Willis A. Smith Construction To Build Plaza At Sarasota National Cemetery

Willis A. Smith Construction Inc. headquartered in Lakewood Ranch has been selected as the construction manager for the Patriot Plaza at Sarasota National Cemetery.

Sarasota-based Patterson Foundation worked with the National Cemetery Administration since 2010 developing a planned enhancement to the park and broke ground Dec. 3 on the $8.3 million project, which will be maintained in perpetuity by an endowment.  

The 1.83-acre Patriot Plaza features: 

• 20,800-square-foot glass covering designed to circulate wind
• Covered seating for up to 2,800 people
• Rofstrom that seats a 55-piece orchestra
• Commissioned art to be unveiled later
• 80-foot-tall stainless steel flagpole

Once construction is finished, the leased property will be donated back to the National Cemetery Administration in spring 2014.

The project is fully funded by The Patterson Foundation and is the first time a private philanthropic entity has partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - National Cemetery Administration on an enhancement of this size and cost.

Edison College Selection

Willis A. Smith was also recently selected by Edison State College in Naples as a Prequalified Construction General Contractor. The Edison State College District Board of Trustees approved the list of select contractors for the calendar year 2013 at the November 2012 board meeting.

Prequalification is limited for projects with an estimated construction value or size of up to $40 million per single project.