The NoMad

The NoMad was a boutique hotel and restaurant in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood, occupying the historic building at 1170 Broadway, at the southeast corner of Broadway and West 28th Street. The property was developed within the Sydell Group portfolio and conceived by Andrew Zobler, the group’s founder and chief executive. Its name reflected the emerging NoMad district, whose name was derived from the area north of Madison Square Park. The building was originally constructed in 1902–03 as a commercial structure containing stores and offices. Designed by Schickel & Ditmars in the Beaux-Arts style, it was twelve stories tall and featured a limestone façade, a rounded corner bay, a domed cupola, paired windows, a decorated entrance, and a molded crown. The building was historically known as the Johnston Building, after its first owner, Caroline H. Johnston. It later became a contributing property within the Madison Square North Historic District and a New York City landmarked historic context. The hotel’s concept was intended to combine accommodation, restaurants, bars, and event spaces in a single architectural setting. French architect Jacques Garcia designed the interiors, drawing on the atmosphere of a Parisian apartment and using multiple rooms and distinct decorative moods rather than a uniform contemporary hotel aesthetic. The property included guest rooms, a rooftop private-dining area with outdoor seating, room service, and event food supplied by the hotel’s restaurant. The restaurant opened in 2012 and was conceived by chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, who were also associated with Eleven Madison Park. It served seasonal European-American food and became known for an elaborate whole roasted chicken for two filled with foie gras and truffles. The dining operation occupied several spaces, including a glass-roofed atrium, a library, a parlour, and a stand-up bar offering cocktails, wine, and snacks. The restaurant received one Michelin star and was designed to appeal to guests seeking different levels of formality, from full-service dining to drinks and casual bar food. The opening plan also affected the ownership structure of Eleven Madison Park. Because Humm and Guidara’s proposed NoMad restaurant would have competed with Eleven Madison Park, Danny Meyer sold the latter restaurant to them. This linked The NoMad’s restaurant concept to a broader New York fine-dining network while preserving a distinct identity based on its varied rooms and more eclectic hospitality model. The New York property was sometimes called NoMad New York after related NoMad locations opened in other cities, including Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Despite the wider brand name, the Manhattan hotel remained the original location associated with the concept’s launch. The New York hotel permanently closed in March 2021 during the prolonged disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, The NoMad’s New York hotel and restaurant operation is now defunct, although the name continued to be associated with sister properties outside New York.

The NoMad occupied a twelve-story Beaux-Arts building at 1170 Broadway in Manhattan, also identified as 1166–1172 Broadway and 14–18 West 28th Street. The structure was erected in 1902–03, when the neighborhood was changing from an area of residences, hotels, and theaters into a denser commercial district. Schickel & Ditmars designed the building for Caroline H. Johnston, and it became known as the Johnston Building. Its limestone exterior, rounded corner bay, domed cupola, carved entrance details, and three-story base reflected the ornamental commercial architecture of the period. The building later became part of the Madison Square North Historic District and was recognized as a contributing historic property. The NoMad hotel concept was developed by Andrew Zobler, founder and chief executive of the Sydell Group. Rather than treating the property as a conventional modern hotel, the concept used the building’s historic character as the foundation for a layered hospitality environment. French architect Jacques Garcia designed the interiors with inspiration from the Parisian apartment of his youth. The result combined guest rooms with restaurants, bars, private dining, and event spaces arranged as a series of differently styled rooms. The restaurant was launched in 2012 by chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, who were also connected to Eleven Madison Park. Its opening created a significant business relationship between the two restaurants. Since Humm and Guidara’s proposed NoMad restaurant could compete with Eleven Madison Park, Danny Meyer sold Eleven Madison Park to them. The NoMad restaurant developed its own identity through a broad menu of seasonal European-American food and a setting that included five principal rooms. A glass-ceiling atrium provided a central dining environment, while the library and parlour offered more intimate seating. A stand-up bar served cocktails, wine, and snacks. The restaurant’s signature preparation was a whole roasted chicken for two stuffed with foie gras and truffles. It also became a Michelin-starred destination, receiving one Michelin star. James Kent served as executive chef from 2013 through 2017. The food and beverage operation was integrated into the wider hotel: room service and event catering were provided by the restaurant, while a rooftop private-dining space extended the property’s offerings outdoors. As NoMad became a broader hospitality name with sister properties in other cities, the Manhattan site was sometimes distinguished as NoMad New York. The original New York operation was associated with a boutique, residentially styled form of luxury hospitality rather than a standardized chain format. It used historic architecture, theatrical interior design, multiple dining formats, and a restaurant-led identity to attract hotel guests, local diners, private-event clients, and bar customers. The New York hotel closed permanently in March 2021. The closure occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely affected urban hotels, restaurants, events, and travel. The closure ended The NoMad’s original New York hotel and restaurant operation. The historic building and the wider NoMad name remained linked to the property’s architectural and hospitality legacy, while sister locations in other markets were separate operations.

