NoMad buildings and skyline rising to new heights
Here’s a look at the buildings that have forever changed the neighborhood and the skyline.
The New York City skyline is an iconic sight, filled with skyscrapers, awe-inspiring architecture, and vibrant energy, and NoMad buildings and skyline are more impressive than ever. Construction in the city boomed after the American Revolution — the population grew rapidly, the economy thrived, and the city soon became a critical financial and cultural hub.
At the same time, major innovations in building technology, including steel framing, elevators, improved plumbing, fire protection, and heating allowed the heights of these modern marvels to soar. Development was prolific and as the land filled up, the buildings went up — and up.
In 1896, the 12-story Townsend at 1123 Broadway and the 16-story St. James at 1133 Broadway were two of the earliest skyscrapers in the area. Both were designed by notable architects C. W. Eidlitz and Bruce Price, respectively, and remain active and vibrant office properties that have retained their gilded age charm, housing the iconic Rizzoli Bookstore, successful eateries, and a number of significant offices, including those of The NoMad Alliance.
THE ST. JAMES BUILDING The tallest building in Manhattan in 1898 opposite 30 East 31st Designed by MA Photographed by Selvon Ramsawak
The Flatiron building, designed to fit on the triangular wedge formed where Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 22nd Street merge, was completed in 1902. It rose to an impressive 285 feet and on completion was the tallest building in Manhattan north of the financial district. As of today, it is being converted from office use to high end luxury residential. By 1931, however, there were only 32 notable skyscrapers stretching into the city’s vertical space, including the 104-story, 1,250 foot Empire State Building.
Today, the neighborhood known as NoMad (North of Madison Square Park) is nestled between the Empire State and Flatiron buildings. For many years, tourists from all over the world flocked to see these globally recognized icons, but the skyline in between remained relatively unchanged. What had once been a thriving neighborhood had lost its luster as other neighborhoods grew and expanded.
There was virtually no major residential development in this commercial neighborhood besides the Rose Associates construction of two buildings, the Madison Green (5 East 22nd Street) in 1982 and then 15 years later the Madison Belvedere (10 East 29th — at 554 feet tall) in 1997. It’s hard to imagine that the neighborhood was undesirable to live in, but just 25 years ago, the district had no branding, and was simply known as the brown zone on the New York City TLC Maps in taxis or lumped into the giant swath across Manhattan known as Midtown South. There were few residential buildings and the retail businesses on the ground floor were mostly limited to wholesale. As lower Fifth Avenue started to attract higher end retail, there seemed to be an invisible line where the higher end retail would not cross 23rd Street.
By 2012, only two residential skyscrapers had been built; one in the north end of NoMad — Sky House (11 East 29th Street — 588 feet tall, completed 2008) and a second in the south end of NoMad, One Madison Park (20 East 23rd Street – 621 feet tall, completed 2010). Residential development started to change north of 23rd Street with sale of the Madison Belvedere in 2012 to Invesco for $300 million, the highest price per foot for a multi-family sale in the neighborhood now known as NoMad. Invesco promptly changed the name of the building to the Instrata NoMad. Eight years later in 2020 they sold the building for $380 million to Global Holdings.
While residential development became attracted to the neighborhood, some existing office buildings became attractive for conversion to residential. The area remained mostly a commercial neighborhood although some former office buildings were converted to residential in the mid 2000s, including 225 Fifth Avenue in 2004 by Elad Properties (Grand Madison); 15 Madison Square North (15 East 26th Street) in 2008 by Walter and Samuels; and 10 Madison Square West (1107 Broadway) in 2011 by the Witkoff Group who added eight stories to the original building. All of these conversions were begun after the restoration of Madison Square Park and the formation of the Madison Square Park Conservancy. High-end residences around the park had become fashionable again after brownstones that once surrounded the area were removed to make way for office buildings.
By 2012, however, another shift was afoot. The Madison Belvedere (mentioned above) sale ushered in an era of prolific development — there have been over 12 remarkably tall towers completed since that sale, adding nearly 1,800 residences and 860 hotel rooms to the neighborhood.
Starting with Prism Tower (400 Park Avenue South) in 2015 at 476 feet tall, the NoMad skyscraper climb began. In 2017, Madison Park Tower (45 East 22nd Street) followed to the south at 778 feet. The “star-chitects” also came along to make a mark in NoMad: in 2018, Rafael Viñoly was brought in to build 277 Fifth Ave at 673 feet, and to the west, the same year, FxFowle designed Noma (50 West 30th Street) at 315 feet.
The skyline filled in the next three years with Rose Hill (30 East 29th) in 2021 at 639 feet, The Ritz Carlton NoMad (25 West 28th, also designed by Rafael Viñoly) in 2022 at 580 feet, Madison House (15 East 30th Street) in 2022 at 805 feet, Strata Tower (8 West 30th Street) in 2022 at 551 feet and the Virgin Hotel (1227 Broadway) in 2023 at 476 feet. Thirty East 31st Street at 479 feet and designed by Morris Adjmi, was completed in 2022.
One skyscraper still in progress, 262 Fifth Avenue, is possibly the most controversial because of its skinny design and obstruction of views. Expected to be completed in 2024, the 860 foot building will block the historic view of the Empire State Building from the Flatiron along Fifth Avenue.
New construction has helped spur economic prosperity, and many new businesses have incorporated the word NoMad into their brand names and marketing messages. Luxury buildings in the area offer high-end and coveted amenities, including gyms, libraries, workspaces, and concierge services. This thriving neighborhood has fostered a sense of community, pride, and loyalty, drawing a number of high-profile and famous owners to the residential landscape. Jeff Bezos, Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen, Jennifer Lopez, Chelsea Clinton and Mark Mezvinsky, Rupert Murdock, Abigail Disney, Lester Holt, Jeff Gorden, Daniel Humm, Anthony Marx, Joe Bastianich, and Todd Snyder have all had homes here during the past 10 years.
NoMad buildings and skyline are leaving their mark on New York City’s skyline. There is no longer an unobstructed view from the Flatiron to the Empire State Building, the flow of sunlight tracking a path through the streets has changed, and the towering heights of these new buildings offer breathtaking and panoramic views unlike anything the city has seen before. The former center of New York life has become the center again.