New Haven Independent: What's That Smell?

What’s That Smell?

by Melissa Bailey | October 26, 2007 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

After 15 years, nobody has solved the mystery of the stench that haunts Mechanic Street — a stench that sends friends fleeing from porches, running for cleaner air. The city paid a visit to the odiferous terrain, with a promise to drive the sewage smell back where it belongs.

“It’s brutal,” said Tarn Granucci, leading a reporter Thursday to the offending spot at the intersection of Mechanic and Lawrence Streets, on the edge of the East Rock Neighborhood.

The smell gushed out from a drainage grate now officially marked in white spray paint: “ODOR.”

“Do you smell it?”

Whew! A parked car that straddled the grate did little to block the gaseous toilet demons that escaped from every angle. When the wind struck— pow! — the interview had to be relocated to a more breathable environment.

Neighbors said the problem has continued, off and on, for at least 15 years. “The smell has always been there,” attested David Rossi, who has lived down the street for the last 12 years. It smells “like when you open up a toilet.”

Granucci’s home is at the odor’s epicenter. Summers are the worst, he said. “I don’t have A-C, and sometimes I have to go inside and shut the windows in the dead of summer because it smells so bad.”

The musician likes to enjoy summer evenings on his front stoop with friends. “It’s my favorite place to sit.” But some visitors, Granucci said, just can’t take the odor. “I’ve had friends leave because of the smell. It really makes you wince and double over, it’s so bad.”

The odor attacks don’t seem to follow a pattern. Some days, like Wednesday, can be perfectly fragrant, but then the reek rears its head again. Winters are more pleasant, said Granucci, but the problem seems to have gotten worse the past few years.

A stinky side effect of global warming? A restless sewer ghost? The hidden reason behind the demise of the Star Supply project?

Granucci has no idea. He just wants it fixed. Calls his landlord has made to the city and Water Pollution Control Authority have been bounced around. He commended a new alderman for getting on the case.

East Rock Alderman Roland Lemar said in his first year of office, he’s been contacted by at least seven or eight residents complaining of the smell, plus a dozen more on walks through Mechanic Street.

“On the worst days it is god-awful — close the windows, lock the doors, don’t go outside for fear of passing out!” said Lemar. The city and WPCA have offered various theories, but have so far done nothing to ameliorate the smell, he said.

Mechanic Street, a low-traffic residential road behind the East Rock Magnet School, is one of East Rock’s most neglected-looking streets. Half the street is now occupied by the abandoned, graffiti-sprayed Star Supply building, reportedly home to roaming rats. Houses are not worth a million dollars as they are in other parts of East Rock.

“I think that if this problem were happening on St. Ronan, Edgehill or other sections of East Rock, I feel like the city or WPCA would have stepped up and solved this problem by now,” said Lemar. “It’s been over 15 years. That’s way too long to still not have any answers.”

Miller To The Rescue

There may be a rosy scent at the end of the sewage tunnel: City Engineer Dick Miller said he visited the smelly location Wednesday and has identified the sources of the smell: a manhole cover and two catch basins. One, outside Granucci’s house at 15 Lawrence St., he sprayed with a big “ODOR” for city contractors to see.

Miller had several theories. “There may be leaves and dead things” rotting in the catch basin, which might just need to be cleaned. Or there may be gaseous backflow from sewage lines that the rainwater pipes flow into. City contractors are on the case, due for a visit in the next couple weeks, said Miller.

Why the delay on tending to the noxious fumes? Miller said this week was the first he’d heard of the problem.

“I’m glad that we’re finally looking at a solution to this 15-year problem,” said Lemar.

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Comments

Posted by: East Rock Resident | October 26, 2007 11:27 AM

I know I often give Lemar a hard time on this site, but I love the guy. I wish Ed Mattison would take a cue from his young counterpart on the Board of Alders and really advocate for the most abandoned sections of his ward as well as Roland does. I don't even call Ed anymore..... I go right to Roland if I don't get the City to respond. Roland has called me twice to try and convince me to vote for Ed Mattison...... I might do it just because I like Roland, but I want to see Mattison do more of the stuff that Lemar does.

Posted by: Tarn | October 26, 2007 12:02 PM

The odor's epicenter...AWESOME! I've always dreamed of being honored with a superlative. Now it seems that dream has finally been realized, even if I've taken it upon myself to ascribe an unofficial title to my newly attained status:

Tarn Granucci: Most Likely East Rock Resident to Have a Puke-Inducing Smell Envelop His Home Through No Fault of His Own.

Do I at least get some kind of prize for this?

Posted by: fairhavener | October 26, 2007 3:25 PM

I wasn't going to post on this article, but decided against it.

