The Brevard County Sheriff's Office is planning to build a $20 million complex near the Brevard County Government Center in Viera that will include a regional training center for law enforcement personnel BSCO has submitted a $10 million funding request to the Florida Legislature to help pay for the facility The request for state funding is being sponsored by two Florida Legislature leaders — House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, and Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd The site also would house BCSO's West Precinct operations Brevard County Commission Chairman Rob Feltner — whose commission district includes Viera — said moving the BCSO West Precinct to the new site would be beneficial He said it would solve a space crunch for both the BCSO and county departments based at the Government Center by opening up space at the BCSO's current West Precinct BCSO said the training facility will enable law enforcement personnel "to receive specialized education in various areas This environment allows officers to practice and refine their skills in realistic which is essential for improving decisionmaking and the prevention of community impacting crimes." The BCSO said counties that would be served by the training facility include Brevard It "will give us an opportunity to develop officers from around the state," and to facilitate "developing them into the best law enforcement officers we can," BCSO Undersheriff Douglas Waller told Brevard County commissioners at a budget workshop last week collaborationThe BCSO said in its state funding request that the facility would provide "standardized advanced training for law enforcement agencies across Central Florida." "Beyond officer advanced training and professional development the center will serve as a platform for collaboration with state and federal agencies insights and innovative techniques," BCSO said "This advanced approach will improve multiagency coordination and response capabilities to address a wide range of public safety concerns." The BCSO said it also envisions the center to have other benefits such as "community engagement opportunities by hosting regular citizen workshops and open house events Citizens will have access to public tours and informational sessions that provide insight into law enforcement training methods." the center will offer educational initiatives for youth and community members interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement Facility would be built on vacant county landThe 45,000-square-foot complex would be located on vacant county-owned property off Judge Fran Jamieson Way between the Government Center and Florida Department of Health offices According to an applicaion for funding submitted to the Florida Senate Brevard County has committed the vacant land The county would be the owner of the building Construction is targeted to begin in January 2026 and be completed in May 2027 Waller said the facility is part of the "generational facility improvements" that BCSO is undertaking That includes the recent opening of an emergency animal hospital facility at the BCSO Animal Care Center just outside Melbourne as well as plans for upgrades to the county jail work farm complex south of Cocoa Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54 JLL Capital Markets closed the sale of the multihousing property in Melbourne JLL Capital Markets announced that it has closed the $60 million sale of Highlands Viera West JLL represented the seller, JMG Realty Inc. which owns and operates more than 4,000 apartment units throughout Florida Highlands Viera West with 240 units elevator-served suburban garden apartment community two- and three-bedroom units with high-end finishes and best-in-class amenities deluxe clubroom and lounge and resort-style pool with a gazebo area added “hard surface” counters and LVT flooring on the interiors and expanded the fitness center in the clubhouse The property is located immediately adjacent to The Avenues (500,000 SF power center) the apartments are positioned near Florida’s renowned Space Coast the state’s largest and fastest-growing high-tech clusters; Cape Canaveral touted as a key aerospace hub; and West Melbourne The Space Coast MSA continues to attract national talent as its major employment hubs continue to boom Highlands Viera West is proximate to various golf destinations including Duran Golf Club and Suntree Golf Club The JLL Capital Markets team representing the seller was led by Managing Directors Jay Ballard and Ken DelVillar JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers The firm’s in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients—whether investment sales advisory The firm has more than 3,700 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries Coaches can email schedules to FLORIDA TODAY at Prepscores@floridatoday.com (bracket championship); North consolation game at Cocoa: Cocoa vs 7 p.m.; South games at Viera: West Shore vs (bracket championship); South consolation games at Palm Bay: Palm Bay vs 6:30 p.m.; Rockledge at Merritt Island Christian (bracket championship); North consolation games at Cocoa: 5 p.m. 7 p.m.; South games at Viera: Satellite vs (bracket championship); North consolation games at Palm Bay: 5 p.m. 6 p.m.; Merritt Island Christian at Calvary Christian 3:30 p.m.; Odyssey Charter at Master's Academy (Vero Beach) Holy Trinity at The First Academy (Orlando) 7 p.m.; MCC at West Melbourne Christian Academy North semifinal games at Edgewood: Titusville vs 7 p.m.; North consolation semis at Merritt Island: Astronaut vs 7 p.m.; South semifinal games at Viera: Heritage vs 7 p.m.; South consolation semis at West Shore: Eau Gallie vs 5:30 p.m.; Orlando Science at Merritt Island Christian 7:30 p.m.; Southeastern Prep Academy at Odyssey Charter North semifinals at Titusville: Merritt Island vs 7 p.m.; North consolation games at Cocoa Beach: Space Coast vs 7 p.m.; South semifinals at Viera: West Shore vs 7 p.m.; South consolation games at Eau Gallie: Heritage vs 6 p.m.; Calvary Christian at Pineapple Cove 6:30 p.m.; Brevard Christian at Odyssey Charter 7 p.m.; Flagler Palm Coast at Merritt Island 7 p.m.; Merritt Island Christian at Crooms Academy 6 p.m.; Pineapple Cove at Jupiter Christian 5:30 p.m.; First Academy (Leesburg) at Merritt Island Christian 7:30 p.m.; Holy Trinity at Master's Academy (Oviedo) 12 p.m.; MCC at Mater Brighton Lakes Academy Fast-growing Viera has some new features on the horizon and three new single-family home communities including one focused on marketing to renters And new demographic data from The Viera Co show that last year Viera surpassed the halfway mark toward the 70,000 residents the area is expected to have when fully built out in 2045 "We're developing a community where people live "We're creating a place for people to start their families There are just endless possibilities here." Here are some of the highlights from a recent presentation by Pokrywa to members of the Melbourne Regional Chamber: Big developments coming to Brevard: Whole Foods, Aquarium, Melbourne Margaritaville: high-profile projects to reshape Space Coast Pokrywa said The Landings will be a 207-unit single-family-home rental community He calls it "an alternative to apartment living" for someone interested in Viera who wants to "try before you buy." which will be at the southeast corner the Stadium Parkway and Pineda Boulevard intersection The Landings project is in its early stage of development Condev is in the process of seeking approval from The Viera Co.'s Plan Review Committee and plat approval from the county for The Landings It's not likely that the homes would be built and ready for occupancy until some time in 2025 at the earliest Pokrywa said he believes this is among the first single-family-home communities in the area just for renters Among the new neighborhoods being developed by Viera Builders are Crossmolina west of Pineda Boulevard and north of Gingko Drive south of Pineda Boulevard and west of Stadium Parkway which will have both gated and ungated sections in that neighborhood "We're excited about those two neighborhoods," where homes will go on sale later this year Pokrywa said a new Publix supermarket will be opening in a few months in Addison Center at Viera shopping plaza The Publix-anchored plaza is at 7655 Stadium Parkway It is about 2.7 miles from a Publix at Suntree Square off Wickham Road in Suntree; and about 3.5 miles from a Publix at Stadium Corners in Viera "That's going to be a great new addition for all of those residents in Addison Village," Pokrywa said Two hotels are under construction in the Borrows West area of Viera — a 208-room Hilton Garden Inn and a 131-room Homewood Suites Borrows West — located just west of Interstate 95's Exit 193 and south of Viera Boulevard — is a 115-acre site with retail They will join four Viera hotels along Wickham Road and two in the Viera Town Center area But Pokrywa says Viera is hoping for at least one more hotel near the Pineda Causeway exit to I-95 and the Costco Wholesale store on the south end of Viera "We would like to attract a full-service hotel with convention meeting space at that location," Pokrywa said really 20 to 25 minutes from anywhere within the county also is seeking to attract more office and retail development in the area near Costco Pokrywa said a new apartment project is planned at the Viera Town Center area across Lake Andrew Drive from The Avenue Viera and just west of the Urban Prime Marketplace + Restaurant and will be developed by North American Properties which also developed the nearby 245-unit Luna apartment project Pokrywa said construction will begin later this year on the Nova apartment development which will have retail on the ground floor Pokrywa pegged Viera's population at 37,592 in 2023 That's up from 32,282 in 2022; 30,074 in 2021; and 28,695 in 2020 It is nearly seven times what it was in 2000 Pokrywa projects there will be 19,900 housing units in Viera by 2028 and 31,000 by 2045 "So there's still a very long runway in front of us," Pokrywa said Baby boomers (those born 1946 to 1964) hold the lead Here are the other categories of population: "This is a community that embraces all of the demographics," Pokrywa aid We're providing that lifestyle that buyers are looking for." The concrete and cinderblock structure rising from the