At the Ellenville Village Planning Board on March 15, Jason Rashford of the Eastgate Group returned with the preliminary application for a change of use at the one-time Chinese restaurant building at 211 South Main Street, which is right next to the Mobil gas station.

That property was bought by Congregation Anshei of Ellenville, which also owns the Emerald Pond apartment buildings directly across the street. Congregation Anshei seeks to convert the building into a shul, or synagogue. Rashford explained that the next step will be for their surveyor to produce a topographical map of the site and the road. That will then go to the architect who will design a plan for a crosswalk.

When the plan for that is ready, it will be sent to the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT).

Why this is necessary for Congregation Anshei, is clear. They are orthodox believers in the Jewish tradition, which means they cannot travel in a vehicle on the sabbath, which is a Saturday for them. The members of the congregation would need to be able to cross safely over Route 209, South Main Street, from the apartment buildings to the new shul/synagogue.

Speaking with the Shawangunk Journal on Friday, Rashford said that the most likely place for the crosswalk would be at the southern end of the property, next to the Mobil Station. He noted that in that area of Route 209/S. Main Street is a 30-mile-per-hour speed zone, and suggested that the sight distances were adequate. Depending on what the DOT decides when it reviews the architectural plan, a crosswalk may be permitted. At that point the applicant will return to Ellenville Planning Board to proceed with a site plan review and the change of use application to convert the former restaurant into a religious building.