Gothamist: Has the Maple Syrup Smell Returned?

DKS

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 02:43:31 -0500

The smell is frequently very strong the area stretching from Little Ferry to Ridgefield, Palisades Park etc. along NJ Route 46 and south of that along Route 1&9. It's got to be a manufacturing plant of some sort, I've heard it could be anything from food additives, as mentioned above, to aircraft de-icing fluid that smells like syrup.

Spleenhg

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:59:55 -0500

I called 311 about the syrup smell on May 22 (a Thursday) at 8:00 pm...I live on the UES near Mt. Sinai hospital. The DEP called me back a week later, ostensibly to ask questions,but the guy was talking far more than asking about the possible reasons for the smell. The fact that this seems to regularly fall on a Thursday night is so odd...unless some factory does a regular "dump" in an incinerator, or we are guinea pigs for an air dispersion test...

west side Michael

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:07:57 -0500

It's the "Shake Shack". We love Jen and thanks for burning the midnight oil.

AnnaZed

Fri, 30 May 2008 13:36:11 -0500

Jen, I apologize. I don't know what's wrong with me. That post was just rude, and I wasn't even drunk. You guys do a great job. Not that it matters what I think given that I was accurately called out for being a jerk. Sorry

capone

Fri, 30 May 2008 13:09:43 -0500

CLOVERFIELD IS A WAFFLE!!1!!1

legend92

Fri, 30 May 2008 12:37:48 -0500

maybe lots of people are smoking honey flavored dutchies at the same time.

smitty

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:51:37 -0500

I smelled a manure smell last night around 11pm near 8th and 25th. My friend smelled it too. Then this morning, I smelled the same smell near the Prospect Expressway in Brooklyn. It was very weird - and I was wearing different clothes and definitely didn't step in anything.

Iphie

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:48:32 -0500

The syrup smell is definitely back. Last night it was coming into my apartment from my windows facing west overlooking the river (150th and Broadway). I noticed it starting at about 9:00, and it was very strong for a couple of hours. I called in a complaint to 311 and got a call back this morning from someone from DEP. He told me that they were investigating it, that they got a lot of calls about it, and that it has been going on for two weeks on Thursday nights. He said we'll see what happens next Thursday.

mmlanglie

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:45:23 -0500

Dude, I haven't noticed the maple syrup smell again lately, but a few nights ago there was a really strong sulfur smell wafting through my apartment window near 145th and Broadway. The boyfriend kept denying having anything to do with it, so we ultimately blamed it on the cats having gas. Hmmm... I do remember first smelling the maple syrup up at Columbia Fall of '05. I nearly peed my pants when they were talking about it on 30 Rock. Northrax!

JMH

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:33:46 -0500

I feel left out for never having smelled this.

HowBoutDemCowboys

Fri, 30 May 2008 09:42:57 -0500

Jen, you don't have to justify your employment or anything else to these jerks. Just keep doing what you do.

czq

Fri, 30 May 2008 09:29:58 -0500

I think the smell should be correctly identified as a "corn syrup" smell rather than "maple syrup". There is a huge difference and if we are going to help people identify what we are talking about, that will help.

Anna_Merkin

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:42:09 -0500

BACON BACON BACON BACON I think it's Prince. He just finished playing basketball.

matty

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:18:57 -0500

I mean this making national news, not posting about it on here - which is totally relevant.

Jen Chung

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:14:17 -0500

AnnaZed--I was overwhelmed by reports of the smell! And I keep my job because I'm the one who is creating Google Maps and writing posts about it at midnight.

cucarachita

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:12:24 -0500

Well, this is Gothamist, Matty, and it's about New York, and about what WE care about in NY. We don't care what the rest of the country cares about, we New Yorkers, actually. We only care about us, which is why we live here. Otherwise we'd be writing on some other blog, like Otherist.

matty

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:06:17 -0500

Not this shit again. I remember the last panic that was all over the national news. The rest of the country does not care what NYC smells like, I assure you.

jt10000

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:00:05 -0500

That smell was around 120th and St Nick's Thursday at 8pm.

dr zippy

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:41:38 -0500

I've got a beautiful new tin foil hat!

NYCSniper

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:25:58 -0500

Fed Govt. is carrying out tests to see how chemical/biological weapons spread, but using a "harmless" yet distinctive odor to map the travel of bio-warfare in different areas of the city (what direction air travels, etc.) That is what this all is. But why will they not just come out and say as much? The stonewalling and denying is uncalled for, and as tax-payers we deserve better.

redhookreject

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:24:15 -0500

It smelled uber sulfur like in Red Hook last night. But then again that could just be the sewer since that stinks up this place after rain. My bet is that its some chemical plant in Jersey, if some one smart wants the track the dates the smell shows up and the prevailing winds, you'd have it...

AnnaZed

Fri, 30 May 2008 02:20:57 -0500

Jen, the Google map is very cool and all that, but I just can't understand why or how it is that you can't copy edit your posts: "...the NYPD also received smells about it." I don't even understand how you keep your job.

schlepp

Fri, 30 May 2008 02:10:57 -0500

faint smell at around 89th street and 2nd ave... haha... i thought it was just me

slyseekr

Fri, 30 May 2008 01:20:00 -0500

Two days ago at 35th and 7th ave! It wasn't pleasant, especially with this nasty heat and humidity.

alunamorganna

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:58:50 -0500

college point, queens... 14th ave and 114th street... it doesnt make me want pancakes...does anyone know what it is?

lilone

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:45:41 -0500

Im on 147th and lenox and I smell it... Im going to have to go to ihop on 135th tomorrow...

Armchair_warrior

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:43:57 -0500

*looks around paranoid. *puts on tin foil hat the government is testing chemical agents around nyc to see how its disperse.

Jen Chung

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:33:53 -0500

Thanks everyone--I've now made a maple syrup smell Google map so we can better track the odor. Keep posting/emailing locations and I'll update it in the morning.

sonyactivision

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:20:15 -0500

International Flavorings in Jersey. It's real bad.

nik13

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:11:35 -0500

In 2005, it was nothing more than a bottle with 2kgs of natural coffee extract hitting carpet. NYC & northern NJ are home to many fragrance houses. Half of world's perfumes & many flavors (NJ mostly) are developed locally. During an evening trip on Rt.80 via Teterboro, one can get a whiff of butterscotch, chocolate chip-mint & whatever will be sold at Macy's & Bloomies next year.

MastaQ

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:10:43 -0500

I live in Flushing, I smelled it all the way up the Van Wyck from JFK to Flushing. At first I thought it was me, but yeah.. the smell is out there..

TN

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:56:13 -0500

Let's just blame Jersey.

slappy

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:56:03 -0500

Got a whiff earlier this evening on 14th and 7th Ave.

Snoopy

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:51:44 -0500

Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles® Serving Size: 5.9 oz (167 g) Fluffy folded egg, two strips of crispy bacon, slice of American cheese on two soft, warm Griddle cakes. The smell is coming from the Griddle cakes. Trust me.

mac_tanaguchi

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:44:14 -0500

im smelling it here at columbia U.

Bottomless Chips

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:43:58 -0500

It's Northrax.

Snoopy

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:41:51 -0500

It was observed in upper Manhattan about 11:15. Is that miss Butterworth or Aunt Jemima in the photo?

mattbrown

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:37:11 -0500

Pancakes over here in bayside too. ^wtf