Sarasota Military Academy preparing for new building project

The Sarasota Military Academy is preparing to kick off a major expansion. Prompted by a donation offer from Sarasota businessman Jack Urfer, the military academy is developing plans for a new building on its campus.

Dubbed phase three, the school plans to demolish the northernmost wing of its existing campus (wing 4) and a portion of its main hallway to develop a three-story, 37,000-square-foot building.

As currently designed, the new building will feature office space and 22 classrooms, including a band room, computer labs and Exceptional Student Education classrooms. The project also calls for parking for 73 vehicles on the west end of the campus, located at 801 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota.

Michael Carlson of Carlson Studio Architecture designed the new project and Fred M. Starling Inc. will be the general contractor.

Daniel Kennedy, headmaster for the academy, says he has ordered 12 portable classrooms to house students during the construction and expects the demolition to start in November or early December.

“Students will be moving out of classrooms that were originally built in the 1950s, although we've rebuilt them since,” Kennedy says. “This will help to bring us into the 21st century. The new building will be fully loaded with smart boards and computers and everything needed for a modern classroom. It will really benefit generations of young people as they matriculate through here.”

Vertical construction is expected to start in January and completion is scheduled for August. Kennedy was unsure of the ultimate development cost of the new building, but says it would very likely be more than $3 million.

As part of the construction the entire school property is being renamed the Urfer campus.

Kennedy has started fundraising to attract the needed $1 million in donations to furnish the classrooms.