But the odor is only part of the problem. Residents say air monitors in their units are recording levels of fine particulate matter — particles 2.5 microns or smaller — that are on par with inhaling heavy wildfire smoke. They’re wearing N95 masks inside their homes. Some avoid their units entirely until the restaurant closes.
“I hate when you have to involve lawyers and spend our assessments on attorneys, but at this point, there are people hurting,” Steve Leinwand, an over-20-year resident of the building, told the Post. “They can’t just write it off and say, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do about it.’”
What the science says about PM2.5
The health concern stems from real issues. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fine particulate matter is one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution — linked to heart attacks, respiratory illness and premature death. In 2024, the EPA tightened its annual particulate matter (PM2.5) standard from 12.0 to 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter because new science confirmed health risks at lower concentrations than previously understood.
A study published in the journal Air found that restaurant cooking operations can generate PM2.5 readings exceeding 36 micrograms per cubic meter within 50 meters of the source — four times the EPA’s annual standard — while readings dropped to 13 micrograms per cubic meter further away, showing that restaurant operations can meaningfully degrade neighborhood air quality.
At Terrell Place, the engineering firm hired by the condo association found a “strong smoky odor” in affected units during afternoon hours, with particulate spikes at noon and around 5 p.m. The report noted those timing patterns “could be concluded as correlating with opening and subsequent operation of the restaurant as the most logical source.”
Must Read
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
A gridlocked dispute
The restaurant group and its landlord, Douglas Development, have denied responsibility, suggesting residents’ own cooking may be the culprit. Douglas Development told the condo association it had made “a good-faith effort to investigate” and considered the matter resolved after an on-site visit with the original contractor.
But the condo association says the key to diagnosing the problem — access to the restaurant’s venting system and ductwork — has been repeatedly denied. In July, Rachel Poyntz-Baker, general counsel for Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Global, confirmed to the Post: “At this time, we do not agree to provide access to the premises for the installation of equipment or the proposed testing.”