banks of Borrows Lake in Viera just north of the Lake Andrew Drive roundabout For 10 years, owners Mike and Allyson Kastrinakis have built a loyal following at their Olive Tree Greek Grill at the Avenue Viera the menu focuses on fresh ingredients and family pride they're hoping that history translates into an even better counter-service restaurant with lots of outdoor seating and a state-of-the-art takeout system plus a Greek market and an intimate fine dining experience The Kastrinakis family wasn't new to restaurants even in 2014 when the Olive Tree Greek Grill opened Mike's parents founded the Old Olive Tree Restaurant in 1980 on Long Island They retired and turned the restaurant over to Mike in 1987 Mike and Allyson met there 26 years ago and continued to run the restaurant until relocating to the Space Coast The Avenue location will close once the casual dining area of the Borrows West restaurant is completed They're hoping the new place will be ready by April it looks like there's still a lot of work to do More about Borrows West: What's coming to Viera? New Publix, more hotels, single-family-home rental community More restaurant news: Holy hamburgers, Batman! This Melbourne eatery is super hero worthy | Restaurant Review There's a symmetry in aiming for an April opening for the new place The Olive Tree Greek Grill opened on April 22 "This is a one-of-a-kind building," Mike said while walking around the construction site The new restaurant was designed by architect Andrew Roman of Bros Rōman Bräun in Melbourne who knows the Kastrinakises through church and their Greek backgrounds It will feature three dining options: Order at the counter and have food delivered to the table; order online or from an outdoor kiosk for contactless pickup; or enjoy an elegant fine-dining dinner guests will walk in through a spacious courtyard before turning right to enter a small gourmet market that sells olives At the back of the market will be a long counter where diners can place orders at the counter similar to the setup at the current restaurant at the Avenue the diners will head out the back door to a covered outdoor dining that overlooks the lake For rainy weather screens will come down for added protection The building sits a few feet above a walking path that circles the lake, with multiple sets of stairs offering access. A miniature amphitheater is situated in the middle of the property, and the Kastrinakises plan to invite the Greek Dancers from the annual St. Katherine Greek Festival to perform while guests enjoy their meals A rolling bar with Greek beer and wine and cocktails will circulate through the dining area Robot runners will help human servers deliver orders to people's tables Guests visiting Pano will be escorted by a hostess into an elevator and delivered into an elegant space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the agora on one side and the lake on the other One large kitchen will handle dine-in and to-go meals which will be delivered upstairs by a dumb waiter There's room at the north end of the property to hold a big tent for catered events careful angles and even a faux fireplace in the design "This is very intricate, and very difficult," said Bill Moore with Archangel Engineering & Construction in Rockledge "Part of this concept is where our families come from," Roman said "We want you to feel like you're entering into a village." "It's as if you went to Greece for the day," Allyson said This isn't the restaurant the Kastrinakises planned to build The COVID 19 pandemic delayed construction and changed the design they wanted a single building with indoor seating and a patio The pandemic taught them the value of al fresco dining It also gave them a new appreciation for takeout orders which remain a big part of their current business "We've taken that to the next level and moved takeout to a locker system," Allyson said Those who don't want to come inside the restaurant can place to-go orders online Once a takeout order has been prepared and packaged staff will place the food in one of several lockers accessed from inside the restaurant Customers will receive a text message letting them know their order is ready They will receive a code to open the locker to retrieve their food from a covered area outside ensures contactless pickup and prevents anyone from grabbing the wrong order A kiosk next to the lockers will allow guests to order outside perfect for those who want to pick up a picnic to enjoy next to the lake As the designs for the Olive Tree changed and morphed the Kastrinakises decided to add a fine dining option into the mix Mike said they are consulting with a Greek chef to create a menu of dishes never experienced in Brevard before The elegant restaurant will feature a full bar and cocktails made with Greek liquors with proper attire required and no young children admitted They want to take their time opening Pano to make sure everything is perfect They don't have to open Pano to be profitable Making the dream a realityThe Kastrinakises don't like a lot of attention "We just put our heads down and work hard," Allyson said They're banking their future on Olive Tree Greek Grill's decade-long reputation and a sizeable loan They know they could have stuck with the original plan and created a successful restaurant that was simpler and less expensive to build But they wanted to do something different and interesting "We wanted to do something for the community," Allyson said Once construction is finished, the landscaping will begin. Landscape architect Susan Hall already has chosen a large olive tree to be planted in the courtyard More olive trees will grow between the lake and the south side of the building giving the feeling of walking through a grove potted herbs and lots of lush greenery will fill the property "Everything tells a story that augments the architecture," Roman said The new Olive Tree Greek Grill will be a world away from the small restaurant at the Avenue and it's a huge departure from the Kastrinakises' initial plans for a building with indoor seating and a patio it's perfect for it to be on the water," Roman said Suzy Fleming Leonard is a freelance writer and former FLORIDA TODAY writer and editor based in Rockledge. Email her at suzy@321creates.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com Click here and subscribe today. Home construction continues to be on a frenetic pace in western Viera Viera as a whole currently has about 34,000 residents and 14,000 homes project those numbers will exceed 70,000 residents and 31,000 homes by final buildout in 2050 So developers are continuing to build new neighborhoods there in a wide range of prices and with varying amenities Square-footage range: 2,200 to 4,000 square feet depends on location within the neighborhood Something else to know: Adelaide has estate homes with elevated lakefront and preserve views Square-footage range: 2,000 to 4,000 square feet Viera business development: Viera official unveils vision for high-profile corporate park at Borrows West near I-95 Something else to know: The diversity and canopy of this site ― with oak hammocks and pines ― inspired Viera to introduce a single-family development within the native setting with what the company said is the least impact possible The custom builders of Aripeka tailor homes to each property’s existing trees and weave outdoor living spaces into the native environment Square-footage range: 1,405 to 3,453 square feet Amenities in the community: A 30,000-square-foot 10-acre amenity center and resort-style clubhouse features a full-service indoor-outdoor tavern; a fitness center and movement studio; a ballroom; and a multimedia room The development has a gathering lounge with wine lockers; a dog park; sports courts (pickleball bocce and cornhole); private poolside cabanas; a resort-style zero-entry pool with lap lanes and sun shelf resistance pool and outdoor spa; a community walking path; and outdoor fire pits Something else to know: The active-adult 55+ gated community's homeowners' association includes a 24-hour staffed gate house gold membership at Duran Golf Course and all-inclusive landscaping Top transactions: Brevard's most expensive home sales: Rockledge model takes top spot for April Square-footage range: 2,708 to 3,937 square feet Something else to know: Laurasia is Viera Builders’ newest gated neighborhood It offers 14 floor plans showcasing what it terms "architecturally inspired" elevations and floor plans Square-footage range: 1,795 to 3,647 square feet Amenities in the community:  Community pool and pavilion Something else to know: Among the home styles are the Craftsman with traditional columns; the Modern Coastal with Bahama shutters; and the Farmhouse with specially designed lighting coupled with metal roof accents and board-and-batten details Contact Berman at  dberman@floridatoday.com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54 recently celebrated the opening of a new full-service branch and residential and lending center at 5340 Stadium Parkway The Viera West location is the eighth for Community Credit Union of Florida which celebrated its 70th anniversary in August More: Port Canaveral Commissioner Justice honored by International Propeller Club “We are thrilled to be a part of Viera’s growth and to support the residents with products services and financial education,” said Laurie Cappelli the credit union’s president and chief executive officer The Viera branch will provide personal service in-store along with the self-service convenience in the drive-through utilizing 24/7 Interactive Teller Machines that provide members with remote virtual assistance or standard ATM functionality More: Space Coast Health Foundation board votes in Dale as its chair Financial product and service offerings include checking and savings accounts; auto personal and mortgage loans; business accounts; and commercial lending services Many CCU Florida employees also are Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors and are equipped to provide financial guidance and counseling Warby Parker has opened a new store at The Avenue Viera This is the company's 16th store in Florida and first in Brevard County Warby Parker calls itself "a one-stop shop" for vision-care needs The store will carry sun and optical eyewear offerings including the company's new Memory