If soot from a large pizza pie hits your eyes, that's a problem.
An Upper West Side brick-oven pizza shop announced it will soon switch from wood-burning stoves to natural gas to stem the constant flow of black smoke that has plagued nearby residents for years.
The changes are expected to bring much-needed relief to residents of the Columbus Avenue co-op that faces Motorino Pizzeria's chimney. The co-op's installation caused thick plumes of smoke to cover the outdoor patio with black soot, forcing people to keep their window shutters closed. during the day since the Manhattan restaurant opened seven years ago.
“I don't want my kids to be around smoke, and I certainly don't want my kids to breathe in that smoke. I think it's very bad,” one resident told the Post, noting that smog invades her apartment. To prevent this, he said he closes the window shutters every day around 10:30 a.m. (one hour before Motorino opens).
The mother, who requested anonymity, said she had visited the pizza shop many times over the years to complain.
“He gave us free pizza. To be honest, I don't even like pizza,” the woman said of the pizzeria employee.
Pizzeria owner Mathieu Palombino told the Post that he is preparing to equip his pizza oven with gas power, which should help reduce smoke in the coming weeks.
He stressed that his business complies with the law, but he is willing to make the switch to satisfy his neighbors.
“We don't want to go to war with our neighbors. We don't want anyone to be upset,” Palombino said.
The planned change was clearly caused by a cause. Last month's Gothamist article This article publicizes allegations that the Neapolitan pizza chain has an unsanitary influence on nearby residents.
For years, black smog from the ovens had wafted smoke and soot through the east-facing windows of 102 West 85th Street, leaving a layer of dirt on furniture and clothing, residents said.
“We sent a lot of pictures to the store owners saying, 'Look, this is what's on the furniture and the smoke outside,'” said the resident, who did not want to give his name.
Another resident, who uses her apartment as a pied-à-terre when she visits New York City every other month, said she finds her windowsills covered in black soot every time she returns to her room.
“I'm thinking of buying an air purifier,” said a woman who requested anonymity.
“Some of them trap very fine particles, so I'm thinking of getting one for my apartment because it might be useful.”
Palombino said various efforts have been made over the years to reduce the smog nuisance, including relocating the chimney flume so that it faces away from the co-op's windows.
He also said that last spring, as part of the city's new emissions regulations, it installed a pollution control system that reduces particulate matter by up to 97%.
However, the complaints did not subside.
“There was no way around it, so I decided to switch to gasoline,” Palombino said.
Motorino's owners, who operate two other Manhattan stores, first revealed the changes to neighbors at a meeting last month, according to a representative from state Sen. Brad Hoylman Segal's office.
Palombino is awaiting inspection by the city Department of Buildings to finalize the changes, which he hopes will begin by December.
But the owners assured loyal customers not to worry, the switch will not affect the restaurant's Neapolitan pies.
“This is the same Neapolitan oven that came from Naples, only it will run on gas instead of burning wood,” Palombino said.
