Long-delayed Sarasota sewer project reaching the home stretch

The last phase involves some heavy neighborhood construction in south Sarasota.

SARASOTA – The construction of a long-delayed, over-budget Sarasota sewer project is finally nearing completion.

The Lift Station 87 project, originally budgeted at $12 million but now pushing about $52 million, is expected to handle one-third of Sarasota’s wastewater. The new design is expected to withstand a Category 3 hurricane.

The project will replace Lift Station 7 at 935 Pomelo Ave. and finish in early 2021.

On Tuesday, the project team gave an overview of the project’s final stretch – which involves some heavy construction in the neighborhoods of south Sarasota.

Expect continued road closures, access restrictions and blocked driveways for seven months or so. For updates, construction schedule and other information, visit liftstation87.com.

The two-story Lift Station 87 building exterior on 1900 Mound St. is nearly completed. You can see the brickwork and other architectural elements from the road and the station’s electrical system is ready to accept power to begin the startup process in March.