How about this prize:

Biggest poser ever.

Here are a few punk rock/anti-establishment solutions that could have been used to address the problem (instead of just sitting on the porch smelling other people's dookies):

- Filling or covering the offending grate(s) with concrete, completely sealing them.

- Bottling the scent in recycled perfume/cologne bottles and sending them to the Mayor and the aldermen as gifts.

- Cover all of the grates down the sewer line to a grate that is strategically located (like near alderman's house, or if possible the wealthy section) Then use a high power, construction site fan (lowe's/home depot) to blow the stench down/upstream.

- Pour gallons of gas down the sewer and light it (stand back).

- Pick up the phone on a particularly ripe day and prank call that someone fell in the sewer and you think they might be dead (pull the grate off before they get there.

Here are some normal things that could have been done in the last 15 years:

Pick up the phone and keep calling alderman constantly.

Pick up the phone and call appropriate city department constantly.

Write letters to City Hall and newspapers constantly.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease dude. BTW, cafÃ© nine is a great spot though, one of my favorites. Please tell me you didn't pick that shirt out beforehand because you knew a photographer was coming.

Posted by: Ben Berkowitz | October 26, 2007 3:53 PM

Awesome...now I can assume the title of Step-Brother of Most Likely East Rock Resident to Have a Puke-Inducing Smell Envelop His Home Through No Fault of His Own.

BTW:This issue also is occurring at the corner of State and Bishop. Along with odor their are multiple drainage basins that are filled to brim with sediment causing flooding issues and inaccessible bus stops during rain storms.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 26, 2007 4:39 PM

East Rock Resident

I LUV YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you sooooooo much for saying that!!!!!!!!!!!!! I to respect Lemar I wish we could trade Alderman! I know Lemar would stand up for everyone. But I can not vote for Ed. He is a great guy but not so much a great Alderman.

With that said, I was looking at a house on this street a decade ago when it was really really bad and I was told it had some problems so this is an on going one I see. You need to call public works the and make sure that vacume those drains out regularly. or the smell will come back again.

again big huggs to East Rock Resident!!! Vote smart. I respect Lemar to but is that the right reason to vote for someone?? Please the undeserved of ward 10.
My favorite 2 sayings:
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
And stray from the status quo!

Posted by: FAIRHAVEN DAVE | October 26, 2007 6:30 PM

A bit O.T., but related...

Has anyone looked into the horrible petrol smell that comes from the gas truck refilling station at Forbes Ave and Long Wharf Drive? I thought it was a by-product of the big tanker boats, but it seems to be sourced at that intersection only.

Depending on which direction the wind blows you can smell it from Ella T or all the way to Grand Ave. It smells like someone could strike a match and accidentally blow up the whole city.

Posted by: Common Sense | October 26, 2007 7:58 PM

Mechanic Street is really not in the East Rock Neighborhood and could never compete with the overpriced home values of the "East Rock" area. When I grew up on Mechanic Street (1950's) it was in the heart of the old 14th Ward and Bart Guida who became Mayor of the City of new Haven was the Alderman. He had to challenge the Democratic party in a primary to represent the ward and he won, and served for many years before becoming the Mayor. He was Alderman to all the people of the neighborhood and was instrumental in securing lights for the Blake Field main softball diamond. I sometimes drive through the old neighborhood and have many memories as I delivered newspapers to almost every home. I remember Mechanic Street when the entire neighborhood was know as "Goatville". Why did it ever lose that name? To everyone East Rock was the big mountain with the monument not the name of the neighborhood.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 28, 2007 6:31 PM

Common Sense
Thank you i have been telling people that it was called goats ville and some insist it is Cedar Hill. East Rock Area of the city consists of severl smaller community's Cedar Hill, Goatsville, Whitneyville, and not sure what the historical name for the rest of it is I thought it was all goatville?? Anyone know??? But know matter what street you live your alderman is voted in to represent everyone. Not a chosen few. And people can not forget that. And one good thing does not make a good alder it is a person that represent the community as a whole. And no matter how nice a person is that to does not make a good alder if they are not willing to stand and fight for all.

Posted by: Tarn | November 5, 2007 3:52 PM

Dear Anonymous Fair Havener,

Thanks for the laughs. Poser?! I haven't heard anybody actually call somebody else a poser since I was about 14 years old! Good one!

Based on your blather, you seem to be a bit confused. Should our paths ever happen to cross, either at Cafe Nine or elsewhere, feel free to introduce yourself so I can explain a few things to you.

-Tarn

P.S. Thanks for giving such deep, intense thought to my choice of t-shirts. At least someone's thinking about it.

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What’s That Smell?

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