Metal and Fall 2023 collections as well as its brand of daily contact lenses Exclusively at The Avenue Viera store will be colorful custom store artwork by artist Hye Jin Chung The company offered limited-edition tote bags with any eyewear purchase “We’re thrilled to welcome Warby Parker to The Avenue Viera,” said Kyle Cooper and we’re excited to provide our guests with access to high-quality vision care Warby Parker’s mission is to inspire and impact the world with vision The store will offer eye exams and carry their full optical and sun eyewear offerings “We’re excited to expand our retail presence in Florida with our 16th store in the state and first store in the Melbourne area just in time for holiday shopping,” said Sandy Gilsenan chief retail and customer experience officer at Warby Parker “Our goal is to always meet our customers where they are and we’re so happy to join The Avenue Viera to make it more convenient for the Melbourne community to access affordable The vision-care retailer is located next to Talbots near lululemon and Sephora Warby Parker was founded in 2010 with a mission to inspire and impact the world with vision purpose and style — without charging a premium for it the co-founder-led lifestyle brand pioneers ideas designs products and develops technologies that help people see from designer-quality prescription glasses (starting at $95) and contacts to eye exams and vision tests available online and in more than 215 retail stores across the United States and Canada for every pair of glasses or sunglasses sold it distributes a pair to someone in need through their Buy a Pair Warby Parker has worked alongside its nonprofit partners to distribute more than 13 million glasses to people in need The National Space Club-Florida Committee recently honored four employees of Aerodyne Industries The awards were made at the 2023 Celebrate Space Awards Banquet on Oct 13 at the Radisson Resort in Cape Canaveral The Aerodyne employees recognized were Tom Clark They were inducted in the Class of 2023 Space Worker Hall of Fame They support NASA’s Consolidated Operations “We are extremely proud of our group of 2023 honorees and I want to thank the National Space Club-Florida Committee for doing so much to increase awareness of America’s aerospace programs,” Aerodyne Chief Executive Officer Andy Allen said Tom and Eric symbolize what is best about Aerodyne and epitomize the passion and dedication exhibited by all of our employees across the country.” The Aerodyne honorees were joined by six teammates on COMET also inducted in the Hall of Fame:  Joe Hamilton Shelby Roberts and Ed Sikora of ERC; and Teresa Annulis is an engineering and information-technology services firm headquartered in Cape Canaveral the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration For more information about Aerodyne, go to www.aerodyneindustries.com recently earned a second-place honor in the first Florida Massage Championship because it was shared with Georgia Massage Championship also competed in the International Massage Competition in July in Copenhagen Kilburn recently opened a new location for Synergy Massage She can be reached at 321-614-8591, or go to synergymassageinc.com If you have a Business Newsmakers item you'd like to publish Price at wtpkansas@yahoo.com or contact him at 321-223-0230 is completing construction on a park area geared to adults that will offer places for visitors to bring their meals from nearby restaurants and take photos in Instagram-worthy settings The park is near the future site of a number of restaurants, including Ford's Garage, Tiki Docks and Venezia Wine Veranda Here are some things to know about the Borrows West Park which is located southwest of the intersection of Viera Boulevard and the Interstate 95 Viera interchange Plans for Viera development: Viera official unveils vision for high-profile corporate park at Borrows West near I-95 More from Viera: Mystery specialty grocery store, home improvement store, restaurants coming to Viera plaza New dining options: We can't wait for these Brevard restaurants to open in 2023 vice president of community management and communications at The Viera Co. describes Borrows West Park as a "passive linear park" that is being built around a man-made lake on a 34-acre site with a relaxing vibe But it will have oversized swings and chairs where Rey said visitors can sit and take selfies and other photos "We wanted to concentrate on those Instagram moments," Rey said The park also has a 0.9-mile-long cement trail around the lake for walking The park will be "more adult-focused around a dining experience," Rey said "It's not like a park we've ever built before." There will be a number of restaurants near the park and the park will have areas with tables and benches where where visitors can bring their meals to eat Among the nearby restaurants now under construction and expected to open later this year are Olive Tree Greek Grill and Venezia Wine Veranda Chicken Salad Chick and Miller's Ale House are among the restaurants planned for The Crossings at Viera a nearby development across Interstate 95 from Borrows West other than the park and restaurants?Borrows West encompasses 115 acres in all Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton; the 350-unit Linz of Viera apartment development with apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms; retailers; and dental and veterinary offices also wants to develop a corporate park within Borrows West Borrows West's name is derived from its previous use ― a pit that supplied “borrowed” dirt that was used in building nearby I-95 improvement projects Because this area is on the west side of I-95 Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com Click here and subscribe today but the developer that envisions them first must dig a few ponds to prevent flooding before adding rooftops and pavement Johns River Water Management District issued an environmental resources permit to The Viera Co for construction and operation of a stormwater management system for an 18.59-acre project known as Village 2 More in Viera: Adult-focused park in Viera to offer dining venues, trail and Instagram-worthy settings Viera Wetlands: Birding, nature area will close to public as Brevard solves environmental problem The infrastructure improvements are per plans received by the St Johns River Water Management District on Dec The proposed project is on the east side of Lake Andrew Drive and is bound by Lake Andrew Drive to the west Interstate 95 to the east and Pineda Causeway Extension to the south They won't talk specifics about the number of types of homes planned on the site "That permit is just for routine site work for the stormwater ponds in that area We do not have any neighborhood announcements/details just yet," Eva M It really is just site work at this point." Visit the St. Johns district's website at this direct link Construction workers are busy building a huge project that includes retail space for offices and restaurants at Addison Square on almost 3 acres at the southwest corner of Lake Andrew Drive and Ivanhoe Drive Check out The Viera Company's site for further details Jim Waymer is environment reporter at FLORIDA TODAY Contact Waymer at 321-242-3663 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com Twitter: @JWayEnviro Facebook: www.facebook.com/jim.waymer This is shaping up to be a delicious year on the Space Coast Though we have our stalwarts — Cafe Margaux we're looking at you — Brevard's restaurant scene remains ever-changing While at least 30 places closed their doors last year, more than 60 new ones opened The coming year promises great new dining experiences with several anticipated projects nearing completion in the next few months From fresh uses for older properties to new construction mom-and-pop places to eagerly awaited chains here are some of the new restaurants we're excited to see open in 2024 For the past year, Patricia Rieger, owner of Cypress Table in Cocoa Village, and her business partner Corey Russ have been elbow-deep in sawdust renovating the former Bonefish Willy's on the Indian River just north of the Eau Gallie Arts District Rieger said she hopes to have the Brevardian Riverfront open in March The circa 1920s building will feature a nostalgically elegant dining room with sweeping river views as well as a large waterfront deck Details: 2459 Pineapple Ave., Melbourne, brevardianriverfront.com For more than 30 years, El Charro served Mexican favorites in a Spanish-style building at the tip of the pie-wedge formed by Brevard and Florida avenues as they meet coming into Cocoa Village. Since El Charro Mexican Restaurant closed in December 2019 the space has been home to another Mexican place and an Irish pub "There's no casual seafood place in the Village," owner Thomas Bird said in August "I like the idea of oysters without the river-view prices I don't want you to feel like you have to wear a collared shirt to come inside." who with his wife Jenn owns Twisted Birch in Rockledge is on track to open Oyster Shooters in March The casual seafood restaurant will feature a garage door in the bar that opens to outdoor seating Details: 916 Florida Ave., Cocoa Village; follow the restaurants progress on Facebook More: Find your new favorite from our Big List of more than 60 restaurants that opened in 2023 Work is underway on The Crossings at Viera a retail development off Viera Boulevard that will include a much-anticipated Whole Foods Market "It's the best-received project in our history," said Jeff Garrison whose Atlanta-based company has worked on more than 60 mixed-use grocery-anchored and multifamily projects throughout the eastern United States "It's a much-needed service at the right time in a market that is exploding The rumors are true: Whole Foods is coming to Viera sometime in 2024 Garrison said tenants lined up to be in the complex include five eateries: Garrison said the target for tenants to open is at the end of 2024 or early in 2025 Details: The 20-acre tract is just west of Texas Roadhouse Turn south from Viera Boulevard onto Lake Andrew Drive and check out the progress as these restaurants go up Construction also is set to start soon on a Polynesian-themed Tiki Docks restaurant and bar The first Ford's Garage opened in 2012 in Fort Myers not far from Henry Ford’s winter home The