Catholic church entity buys land for Sarasota cemetery

BUYER: All Saints Catholic Cemetery Inc. (principals: Frank Dewane, Stephen McNamara and Dr. Volodymyr Smeryk), Venice

SELLER: LT Ranch nka LT Partners LLLP

PROPERTY: 8990 State Road 72, Sarasota

PRICE: $2.9 million

PREVIOUS PRICE: $2.37 million, December 1988

ATTORNEY ON DEED: Joseph A. DiVito Esq., St. Petersburg

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: All Saints Catholic Cemetery, an affiliated entity of the Catholic Diocese of Venice in Florida, purchased 102.1 acres a mile east of the Bee Ridge Extension for $2.9 million.

The price equated to $28,371 per acre.

As the purchase entity name suggests, the diocese acquired the vacant residential land to develop a Catholic cemetery with a mausoleum complex, grave and columbarium sites, crypts and an office, maintenance area and chapel.

“The land for All Saints Catholic Cemetery was purchased in response to a growing desire of Catholics in the Sarasota area to be buried in a Catholic cemetery,” says Billy Atwell, director of communications for the diocese. “Combined with this growing desire is a shift in demographics in which an increasing number of people are looking to stay in Florida permanently.”

The Diocese of Venice, which comprises 10 counties from Manatee County south to Collier County, does not currently operate a Catholic cemetery.

Atwell says the site was chosen because of its location in the region and its proximity to Sarasota Catholic parishes.

A committee of the diocese is still formulating the development plan for the property.