Veterans cemetery construction to resume

After a delay of about two years, construction is about to begin again at the Sarasota National Cemetery.

A $15.9 million contract has been awarded to Kadell Industries and C & C Contractors to complete phase one at the facility on State Road 72.

Work stopped following the disqualification of four contract bidders, another bidder’s protest and then a counter-protest by yet another bidder.

Construction on the rest of phase one was supposed to begin in May 2009 and be complete this coming May.

The new contractors will start their work later this month or in early February, with a completion date of summer 2012.

More than 2,500 veterans and their family members have already been interred, but the rest of phase one calls for an additional 11,500 gravesites and 16,000 cremain sites as well as a new administration building.

When each of the 10 phases is complete, which will not happen for decades, 100 of the property’s 295 acres will be suitable for burial.

The cemetery is designed to accept veteran interments for up to 300 years.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].