You ask "Does the phrase remain a noun phrase?" Yes, because the reduced phrase can be the antecedent for the "it", when you continue any of your examples with "Because I like it almost as well." I couldn't figure out the main part of your question, however.

You ask "Does the phrase remain a noun phrase?" Yes, because the reduced phrase can be the antecedent for the "it" or "them", when you continue any of your examples with "Because I like it/them almost as well." I couldn't figure out the main part of your question, however.