casual sit-down chain restaurant serves a variety of burgers in an auto mechanic's shop-themed dining room The Viera restaurant will be its 25th in six states The restaurant features kitschy touches such as gasoline nozzles in the restroom sinks grease rags for napkins and a whole car in the middle of the dining room For those who like their beer colder than cold sit at the bar and set it on the frozen rail that runs in front of guests A Ford's Garage spokesperson said the restaurant should open sometime this spring Venezia Wine Veranda owner Rich Abbruscato described his vision for a rooftop wine bar with a retail shop and kitchen on the first floor Venezia will feature self-serve wine dispensers operated by refillable wine cards Olive Tree Greek Grill has long been a fast-casual favorite at the Avenue Viera Now the Greek restaurant is getting a gorgeous new stand-alone home Construction is well underway for the lakeside venue though a target opening date was not available Details: Just west of the I-95 Exit 193 and south of Viera Boulevard; facebook.com/VeneziaWineVeranda, fordsgarageusa.com and olivetreegreekgrill.com Winter Park-based Jimmy Hula's purchased the former Pineda Crossing restaurant in September 2022 After more than a year of demolition and construction, the home of food nirvana is targeting an April opening of Jimmy Hula's at Pineda Crossing, according to the restaurant's Instagram feed The Jimmy Hula's island-inspired menu includes fish tacos Currently found in 10 locations across Florida The restaurant space at the busy corner of King Street and Hughlett Avenue in Cocoa Village has been several things in recent years Soon, it will open with a new flavor and a new attitude. Cajun Soul Bistro & Bar a brick-and-mortar version of the popular food truck with an official opening set for Super Bowl Sunday on Feb is a Louisiana native who knows his way around the kitchen Flavor by Chef Kenya's Super Bowl Party has been a hot ticket in Central Brevard for a while now. This is his 13th annual event. Doors open at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 for the all-you-can-eat event that includes steaks, shrimp. crab, wings, oysters, ribs and lots more. Tickets are $40, available at EventBrite.com Search for "Flavor by Chef Kenya's Super Bowl Party." Details: 333 King St., Cocoa Village, facebook.com/cajunsoulbistro Sandbar Satty is coming your way with fish tacos Cocoa Beach's popular Sandbar Sports Grill is getting a little sister to the south in a space vacated a few months ago by Little Dos Mexican Cantina The restaurant has gotten a fresh coat of Sandbar-yellow paint, and according to the restaurant's Instagram Details: 1246 State Road A1A, Satellite Beach, instagram.com/sandbarsatellitebeach Hiring is underway and opening seems imminent at the restaurant now occupying the former Uno Pizzeria & Grill building on Wickham Road where Suntree melds into Viera The website includes a menu that features shrimp poppers Details: 8260 N Wickham Road, Suntree, ajslagerhouse.com A lakefront food truck park with an amphitheater and a seven-story apartment complex — the tallest building in Viera — are planned for construction within close proximity as showpieces of Viera Town Center Viera Town Center is the high-density development zone taking shape off Lake Andrew Drive immediately west of The Avenue Viera outdoor shopping center Todd Pokrywa, president of The Viera Co. highlighted the future food truck park and unveiled artist's renderings last week during a Melbourne Regional Chamber breakfast speech at the Holiday Inn Melbourne-Viera Conference Center "This has been sized and designed for art shows So we'll be able to start calendaring those out once we have this park started which will be later this year," Pokrywa told the audience More development in Viera:Official unveils vision for high-profile corporate park at Borrows West near I-95 Flying high:Sun Country launches seasonal flights between Melbourne and frigid Minneapolis-St. Paul "It'll be a food truck park with an amphitheater and then a place for food trucks," he said The 2-acre food truck park site lies off Town Center Avenue a stone's throw west of the six-story which is scheduled to open to tenants on March 1 The 272-unit Centre Point Apartments lie just to the southeast Off the north side of Town Center Avenue lie the 116-room Fairfield Inn & Suites a 300-seat restaurant and gourmet market that are under construction will build Nova — a taller 226-unit apartment complex with similar amenities immediately west of Urban Prime “We strongly believe in the growth of Viera and the Space Coast in general will put approximately 450 units right in the middle of Viera in an urban living condition," said Shawn McIntyre North American Properties managing partner "We do believe that the energy of the units Especially with (Urban Prime) under construction," he said McIntyre hopes construction on Nova begins during the third quarter with a target opening date during the first quarter of 2025 Dining in Viera:Gourmet market and restaurant planned for Viera near The Avenue set to open in March From Florida to Hawaii:80-year-old Melbourne Beach man completes marathons in all 50 states North American Properties announced plans to build a four-story 60,000-square-foot office building in Viera Town Center McIntyre said that project remains on hold after the COVID-19 pandemic softened demand for office space It costs more to build — and market rents for office leasing just can't keep up at this point," McIntyre said "So we're a little bit upside-down if you will Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1 Support local journalism. Subscribe today. Former 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful stopped in Melbourne Thursday to encourage early voting and to voice his support for Vice President Joe Biden's campaign for President I am for Joe Biden," he said speaking to a crowd of about 100 supporters gathered in the parking lot of the Viera Regional Community Center.  Noting this was his first time on the Space Coast that growing up as a child he would pretend that the Valley American Bank building was the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center.  a believer in the United States of America and a believer in what we can do when we come together as a country." Like Trump surrogate Lara Trump did at a campaign stop at Sterling Stables outside of Cocoa Tuesday with just five days to go until election day.  "I see so many Americans here in this vitally important part of the US which I hope you know is one of the counties that is at the very center of the political universe right now because you hold the future in your hand," he said Retired US Air Force Maj. Gen. Steven Lepper introduced Buttigieg —  an eight year veteran of the US Navy who deployed to Afghanistan — and slammed President Donald Trump's record on foreign policy and the military.  "This President has demoralized our military dismantled our international alliances and made us less safe today than we have been in my lifetime," said Lepper who was Deputy Judge Advocate General at USAF headquarters in Washington D.C before retiring to Brevard County in 2015 In a five minute interview with FLORIDA TODAY dressed in his his standard khaki trousers and light blue button down shirt made his case for why Biden would better serve Brevard voters than President Trump who is running on a promise to unite a deeply polarized country "The biggest change is you'll no longer see division as a political strategy." it's going to take more than any one person for our country to begin coming together but leadership matters hugely and right now we have a president who actively divides tears us apart over race or any other issue you can think of it'll be the opposite with Joe Biden," he said.  Buttigieg also emphasized the importance of leadership on the coronavirus pandemic.  "One of the most important things for managing a public health crisis is clarity and consistency," he said Transparency and trust in the Florida's published data has been a recurring issue, and just this week Orlando Sentinel revealed that weekly updates from the White House Coronavirus Task Force for Florida were being concealed from the public including one that specifically warned about the potential for Brevard to be a hotspot "You're going to see a focus on making sure that everyone through to county public health officials and mayors all the way up to the president are singing off the same song sheet," he said "You've got these transparency issues like you're talking about here in Florida and that is a real concern and it makes it that much harder for us to save lives." "This is about making sure that we protect our communities and save lives and are in a position to safely get back to normal which is what all of us want," he said.  To get a public which has resisted mask wearing or otherwise been unwilling to accept the severity of the pandemic Buttigieg said messaging from the top matters.  "Wearing a mask is a sign of respect and it's a safety measure," he said.  the Democratic Party is associated with budget cuts in defense and the space program Buttigieg said a Biden presidency would see a renewed investment in space research and science and noted that the current success of private spaceflight was made possible by policies under the Obama-Biden administration.  "Joe Biden was instrumental in the passage of the 2010 NASA reauthorization that led to a lot of the programs that we have now obviously they're complex new relationships between the public and the private sector that need to be guided with with wisdom and intention so that we have job creation and greater exploration potential because this is a human as well as an American goal," he said.  The GOP last Friday promised Trump would establish a permanent manned presence on the Moon and send a first manned mission to Mars.  Responding to what a Biden presidency could do for veterans suffering from mental health issues, and how to avoid cases such as the death in custody of Gregory Edwards a former US Army combat medic diagnosed with PTSD who died in 2018 after an altercation with deputies at the Brevard County Jail "We've got to end the criminalization of serious mental illness."  "Especially knowing that sometimes mental illness is service connected for veterans and it's not going to get better until we actually invest in it," he said.  "That's one of the things that's at stake in our pro-healthcare stance is making sure we have the resources that can allow communities to actually treat mental health rather than having a police officers be the closest thing you ever get to a mental health care professional or jail being the closest thing you get to an inpatient care facility We know that that is an incredibly destructive status quo," he said.  Later in the day Buttigieg will travel to West Palm Beach where he is expected to hold a press conference at a gold star memorial Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon is a watchdog reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact him at 321-355-8144 According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office fire rescue crews arrived to Drexel Road to calls of an unresponsive man around 4:33 a.m Detectives on scene determined the man was a homicide victim and further investigation pointed to Juan Viera (CBS12) — A man is behind bars after investigators say he killed another man and left him on the sidewalk in West Palm Beach See also:PBSO looking for missing 19 year old Authorities arrested Viera and charged him with first degree murder Viera was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices — A condom found among the belongings of a gunshot victim on the day after Thanksgiving helped connect Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators to his suspected killer was arrested Wednesday on a charge of first-degree murder According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office probable cause affidavit the victim was found dead of a gunshot wound on Drexel Road near West Palm Beach Deputies said his pants were pulled down and a Magnum condom was found in his possession After reviewing surveillance video from a nearby Shell gas station detectives saw a bearded man in the same area around the time that witnesses reported hearing what sounded like a firecracker Detectives said they located the man's Chevrolet Equinox at a mobile home park on Drexel Road the next day When deputies stopped the driver of the vehicle for an expired license plate tag Investigators said Viera was wearing the same clothes and cap as the man in the surveillance video they found a gun and shirt matching the one seen in the surveillance video lying next to each other on the bed "Detectives also located a used condom on the floor next to the bed and a three-pack box of Magnum condoms in the bedroom next to the handgun," the affidavit said "There was one condom missing from the package." Investigators also noticed a large amount of hair in the bathroom sink next to a beard trimmer "It should be noted that in the Shell gas station video "It appeared he shaved part of his beard in the day between the homicide and his arrest." The victim's identity was redacted in the affidavit During a February 2020 Melbourne Regional Chamber speech publicly announced plans to develop Borrows West a future major "urban streetscape" area at the southwest quadrant of Interstate 95 and Viera Boulevard Three years later, most of the lots across this 115-acre spread have been earmarked for construction or are under contract, Pokrywa said. And during a similar speech Thursday, he unveiled more Borrows West development details — chiefly visions of a future high-profile corporate park "There is no better place in Brevard County for a corporate headquarters to plant a flag and call Brevard County home," Pokrywa said And all of the services that one would desire with relocating a corporate headquarters here," he said Viera middle school:Brevard Public Schools breaks ground on new middle school in Viera Wine bar:Construction has begun on Venezia Wine Veranda, a Viera wine bar set to open this fall Pokrywa delivered a breakfast speech "Viera: On the Horizon" before a chamber crowd at the Holiday Inn Melbourne-Viera Conference Center This marked the same setting and podium where he made his 2020 Borrows West announcement The first business to open in Borrows West was Chick-fil-A Wawa is wrapping up construction with a springtime target opening date Pokrywa cited the nearby USSSA Space Coast Complex as a key generator of Borrows West development activity “Over 275 tournament days a year — driving more traffic to Viera than spring training ever did," Pokrywa told the audience and exposing Viera to prospective buyers (and) business owners that otherwise might not have ever visited the Space Coast," he said Elsewhere across the master-planned community Brevard Public Schools conducted a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new $52 million to $55 million middle school "It's one of the most critical drivers for new sales in a community," Pokrywa said of highly rated schools Coffee in Viera:7 Brew Coffee opens in Viera with expansion plans in Eau Gallie, Suntree, Merritt Island Home sales:Viera makes list of nation's top 10 planned communities for home sales Viera has 33,704 residents and 13,870 homes — and officials project those numbers will soar beyond 70,000 residents and 31,000 homes by final buildout in 2050 John Burns Real Estate Consulting recently ranked Viera eighth in the nation among master-planned communities in 2022 home sales RCLCO Real Estate Consultants ranked Viera 10th many are in major metropolitan areas: Jacksonville displaying a PowerPoint slide showing the John Burns rankings "We have so many good things going on here on the Space Coast with high-tech defense contracts and job growth,” he said still plans to build more than $85 million in future road improvements Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1 WEST PALM BEACH — A 43-year-old man is facing a murder charge following his arrest in connection to the November shooting death of another man in suburban West Palm Beach Juan Viera was taken into custody on one count of first-degree murder after Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators alleged that he killed a 36-year-old man Nov near Okeechobee Boulevard and Florida's Turnpike.  PBSO did not disclose the name of the man who died citing a 2018 state constitutional amendment modeled after California's Marsy's Law The amendment allows either crime victims or their families to request that their names be withheld from public reports The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office is representing Viera No bail was set for him at a hearing Wednesday at the Palm Beach County Jail Double homicide: PBSO: 'Anger and emotion' led man to kill 2 people, wound 2 others at home near PBIA South Florida cold case: Plea deal sets man indicted for 1983 Delray Beach homicide free 'We pray that it stops': Lake Worth leaders decry anti-LGBTQ violence after Colorado shooting A PBSO arrest report did not specify a motive for the shooting although surveillance-camera video indicates the men crossed paths shortly before deputies found the victim's body Investigators said forensic evidence showed that a bullet recovered from his body was fired from a .38 caliber handgun found in Viera's home.  Deputies also found a large amount of hair in a sink indicating that Viera had tried to change his appearance The surveillance-camera video of Viera and the 36-year-old man showed that Viera had a beard when it was taken deputies responded to the 1800 block of Drexel Road shortly after 4:30 a.m 25 after receiving reports of an unresponsive male lying on the sidewalk the deputies found the man had a gunshot wound in his abdomen.  Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene Deputies learned he lived a few miles south of the scene with his girlfriend The woman told investigators she last saw him the night before as she left him at a gathering near Okeechobee and Haverhill Road.  The gathering's host told investigators the 36-year-old man was at the same event and had requested to be dropped off at a gas station at Okeechobee and Drexel, so that he could meet a friend he was dropped off shortly before 2 a.m. and could be seen on surveillance video over the next hour making several purchases from the store window and talking to various people in the the parking lot a Chevrolet SUV pulled up next to the 36-year-old and a woman he had been talking to in the parking lot.  and the 36-year-old man appeared to argue before walking to the gas station store window to purchase drinks A nearby resident told investigators he heard a loud bang outside his home at about 3:30 a.m The man said he walked to the gas station about an hour later to buy beer and was returning to his front porch when he noticed a man lying on the sidewalk on the other side of the street.  The woman who was seen with the homicide victim earlier that night told investigators that the man and Viera each propositioned her for sex The woman said the two men were speaking nearby when she heard a sound that she thought was a firecracker.  The death marks the 81st homicide in Palm Beach County for 2022 according to a Palm Beach Post online database There were 113 homicides countywide in 2021 Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.  