• 2021

  New York property closes permanently

  [1]The NoMaden.wikipedia.org

  The hotel and its associated New York hospitality operation permanently closed in March during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 2017

  James Kent’s executive-chef tenure ends

  [1]The NoMaden.wikipedia.org

  James Kent’s documented period as executive chef concluded.

• 2013

  James Kent becomes executive chef

  [1]The NoMaden.wikipedia.org

  James Kent began serving as executive chef of the restaurant.

• 2012

  The NoMad restaurant opens

  [1]The NoMaden.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant opened as the food and beverage centerpiece of the hotel concept, created with the involvement of Daniel Humm and Will Guidara.

• 1903

  Beaux-Arts commercial building completed

  [1]The NoMaden.wikipedia.org

  The building was completed as stores and offices and became known as the Johnston Building after its first owner, Caroline H. Johnston.

• 1902

  Construction of the Johnston Building begins

  [1]The NoMaden.wikipedia.org

  Construction began on the twelve-story commercial building that would later house The NoMad, at the corner of Broadway and West 28th Street.

Historic, design-led boutique hospitality combining a Beaux-Arts building, French-influenced interiors, destination dining, cocktail culture, and flexible social spaces.

• Hotel accommodation

  The NoMad hotel

  The core property was a boutique hotel in a restored historic commercial building in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood. Its identity came from the combination of Beaux-Arts architecture, Jacques Garcia’s Parisian-influenced interiors, residentially styled public rooms, guest accommodation, room service, and event facilities. The property also included a rooftop private-dining space with outdoor seating. The New York hotel permanently closed in March 2021.

• Restaurant · 2012

  The NoMad restaurant

  Opened in 2012, the restaurant served seasonal European-American cuisine and earned one Michelin star. It was spread across several rooms, including a glass-ceiling atrium, library, parlour, and stand-up bar. This multi-room format allowed the restaurant to support formal meals, cocktails, wine, snacks, and private or semi-private social occasions. Its signature dish was a whole roasted chicken for two stuffed with foie gras and truffles.

• Private dining and events

  Rooftop private dining

  The hotel offered a rooftop private-dining area with outdoor seating. Food for events and room service was supplied through the hotel restaurant, making the rooftop part of the property’s integrated accommodation, dining, and event model.

• 2021

  Permanent closure of The NoMad New YorkOther

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial disruption to urban hotels, restaurants, travel, events, and tourism.

  Action taken

  The New York hotel and associated restaurant operation closed permanently in March 2021.

  Aftermath

  The original New York location ceased operating, leaving The NoMad’s New York chapter defunct.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch of the integrated hotel and restaurant conceptProduct launch

  Background

  Sydell Group developed The NoMad as a combined hotel, restaurant, bar, private-dining, and event destination in a historic Manhattan building. The restaurant concept was created with Daniel Humm and Will Guidara.

  Action taken

  The property opened its restaurant in 2012 and used multiple dining rooms, a bar, rooftop private dining, room service, and event catering to create a broad hospitality offer.

  Aftermath

  The restaurant became Michelin-starred and established The NoMad as a destination for both hotel guests and local diners.

  Source

1. 1The NoMaden.wikipedia.org