The Times published a special report about the forgotten cemetery in June, prompting the Housing Authority to hire the archaeologists.
During a nine-month search, the Times pieced together the cemetery’s lost history but found no evidence of a mass reburial.
In addition, the portion of Robles Park Village once home to Zion Cemetery now has five apartment buildings on it.
What’s more, Cardno had access to less than 40 percent of the cemetery property — the portion owned by the Housing Authority.
If human remains are found, Moates said, Gonzmart could still build there but not before moving them to a cemetery.
In 1951, the Housing Authority unearthed three caskets during construction of Robles Park Village but did not search for more.
The next step would be “ground truthing,” or digging into the ground in a way that leaves the bodies undisturbed. »