The large cleared tract southwest of the Viera Boulevard Interstate 95 interchange will become Borrows West a major "urban streetscape" project featuring sites for a corporate office campus office buildings and multi-family housing And we envision this as an important social and professional gathering place in Viera and Brevard County," Todd Pokrywa visible and central commerce centers in all of Brevard County," Pokrywa said Pokrywa announced the Borrows West project during a Melbourne Regional Chamber speech at Holiday Inn Melbourne-Viera Wawa and Chick-fil-A were previously announced and he said various undisclosed companies have inked contracts and letters of interest to build there is building a new leg of Lake Andrew Drive from Viera Boulevard southward to today's terminus behind Viera High crews will construct a Lake Andrew Drive roundabout linking with an eastward extension of Porada Drive which ends today between Caudill & McNeight Orthodontics and Smile Viera Dentistry Those new roads should open in April or May, Pokrywa said work will start to extend Lake Andrew Drive southward to Viera High creating a continuous roadway to the Viera roundabout and beyond That southern link should open in April 2021 "This really will change the traffic patterns within Viera you'll have a parallel road with Stadium Parkway providing a north-south connector," said Scott Miller senior vice president of sales and community development More: Lake Andrew Drive to extend northward behind Viera High, linking with Viera Boulevard More: 'Shark Tank' shampoo entrepreneur from Viera High guiding Nohbo to new heights the original 26-acre Interstate 95 borrow pit has been drained dry A fleet of earth-moving equipment and dump trucks is deepening and expanding the lake to about 30 acres "The Viera Co. has reshaped this lake to be the central feature of this new gateway to Viera around which a recreational trail is planned and uses are intended to front on it to take advantage of the water views to reflect the vibrant and active Viera lifestyle," Miller said "We felt it was appropriate and historically interesting to acknowledge the heritage of the land and the creation of the major north-south highway on the east coast of the U.S The corporate campus is slated just south of the lake Pokrywa said Viera had 725 businesses with 9,915 employees "There's a metric in terms of mixed-use for master-planned communities that we're hitting And that's: Almost one permanent full-time job is being created for every household that's developed in the community So this is the hallmark of a thriving mixed-use community — not a bedroom community," Pokrywa said during his speech "And we have a long runway in front of us," he said The nearby USSSA Space Coast Complex is helping drive Borrows West development Miller said. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at the Viera Town Center has reached more than 90% occupancy since it opened in May, Pokrywa said Borrows West will serve as the entryway and neighborhood hub of Viera's future "Village 3," a 1,942-acre area beyond today's western terminus of Viera Boulevard at Duda Cocoa Ranch Village 3 construction will not likely begin for 15 years or longer, Pokrywa said Starbucks is wrapping up construction of a new store at the Stadium Corners plaza crews are building Texas Roadhouse, Mister Car Wash and Goodwill near the new Star Rush Drive traffic signal Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1. To subscribe: https://cm.floridatoday.com/specialoffer/ It has always been illegal to drive a golf cart between the east side and west side of Viera via Viera Boulevard That hasn't stopped people from doing so anyway including students on their way to Viera High or other schools in the area But a major road construction project now underway along Viera Boulevard has renewed the focus on the rules — and has brought the issue to the county commissioner who represents the area Smith expects the issue to come before the County Commission as early as Tuesday as Viera residents have petitioned the County Commission for a solution.  "They've gotten emotional about it," Smith said More: Viera diverging diamond triggers traffic tie-ups; FDOT to open all lanes within two weeks More: Viera Boulevard I-95 diverging diamond 'soft opening' to shift driving patterns on bridge while he appreciates "citizen activism," there is nothing the county can immediately do to change the rules operation of a golf cart on county roads or streets in unincorporated areas of the county is prohibited except for “traveling the most direct route between the operator’s residence and the golf course or clubhouse adjoining the golf course which must be within the same subdivision or planned unit development where the operator’s residence is located." County ordinances that were approved in 2009 2014 and 2016 allowed the use of golf carts on various streets and sidewalks in Suntree and Viera County ordinances also allow golf cart use in certain areas of Barefoot Bay Savannahs at Sykes Creek and Sherwood Estates But the section of Viera Boulevard now at issue was never one of the roadways that was included in the rules allowing golf carts even though golf cart usage evolved from golfers in their neighborhoods in 1998 to high school students’ preferred mode of transportation today there has never been a time that anyone could legally travel over the Viera Boulevard interchange via golf cart — either east to west or west to east," Smith said "The reason for this is very simple: The Florida Department of Transportation deems that the safety of the public outweighs the convenience of a golf cart driver And FDOT has never approved golf cart passage over the Viera Flyover" — the section of Viera Boulevard that goes over Interstate 95 Smith said that while he is sympathetic to the issue of convenience of using golf carts to go between East Viera and West Viera via Viera Boulevard, "it's a real safety hazard." Among the issues are that pedestrians and bicyclists can legally walk or ride along the Viera Boulevard sidewalk and adding golf carts to the mix can be dangerous the sidewalk on either side of the road is not wide enough for golf carts to pass one another in opposite directions Pedestrians and bicyclists "would be greatly inconvenienced and put at risk by competing with golf carts for space that cannot accommodate all three of those modes of transportation," Smith said Viera resident Tanja Tea started an online petition on change.org seeking a solution to the situation of the lack of golf cart access between East Viera and West Viera — a petition that has gotten 1,349 signatures in less than a week.  she was unaware until recently that it was illegal to drive a golf cart over the Viera Boulevard flyover partly due to what she perceived as a lack of enforcement even as the population and golf cart use in the area increased She said her family no longer is able to take their golf cart to Duran Golf Club in West Viera no longer can take the golf cart from their home to school or to her golf team practice at Duran But most people weren't really aware" until recently that golf cart use was prohibited along that section of Viera Boulevard Brevard County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tod Goodyear said deputies have become more proactive in making golf cart users in Viera aware that it is illegal to cross over Viera Boulevard "We don't want to put them in a dangerous situation based on the traffic volume and the speed of the cars," Goodyear said especially with Viera Boulevard about to become an interchange of Interstate 95 as part of  what's known as the "diverging diamond" construction project We're going to enforcing it for the safety of the people in the golf carts and on the roadway Tea said she would like officials to work together to develop what she calls a "green path" between East and West Viera that would legally accommodate golf carts Smith said he has asked the county's Public Works Department evaluate a possible traffic design to allow one-way golf cart traffic on the sidewalks on either side of Viera Boulevard as the road goes over the interchange The county then would present that proposal to FDOT for its review But implementation this plan would depend on approval from the Florida Department of Transportation "If they deem that it cannot be done safely "My biggest fear would be if someone decides to make up their own set of rules and drives across the flyover and is injured or even killed in a golf cart or consider a golf cart causes a pedestrian or bicyclist to be injured or killed," Smith said "Then there would be a lot of finger-pointing The horror of one of these events would be unthinkable Dave Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY Twitter: @bydaveberman Facebook:  /dave.berman.54 Support local journalism:  If you're interested in comprehensive coverage of county government and transportation issues, consider subscribing, if you're not already doing so. For details, go to floridatoday.com/subscribe Brevard County's development market may not be quite as overheated in 2023 as it was in 2022 But look for continued fast-paced construction of single-family homes hotels and restaurants along the Space Coast in the coming year "We haven't seen anything slow down," Brevard County Planning and Development Director Tad Calkins said "The overall strength of development is good." An exception may be in parts of the commercial development sector where there are signs that things could be starting to lose steam president of Titusville-based Loyd Contracting Inc He cited the rise in interest rates in 2022 along with the increasing cost of construction materials and labor shortages as areas of concern Here are some things to look for in 2023 and beyond: "There's a lot going on everywhere," Brevard County Property Appraiser Dana Blickley said a Realtor with the Burgman Group at the Carpenter/Kessel Real Estate Advisory Team of Compass said the pace of development in Viera area remains "incredible." "They're rocking and rolling," Burgman said Other strong markets for new residential development include Cocoa residential development continues to occur with condo projects on the west side of State Road A1A Calkins said construction activity also has been strong in the Titusville and West Melbourne areas During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic the workplace changed and more people worked exclusively from home or a hybrid schedule that included some work from home senior vice president for sales and community development at The Viera Co. said that triggered a greater demand from homebuyers seeking home offices ― a trend that continues many people have shifted from going out into large crowds and instead are having friends and family over to their homes So homebuyers are looking for larger kitchen areas and open spaces for entertaining as well as houses with "very well-appointed" appliances fixtures and finishes ― even in smaller homes Shift in pricing:'The frenzy is over' Brevard real estate market sees shift toward realistic pricing Miller said sales within Viera have been down slightly in 2022 potentially related to the increase in the mortgage rate Miller added that "we've seen strength in the upper-middle range" of prices ― those in the $600,000 range — which are "not as influenced by mortgage rates" as lower-priced homes Miller said these include "affluent empty-nester buyers." "they're building apartment complexes everywhere," Blickley said Blickley said these complexes typically are "low-rise," with