The Plan: Renovations Underway as 875 Sixth Avenue Is Rebranded as One NoMad

If you enter the lobby of a Class A office property in New York City post-pandemic, you might just have a hard time discerning whether you’re in a hotel or an office. That is exactly what office developers want you to feel, as they integrate greater hospitality initiatives into their properties.

To that end, developers and owners Kaufman Organization and Beacon Capital Partners are revitalizing the 265,000-square-foot, 26-story, prewar boutique office building at 875 Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, investing $10 million for a new lobby, a redesigned street-level facade, updated office suites and an amenities space. The renovated building has been rebranded as One NoMad.

“The vision is to bring hospitality, a luxury hotel environment or even a residential aspect also to every individual who’s coming into the lobby,” said Grant Greenspan, a principal at Kaufman Organization. 

Renderings of the Olson Kundig-designed lobby show a warmly lit archway that leads to the elevator banks adjacent to the waiting area, which will have comfortable seating and a miniature lounge-style vibe.

One level down will be the amenities area, roughly 200,000 square feet offering bike storage and locker rooms, a communal coworking lounge with bistro-style seating and comfortable banquettes, three spa-style showers and a large bookable conference room.

Everything in the amenities space is designed so tenants can get a sense of community in an area built with comfort and luxury in mind.

Another feature of the amenities space has been curated to recruit a specific kind of tenant — media companies — by offering access to a private theater where they can screen the movies, commercials and other video content they create.

“The level of sound system and the quality of the equipment in here is meant for that purpose,” Greenspan said when explaining the more technical aspects of the media room.

One NoMad is about 65 percent leased. Kaufman has completed the buildout of eight office suites on the ninth and 12th floors, while construction on three suites across the 18th and 19th floors is currently underway.

Firefly, a digital media company that helps brands advertise across taxis and rideshare vehicles, recently signed a 3,000-square-foot office lease in the building, while clinical AI platform Anterior took another 3,000 square feet. Instant Group, a digital marketplace for flexible workspaces, inked a 4,000-square-foot deal in the building.

The lengths of these leases were not disclosed, but the asking rent for the building is around the mid-$80s per square foot. Prior to the renovations, the asking rent was in the high $70s per square foot.

On the outside of One NoMad, the street-level facade will feature a revised steel and aluminum curtain wall system with stone elements meant to complement the building’s upper floors. There will also be a steel canopy at the main entrance on West 31st Street to distinguish the building from its surroundings.

“One NoMad is at the nexus of transit improvements and NoMad’s evolving entertainment and restaurant district,” Michael Kazmierski, the president of Kaufman Investments, the Kaufman Organization’s acquisitions wing, said in a statement. “This redeveloped property is at the forefront of this evolution, infusing reimagined office luxury with boutique floor plates, four sides of light and a prominent avenue presence.”

Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.