Amy's Kitchen to be separate from spiritual site

By Geri Corey
GOSHEN — Two separate sites will now be used for the new Amy's Kitchen project, said Chief Financial Officer Mark Rudolph, who paid the Goshen Town Board a visit to talk about the status of the organic food producer's proposed new plant.

Both of the two separate properties purchased by Amy’s Kitchen are in the Route 17M, Hartley Road area, he explained. One parcel, a 73-acre lot known as the Ver Hage property, will become the site of Amy’s Kitchen. A 212-acre parcel, known as the Echo Lake site, will become the home of the Science of the Soul Study Centre.

The original plan had both Amy’s Kitchen and Science of the Soul located on the same Echo Lake property. However, the lack of sufficient parking space forced them to look for additional property, said Rudolph.

Amy’s Kitchen also purchased the Strong Farm on Cheechunk Road in Goshen. The farm will remain as is, said Rudolph. It’s continuing to be used for agriculture, he said, and is leased to a nearby farmer, as the Strongs had done.

Soul visitors expectedScience of the Soul is a non-religious spiritual society whose main objective is to promote a sense of brotherhood and living in harmony for the betterment of humanity. It is a registered non-profit group with no affiliation to any political or commercial organizations. No member is asked for money but all are expected to donate time.

Amy’s Kitchen owners, Rachel and Any Berliner, are members of Science of the Soul.

According to Rudolph, the Study Centre will host meetings and members do voluntary service, like building and grounds maintenance. Yearly — typically in mid-summer — about 12,000 people come to the grounds for a three-day annual national gathering. Accommodations are off-site.

Rudolph noted the economic advantage for Goshen and the surrounding area to supplying lodging, food, and fuel when these meetings take place.

It’s expected that approximately 1,500 people will come to two-day weekend meetings twice a year and about 250 people for a weekly gathering along with volunteer workers helping on site. During the week, minimal activity, like office work, draws between 10 and 20 people.

Plans for the Science of the Soul property include two caretakers’ cabins, a guesthouse, an administration building, a family multi-use building, toilet facility sheds, an agricultural barn for equipment, and an open-air pavilion for large gathering meetings, said Rudolph. The buildings will conform to the architecture of the local area.

Being environmentally aware, the society plants trees and uses hay fields for parking cars, called “orchard parking," he said.

“Members often engage in farming and nature-type restoration projects,” said Rudolph. Extra farm products are donated to food pantries and the Center of Homeless Service.

In clarifying the need for lodging — dormitory-styled space planned for the top floor of the multi-use building — Rudolph explained that it’s a temporary accommodation for volunteers coming to work on the Science of the Soul building while it's under construction. Two large rooms — one for men and the other for women — equaling approximately 2,500 square feet are planned. When construction is completed, the space will be available for volunteers who come to help during the large annual meeting.

Bridge over the WallkillAmy’s Kitchen is planning to construct a bridge over the Wallkill River, saying it’s the best entry into Amy’s Kitchen and Science of the Soul sites.

Board members expressed concern over taking Science of the Soul property off the tax rolls, which will happen within five years of the building's completion. Rudolph assured the board that the amount of tax dollars collected on Amy’s Kitchen facility would surpass what would be collected on the unapproved Echo Lake property.

Amy’s has secured a 15-year PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) program, which will begin in 2018, the year that Amy’s plans to open for business. Fifteen years after that, it’s projected that Amy’s will be paying over $2 million in property taxes per year on its $150 million facility.

Rudolph assured the board that there would be no activity at Science of the Soul until Amy’s Kitchen is under construction.