New development found at former dead-end in Viera
My family and I have lived in Viera for 12 years. That’s a long time for a Viera resident, almost local status. I can tell you nothing looks the same. We’ve been to Manatee games, the Long Doggers’ Christmas Golf Cart Parade, Sports Authority in The Avenues, and even breakfast at Mimi’s. Remember any of those? If you do, you just may be a local as well.
One of the more intriguing things years ago was the dead-end behind Church at Viera. We’d all wonder and often hope about what might be built back there someday. And a connection to Pineda? Wouldn’t that just be the most convenient thing?
PHOTO BY STEVEN R. HICKS
Well, if you haven’t noticed, that’s no longer a dead-end road. If I had to guess, a few thousand people are living back there. Take Stadium to Addison, or the new Pineda exit from Interstate 95 and you’ll find impressive development ongoing. Scores of new homes are being built, scores more just settled. There was a statistic floating around a few weeks ago from the U.S. Census that 1,000 people move to Brevard County every week. Let that sink in. Half of them must be in Viera.
The Viera Co. has done a wonderful job of building varied neighborhoods from townhomes, duplexes and single family residences. Wetlands have been preserved in some of the neighborhoods providing those of us who live there with regular sightings of bald eagles, herons of all colors, roseate spoonbills, wood storks and even resident gators.
PHOTO BY STEVEN R. HICKS
My family drives down to the beautiful Addison Village Clubhouse and turns into our neighborhood, but others continue on to Bridgewater [a 55-plus community] to Strom Park with its beautiful tree-lined streets or to Reeling Park’s unique townhomes. This is also where you’ll find the more upscale neighborhoods of Seville and Valencia.
But there is more there than homes. To accommodate these new families, there are two new schools, Viera Elementary and Pinecrest Academy. A Costco is under construction right off the exit ramp from I-95 and there are rumors galore of what’s next. Personally, I’m hoping for another Meg O’Malley’s. It is an exciting time to live on this side of Viera, back where the road used to end.
Steven R. “Doc’’ Hicks, Ed.D.
Photographer and writer Steven R. “Doc’’ Hicks, Ed.D., is an Adobe creative educator at Viera High School in the Academy of Communication, Art & Design. He’s also an adjunct instructor of digital media at Eastern Florida State College. He’s been an active commercial photographer, graphic designer, and writer for more than 35 years. He lives in Viera with his wife and two sons.