two- to three-story buildings and 50 or more units Among the apartment developments in the pipeline is a 220-unit project on an 8-acre site off State Road 520 in Cocoa Beach an attorney representing the ownership group said construction should get underway in mid-2023 with the project taking 12 to 18 months to complete It will include three stories of apartment units above a parking garage with two waterfront restaurants and public docks Oliver said the apartment market is strong in Brevard as people seeking housing see it as an alternative when they find hurdles to buying a home because of affordability issues an economist at Florida Atlantic University's College of Business who closely monitors the Florida housing markets said it could take another two to four years for the high demand and relatively low supply of housing to balance out "but that really depends on how fast we build new units" of housing Johnson said there is a trend developing of owners of short-term vacation-rental properties converting them into long-term rentals The imbalance between the supply of homes and apartments and the demand is creating an affordability issue "Affordability will be an ongoing issue for some time to come," Johnson said "Our greatest threat to our economic evolution is that housing is unaffordable." aerospace and technology workers into the Space Coast is keeping the housing market strong as is the overall trend of out-of-state residents moving into Florida "It's the goose that lays the golden egg," Miller said "The Space Coast is really the envy of other areas We are still bringing people into the community The Space Coast is somewhat insulated" from a downturn saying the area's increasing space launch activity "is one of the things that helps us tremendously." Johnson said the continued popularity of Florida among residents of other regions is keeping the state's market strong health care and technology jobs in the state and medical and veterinary offices remain strong Calkins said the biggest construction project in the pipeline is Health First's planned $508 million hospital and "wellness village" off State Road 520 on Merritt Island that would replace the current Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach The project now is in site plan development and is targeted for completion by 2026 the hospital is expected to spark other commercial and residential development in the area "That will be really good for Merritt Island," Calkins said Mayor Paul Alfrey noted two major developments are being planned across the street from one another on Strawbridge Avenue Downtown development:Orion180's six-level HQ with rooftop restaurant, garage chosen for Melbourne lot multi-tenant building include 62,500 square feet for Orion180's new headquarters; 10,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space; and a 7,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant featuring "a higher-end dining concept." Orion180 The other is a proposed 11-story apartment building that also would house the Melbourne Regional Chamber's new headquarters Adëlon Capital's plan for that project includes an 11-story complex featuring 105 apartments (73 market-rent units and 32 affordable-housing units) atop four levels of parking at the 0.6-acre lot Also on the ground floor: a 6,770-square-foot Melbourne Regional Chamber headquarters and 2,000 square feet of retail space Crystal Lagoon development at airport:What we know about proposed 'Lakoona Beach' complex also has a major project planned on a 56-acre wooded site owned by Melbourne Orlando International Airport Crystal Lagoons plans to develop a man-made public-access lagoon surrounded by white-sand beaches commercial space and multifamily housing on the site off NASA Boulevard other than the Space Coast's overall popularity as a tourist destination They include the strength of the Port Canaveral cruise market as well as the influx of visitors to the area for adult and youth baseball and softball tournaments at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Viera in partnership with Weathervane Capital Partners has begun work on its future 131-room Homewood Suites hotel in the Borrows West area of Viera The hotel is scheduled to open in early 2024 Borrows West is a 115-acre mixed-use development that will feature corporate offices entertainment venues and multifamily housing The Homewood Suites is the first of two hotels planned for Borrows West by this partnership group The second is a 208-room Hilton Garden Inn featuring a rooftop bar and extensive meeting space The Hilton Garden Inn is expected to open in the summer of 2024 Driftwood Capital plans to tear down the 502-room two-story International Palms Resort it owns off State Road A1A in Cocoa Beach six-story Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa on the site Driftwood says the Westin will be a "4½-star" hotel — the most upscale in Brevard County ― and will be a $388 million project Melbourne development:Compass Landing by Margaritaville site work underway in Melbourne with 2024 target opening site work has begun on Compass Landing by Margaritaville a tropical-themed hotel-restaurant complex off U.S 146-room hotel; a two-story restaurant with 400 seats; a marina with 221 boat slips; a 14,000-square-foot event lawn with a stage; a four-level parking garage; and a public boardwalk Hotel owners Bob Baugher and Tom Hermansen partnered on a 151-room SpringHill Suites and a 153-room TownePlace Suites that opened north of Baugher's Radisson Resort at the Port And Baugher now is planning to build another three hotels with a water park and a large parking garage Adëlon Capital is developing the five-story 143-room Hyatt Place "fly-in hotel" with a rooftop bar and outdoor swimming pool That hotel is under construction near the Melbourne Orlando International Airport passenger terminal 130-room Element Melbourne extended-stay hotel on a 2.6-acre site off State Road A1A a database compiled by hotel industry tracker STR Inc for the Space Coast Officer of Tourism shows five new hotels with a total of 602 rooms opening in Brevard County in 2023 plus 10 hotels with a total of 1,344 rooms opening in 2024 New dining choices:Here are almost 80 new restaurants that opened on the Space Coast in 2022 There were about 80 restaurant openings in Brevard County in 2022 and it's expected that 2023 will be a strong year for restaurant openings as well Alfrey noted that some longtime restaurant owners have decided to close their establishments but other restaurants are taking their place Restaurant trensformation:What's next for Matt's Casbah location as owner embraces retirement the Long Doggers chain and Hemingway's Tavern have bought the now-closed Matt's Casbah restaurant in downtown Melbourne They plan to expand the operations and Mexican-Cuban menu of El Tucan on Merritt Island at the 5,177-square-foot former Matt's Casbah space Casual-dining option:Winter Park-based casual dining restaurant Jimmy Hula's to open in former Pineda Crossing the closing of the Pineda Crossing Bar & Grill off U.S 1 in September will lead to the opening of a Jimmy Hula's casual-dining restaurant on that site The Jimmy Hula's island-inspired menu includes fish tacos former executive chef and co-owner at Green Turtle Market in Indian Harbour Beach plans are underway for the Venezia Wine Veranda wine bar that also will offer beers Miller said the pandemic has caused a pullback in the office construction market "The office sector has paused a little bit," Miller said Loyd said he is noticing a slowdown in various types of commercial construction noting that the pipeline of projects at his company for both small commercial projects and large upscale custom homes is smaller than it had been He said he will be finishing many of his projects in the next three months but has fewer new projects to take their place in 2023 some of his customers in the commercial sector "are not borrowing money as aggressively as they were" for construction projects The cost of construction and supply-chain issues continue to be a challenge for the development community it might be utility equipment," Miller said in discussing supply shortages that have cropped up Lumber and concrete have been among the construction materials that have seen rising prices triggering an increase in home construction costs averaging about 10% "depending on the product types and the price points." But Miller said he expects construction costs to level out during 2023 Loyd said a labor shortage also is increasing construction costs Among the shortage of workers are those in skilled trades plumbers and heating/ventilation/air-conditioning specialists adding that he is hoping the nation can avoid a recession although rising interest rates during 2022 have impacted the pace of development he remains "very excited about Brevard's long-term potential." Suzy Fleming Leonard and Rick Neale contributed to this story Contact Berman at 321-242-3649 or dberman@floridatoday.com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54. Home sales: Data compiled by the Florida Association of Realtors indicates that there were 9,254 single-family homes sold in Brevard County during the first 10 months of 2022 But the median sale price ― the price at which half the homes sold for more and half for less ― continued to rise The median price was $358,000 in the first 10 months of 2022 Condo sales: Sales of condos and townhouses showed a similar trend The numbers of closed sales in Brevard in during that time span was 2,363 Overvalued housing: The average home sale price in Brevard is $367,584 which is 58.51% above what the sale price should be That percentage makes Brevard the second-most-overvalued home sale market in the country among the 100 largest metro areas Home sale prices are up 19.03% from a year ago thus has different price results than the Florida Association of Realtors reports The average rental price in Brevard is $2,023.88 a month which is 10.75% above what rental price should be That percentage makes Brevard the 21st-most-overvalued rental market in the country among the 100 largest metro areas Rental prices are up 12.55% from a year ago The rental Index covers the entire stock of rental homes and apartments It was just last spring that the Brevard County school district approved building two elementary schools over the next five years to solve overcrowding issues district officials say they may not need two new schools The new schools were to be built in Viera in 2019-20 and in West Melbourne in 2021-22 — two of the fastest-growing areas in the county where elementary schools are quickly nearing capacity the district held a series of town hall meetings to gather feedback from families who were frustrated with their children's crowded classrooms and excited at the possibility of a new school to provide some relief.  