Behold NOMA 175

Rather than wrap it up with open house listings this week, let us consider NOMA 175 -- otherwise known as 175 Payson Avenue -- which, as Manhattan's Peak has discovered, is now on the market.

Prices in the modernist low-rise on the corner of Seaman Ave start at $405K for a 615 square foot 1 bedroom with balcony, and top out at $820K for a combined unit floor-through (1300 SF, 3/2, two balconies).

This intimate six-story condominium designed by Friedman P.E. features luxurious finishes in sunlit homes. Open and airy layouts feature high end Euro-style chef's kitchens and luxurious spa baths. Golden oak hardwood floors run throughout, providing a seamless design for living, dining and relaxing. High quality Anderson windows capture the sun in all twelve corner apartments.

What grabs us more than amenities and asking prices, though, is the neighborhood pitch. Will Washington Heights and Inwood (or just Inwood) be re-branded as NOMA? Will a slick new moniker -- which, we admit, we prefer to WaHI -- and our "exciting new commercial ventures" lure wealthy homesteaders to be among the "trendsetters reshaping the area"?

One thing's for sure. The developers aren't coming.

They're here.

Comments

[rdc]

There'll be a fair bit of movement between asking and buying, I'm sure.

[Mary Elizabeth Williams]

NoMa? Truly, I think I just found the last line of my book.

That is awesomely horrible.

[sayd]

if the realtors are intending on renaming this area, you would think they would at least try to be more original. looks like their new "NOMA" schtick is a spin-off of "NoMaa, The Northern Manhattan Artist Alliance."

http://www.nomaanyc.org/en/node/3

[EJJ]

This is just another slap in the face from crappy developers and lazy architects. As with so many other buildings around the city, (Brooklyn especially) the non-descript building might as well be a 6 story CVS store. Notice the amazing facade of the building to the left in the above photo. Inwood is full of these well maintained treasures. To erect a dark brown box next door is mind bending and hurts the very soul of the people that have to walk by this. Oh, and don't play us with that 'Euro-Kitchen' thing either. It's dark brown IKEA. $700G? I don't think so...

Modernist?!? Jeez... Mies must be turning on his grave!
I live in front of this eyesore, and every time I see it I think what a missed opportunity to make something beautiful (like most of new york buildings)...

[david]

I thought it was a "project" when I saw the bricks and the manner in which it was constructed. To shoe horn in such an ugly project is beyond me. In other 'hoods people protest and "contextual" design is used. In plain English, if all the buildings on the block are white brick the new building employs white brick features as well, to blend in.

And just wait until that horror opposite Overlook Terrace opens. It shows complete desperation that the owner and developer has to build a foundation on stilts due to the fact that he is building over million year old rock croppings.

Despite protests our local council member says he is powerless and that the building is completely legal.

Just a matter of time until Seaman Avenue becomes another Central Park West.

[brad]

Maybe "modern-esque," anon?

[Pitt]

Not that bad. Clean...that's mean a lot.

[david]

It IS truly an eye sore. I suppose the developer believes that the current residents are powerless or indifferent.

Just because English is not the native language of the majority of residents here is no excuse to take advantage. And shame on our local leaders, for whom English is a second language, who do nothing to represent their own bretheren.

While the pols represent EVERYONE, you would think they would be [more]sensitive to those of their own background, who may not be as well off as newer residents may be.

[Dan]

As a resident of Inwood for the past two years and a future owner at 175 Payson, I can tell you one thing that you are getting by having nice, affordable housing in Inwood: two young, affluent, intelligent high school teachers who instead of moving out of NYC to the suburbs, will now be able to stay in the community that they both work in and love. Instead of demeaning new housing and crying about the loss of a "garden" that hasn't seen a plant in the last 24 months let's celebrate the fact that your children will continue to be educated by people who both care about the community in which they work and desire to live amongst the residents whose lives they strive to improve.

[Frederik]

Only a fool would buy at NOMA 175. I live next to it and saw it go up. Cheap materials, idiotic layouts and on a noisy street. My prediction: they will be renting these out real soon. Nobody is going to buy in this place when you can live on Park Terrace a few blocks up. Think about who can afford this place? This building was built for the sub-prime crowd not the 10% down, 30 year fixed mortgate target group.

[Rage Baby]

Wow, what an ugly POS this thing appears to be (at least from the outside) -- and this from a guy who normally doesn't give a flying f**k about aesthetics.

On a matter of greater import, I think the new name for this neighborhood should be CoMa -- "Crown of Manhattan." I'm not gonna wait around for it to catch on -- I'm already using it.

[Richard]

The construction of that building is so poor, it'll probably need to be renovated before they can find a sucker to buy it. That building is emptier than the soles of the developers who built it. Developers please put that piece of garbage onto a truck and haul it back to Brooklyn where it belongs. Fill it with Ikea furniture and watch it rot away with the rest of the junk you've built out there.

[Captain Jack]

Having lived around the corner from it and having watched it go up I was both intrigued and put off by it. I mean, you get a pang of jealousy over any new construction and that corner is a great spot. But then you think about how it clashes with the art deco buildings on Seaman and the exorbitant prices they're trying to charge and it becomes kinda silly. "Noma"? WTF. Anyway, I contacted them about renting one just to test the waters and they assured me they weren't interested in renting it out b/c they were almost all spoken for. Doubt it. It was a greedy venture at an inopportune moment in the real estate market. They'll have to sell them all for $325k.