By TOM KANE

FOSTERDALE - It's now called The Meadows. It was once called the Recreation Farm Society.

The 77-acre property that is on the Newburgh-Cochecton Turnpike in Fosterdale will be open to the public for meetings, catered events, banquets, corporate meetings and motel rooms.

"Soon we will open our dining room to the public," said partner and general manager Paul Griffin who is also the owner of the Griffin House Bed and Breakfast along with his wife, Irene, on Maple Avenue in Jeffersonville.

Griffin said the resort will soon have a liquor license.

Griffin's partners in the venture are John E. Mulligan of Westchester and Jim Verdi of Cochecton.

Mulligan, an electrical contractor, and Verdi collaborated on several projects in New York City like the Marriott East Side at 49th and Lexington and the Essex House on Central Park South.

Recently, the resort property was in the news when a Hassidic group appeared before the town board, stating that they intended to purchase the property as a refuge for their Rabbi and his rabbinical students. People from the town, worrying that the group might turn the property into a bungalow colony like those in eastern Sullivan County, flocked to the meeting in large numbers, in some instances heckling the Hassidic representative.

Many in the town also worried that the group would take the property off the tax rolls despite the representative's promise that they would not.

Soon after, the Hassidic group retreated.

Then soon after, the Meadows partners appeared on the scene.

"The enterprise is an absolute plus for the town," said Cochecton Town Supervisor Salvatore Indelicato. "Anyone who has had the privilege of dining at the Griffin House or who has seen properties developed by Joe Verdi will have no doubt the new venture will be a first-class operation."

The resort has two dining rooms with seating for 150 people plus seven buildings containing 80 private rooms with air conditioning and television.

There is also a small pool on the property.

"Since my wife, Irene, is a professional singer with hotel experience, we will emphasize musical entertainment," Griffin said.

Since they have ample property, the group plans to have cross-country trails and will hold 10K runs along the paths some time in the future.