When will Viera get a Trader Joe's? Viera officials answer most common questions

Not too long ago Viera was home to cow pastures, sod farms and the desolate area of Brevard County no one ventured to or thought of.

A lot has changed in nearly 35 years.

The thriving area, recognized as one of the country’s top 10 master-planned communities by RCLCO Real Estate Advisors, is home to roughly 34,000 people. Construction is constant as new homes pop up and sought-after businesses move into this unincorporated portion of central Brevard County that lies mostly west of Interstate 95.

With all the growth comes curiosity, rumors and plenty of questions. Eva Ray, vice president of community relations and communications fields many of those inquiries. She answered the top five questions she gets asked.

Will more schools be built in Viera?

Yes, and ultimately, Brevard Public Schools is responsible for building the future schools and when they will be built. However, The Viera Company does have an agreement with BPS that provides for the donation of land for future schools in Viera that are needed to support the expected population growth.

More: Viera official unveils vision for high-profile corporate park at Borrows West near I-95

Why is Viera home to so many retirement communities?

Viera is a master-planned community that has a diverse offering of different housing options for all ages.

We are actually more of a multi-generational community than a retirement community.  We do understand that it can “feel” like there are more retirement-focused neighborhoods because those neighborhoods are large and fast-selling, however, they are only a part of the overall housing product offerings here in Viera.

The median age of Viera residents is 49.1 and the median age of all Brevard County residents is 47.2.  So, we have a healthy diversity in our various age groups and age-restricted or age-targeted communities are just a piece of the overall plan.

When will the Spyglass flyover open?

This is probably one of our most-asked questions because of the sign on the land held for that purpose that has been there for many years.

This sign was placed to notify current and future residents of the eventuality of the roadway.  And, because the sign has been there for so long, people assume it has been stalled or is not happening.

However, the project is an obligation we have within our development order for the master-planned community, and it is definitely happening.  The triggers for initiation and completion of the project are not time-based.  The project is linked to the use of our Phase IV entitlements, or, in other words, it is tied to the pace of development.  So, when we reach those necessary milestones in our development plan, the project will begin.  At the present rate of development, we are still several years away from project initiation.  Viera is not quite 50% built out yet and we still have about another 20 +/- years to go.

When will a Buc-ee’s come to Viera?

There are no plans for a Buc-ee’s in Viera. This rumor finds its way to Facebook every few months.

However, it has never been true and will never be true for Viera as there is not an appropriate site that fits in with existing development and the future development areas of the master plan.

That is not say Buc-ee’s may be looking up and down I-95 in other communities, but, there will never be a Buc-ee’s in Viera.

When is Viera getting a Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s, and other highly desirable retailers and restaurants have very specific criteria and formulas that they use to determine where they want to go.  At present, we do not meet that criteria for Trader Joe’s.

So, while we can’t say never, we can say we have not had discussions about a site with them.

For companies who are not already here and don’t understand our geography and our demographics, it can be a challenge to get the decision makers to take a closer look at what we have to offer.  This is something The Viera Company encounters quite a bit in our discussions with potential businesses.

Brevard County is long and if you stick a pin in Viera and draw a circle around it encompassing the width of Brevard County, you get a lot of water on the east side and you get conservation land to the west.

Unlike dense areas that can capture nothing but rooftops, we have all of the wonderful nature and amenities that Brevard County has to offer, but, that is also a little a scary to prospective commercial developers.  They don’t understand that our population will drive for great shopping and dining and that we will support the businesses we want to see here.

My advice to anyone who wants a particular business to come to Viera is to get online and go to their website.  Some websites will let you submit a suggestion for a new location and others will let you submit a general comment.  Reach out in any way available to you and let them know you want to see their store or restaurant here.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Will Viera get another school or a Trader Joe's? Is Buc-ee's coming?