Woodlawn Cemetery is keeping up with demand for more mausoleum spaces as more people are pre-planning their final arrangements. The Eternal Light Mausoleum will see the addition of 244 crypts as a result.
The improvements demonstrate Woodlawn Cemetery’s commitment to continuously invest in the grounds. Eternal Light was the first mausoleum built at Woodlawn back in the 1970s and has long been full, so it was time to revisit its role in the cemetery. Location was another consideration as for many years, there were no crypts available for families with memorials on the western side of Woodlawn. The cemetery is home to four main mausoleums, the newest of which is the Sunset complex on the eastern side.
The expansion of Eternal Light will add 48 indoor crypt spaces and another 196 outdoor options. Inside crypts will be marble with outside spaces made of granite to mimic the existing building.
Woodlawn Cemetery Superintendent Steven G. Sloane expects 80 percent of the space to be sold in two years. It’s one of the reasons why expansion plans are already in the works for the popular Sunset Mausoleum Complex.
“More people are pre-planning and demand for crypts has steadily increased,” Sloane said. “We needed to add this inventory so we can continue offering different choices to people.”
The current Eternal Light building houses an occasionally-used chapel that will be revived for more frequent services. Renderings also reveal the addition of skylights in the addition. Additionally, the main building will get a new roof and upgraded indoor lighting to match the modern amenities of the expansion.
The project has an estimated completion date of May 2022, but space is available to those pre-planning now.