But two new charter schools could erase the need for the district to build new schools of its own district officials said at a school board workshop Tuesday Previous story: Facing backlash, school board tables Mel High rezoning Previous story: School Board leases land for Viera middle school Pineapple Cove Classical Academy is slated to open a West Melbourne campus this school year and Pinecrest Academy is scheduled to open its first Brevard location in Viera next August.  which already operates a Palm Bay campus, will be a K-8 school and enroll 540 students owned by a company that operates charter schools across the state and in Nevada will be a K-6 school and will enroll 470 students the first year and 910 students by the third year.  The students who would attend these schools will likely live in the same neighborhoods where the district was contemplating building new schools.  "They have solved our elementary school problem in that area," said Dane Theodore assistant superintendent of Facilities Services.  Without a new school in the area, Suntree Manatee and Roy Allen elementary schools are projected to hit at least 92 percent capacity by 2019-20 Quest Elementary is expected to hit 117 percent capacity that year.  A new elementary school in Viera would enroll 424 students School board members haven't officially decided to dump their plan to build schools but district staff recommended at a workshop Tuesday that they monitor how Pinecrest affects enrollment at nearby elementary schools before constructing a school in Viera and in the meantime request proposals for designs District staff also recommend that board members nix the West Melbourne elementary school.  Previous plan: School Board OKs plan to build schools, reopen South Lake director of Planning and Project Management for the district said money isn't the reason behind her recommendation to pause on construction because the district planned to use impact fees to build the schools — the money that developments have to pay to agencies providing public services to their future residents Impact fees can only be used to pay for new construction or paying off debt.  The decision to build two new elementary schools was part of a five-year plan approved by the school board last February The plan also called for adding 92 portables to schools around the county over the next five years; reopening South Lake Elementary in Titusville which is on schedule to open this August; building an addition at Cocoa High which will start construction this school year; and redrawing attendance boundaries for some neighborhoods The district has also been converting computer labs into classrooms.  Instead of using the money from impact fees to build elementary schools district staff recommended the board start saving to build a middle school in Viera in five or six years — a development that's sure to please families who have for years asked the board to build them a middle school You can't do it overnight," said Hann.  The middle school would be built on the 28-acre parcel of land next to Viera High School that is currently being leased to Brevard Production Inc The land was donated by the Viera Co. to the school district in 2015; however a school was never built because district staff said there wasn't an immediate need for a middle school in that area.  The middle school would help with overcrowding at Kennedy Middle in Rockledge and DeLaura Middle in Satellite Beach where kids in Viera go for middle school and are nearing total capacity District staff also advised the school board start to build a reserve if the district needs to build more schools in the north and south ends of the county down the road where the district is seeing a lot of growth Projections show elementary schools in the north and south ends of the county are some of the most crowded Even with the reopening of South Lake Elementary in Titusville Imperial Estates and Pinewood elementaries are also projected to surpass their total capacities by 2022 unless portables are brought in or the district finds another solution.  The school board is also in the early stages of researching shifting sixth grade from elementary school to middle school and building one K-8 school in the central part of the county.  Caroline Glenn is the Education Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY Contact her at 321-576-5933 or caglenn@floridatoday.com Follow her on Twitter @bycarolineglenn and Education at Florida Today on Facebook VIERA — The Viera Hawks girls soccer team is just three wins away from a state championship after defeating West Boca Raton 5-2 in the Region 2-6A semifinal Friday night Viera went on to score three goals in the second half "To be able to win playing your worst game is a positive thing for us," Viera head coach Calvin Dixon said I told them they were playing very nervous and we were clearing balls that didn't need to be cleared." Despite the score being tied at 1-1 for most of the first half Viera still went into the second half with a 2-1 lead after Gianna Buysse scored a goal three minutes before halftime the Hawks found themselves tied again with the Bulls five minutes into the second half when Giovana Canali scored a goal for West Boca Raton Brienna McCain delivered the tie-breaking goal to put Viera in front for good The Hawks scored again four minutes later when Eva McMenemy-Hoang scored a penalty kick that was given after a handball by West Boca Raton in the box Meghan Nadle sealed the win for Viera with a fifth goal when she connected on a pass from Buysse "We needed to settle down and play and I think in the second half we started to do that," Dixon said then we look as good what we did in the second half." Merritt Island fell to American Heritage 3-0 in the Region 4-5A semifinals The Mustangs end their season with a record of 13-3-2 and as winners of the District 13-5A championship Viera moved on to the regional final after defeating Dwyer 4-0 Jake Medina scored the Hawks' first goal of the night and Aiden Gates also finished with a goal for Viera The Hawks will host New Smyrna Beach in the regional final on Feb New Smyrna Beach defeated Melbourne 3-0 in the regional semifinals Melbourne finishes its season as District 7-6A champion and with a 13-5-2 record Justyce Davey (SC) 8-1; Grace McGregor (T) def Kaley Noyes (SC) 8-0; Maddie Still (T) def Yzabella Quitlong (SC) 8-1; Alyson Lyod (T) def Davey/Noyes (SC) 8-1; McGregor/Lyod (T) def Carly Farson (S) 8-6; Lauren Williams (S) def Natalia Dapena (B) 8-5; Vivian Purvis (S) def Noelle Walters (B) 8-3; Reagan Bird (S) def Reid/Walters (B) 6-2; Lauren Williams/Vivian Purvis (S) def Kadie Núñez (C) 8-1; Aryanna Best (MI) def Mackenzie Franz (C) 8-3; Kylie Wellman (MI) def Elyssa Rosenberg (C) 8-4; Olivia Harris (MI) def Jilliannah Robinson (C) 8-1; Malea Mason (MI) def Doubles: Caroline Kunik/Kylie Wellman (MI) def Kadie Nuñez/Mackenzie Franz (C) 8-4; Kayla Wendt/Scarlett Frattin (MI) def Elyssa Rosenberg/Jilliannah Robinson (C) 8-5 Caleb Stewart-Reid (B) 8-0; Jacob Junek (S) def Braden Rogers (B) 8-1; Sabastian Gonzalez def Doubles: Ben Frallicciardi/Jacob Junek (S) def Jack Eaton/Cody Jacobs (B) 8-4; Caleb Stewart-Reid/Braden Rogers (B) def Will Clark (E) 8-2; Nick Velasquez (E) def Xander Fuchs (CB) 8-0; Gabe Torres Rivera (E) def Mathew Paulson (CB) 8-1; Carson Hunt (E) def Abdul/Trska (CB) 8-0; Dalil/Torres Rivera (E) def Carlos Deleon (C) 8-0; Alex Gregoire (MI) def Tyrone Castillo (C) 8-5; Connor Kahl (MI) def Evan Alves (C) 8-1; Joseph Tallman (MI) def Gerson Deleon (C) 8-3; Adam Chapman (MI) def Doubles: Finley Borgie/Joseph Tallman (MI) def Carlos Deleon/Gerson Deleon (C) 8-0; Alex Gregoire/Adam Chapman (MI) def Coaches can email results to FLORIDA TODAY at Prepscores@floridatoday.com Home » Home » Homewood Suites 131-Room Property Breaks Ground in Viera’s Borrows West By  //  October 4 has begun work at the site of its future Homewood Suites hotel in the prestigious Borrows West development in Viera to be operated by General Hotels Corporation will reflect Viera’s warmth and hospitality and be the perfect addition to the 115-acre mixed-use development that will feature corporate offices and multi-family opportunities,” said a company spokesperson This is the first of two hotels planned for Borrows West by this partnership group Construction will also soon begin for a 208-room Hilton Garden Inn featuring a roof-top bar and generous meeting space “Today marks a special moment as we officially begin work at our outstanding location in Viera We are excited to further our partnership with Hilton President and CEO of General Hotels Corporation “We are thrilled to be a part of this incredible development in Viera,” said Tom Paulus Founder and Managing Partner of Weathervane Capital Partners “We look forward to serving the needs of visitors to the USSSA Space Coast Complex and throughout Brevard County.” Weathervane Managing Partner Michael Murchie adds “Our commitment to developing two hotels in Borrows West shows our belief in this community and ongoing strength of the Florida hotel market.” General Hotels and Weathervane are currently partnered on another hotel under construction in Estero with more hotel projects to come in the state of Florida The Homewood Suites Viera will offer a free hot breakfast with healthy options daily a 24-hour business center and fitness center as well as welcoming exterior guest spaces featuring a swimming pool each guestroom will include a dinette area and kitchen as well as a pullout sleeper sofa for additional seating and sleeping capacity the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 world-class brands Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app choose their room and access their room using Digital Key CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS Click Here to Sign Up for Text Alerts