A careful look at active restaurants, businesses, development, infrastructure, waterfront work, public-safety projects, and lagoon improvements around the island.
Updated October 30, 2026.
How to read the tracker
Seven stages, without skipping steps.
Proposed does not mean approved. Approval or design does not mean construction. A permit or licensing signal does not mean a business is open. Every card separates confirmed facts from what remains unconfirmed.
Watching
Proposed
Approved
Permitted
Under Construction
Opening Soon
Open
Active local projects
15 meaningful stories currently on the tracker.
Each update includes the exact location, normalized stage, plain-language summary, last check, confirmed facts, caveats, next milestone, and sources readers can open.
Business / Waterfront
OPENING SOON
Fat Ricky’s Pub & Grub at Harbortown
Exact location
2700 Harbortown Drive, Merritt Island, FL 32952
Current stage
OPENING SOON
Last checked
Fat Ricky’s has an active Merritt Island corporation, a DBPR restaurant application and a coming-soon website, but it is not yet licensed or confirmed open.
What is confirmed
FAT RICKY'S PUB & GRUB OF FLORIDA INC was filed with Florida on August 12, 2026 and uses 2700 Harbortown Drive as its principal address.
DBPR identifies FAT RICKYS PUB & GRUB at that address under record 10107295/license number 1505157.
The live DBPR inspection record, rechecked October 30, 2026, still showed Primary Status: Application in Progress and no recent inspections.
The business website displayed a coming-soon page.
What is not confirmed
No issued/current food-service license, completed licensing inspection, alcohol license or exact opening date was confirmed.
The property’s buildout or construction-permit status was not independently established.
What happens next
DBPR must complete licensing and inspections; the operator may then announce soft-opening or grand-opening details.
Merritt Square Mall, Unit J8, 777 E Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL 32952
Current stage
OPENING SOON
Last checked
Crossroad Jerk Center is in the restaurant licensing and buildout process. State plan review was approved with provisos on October 7, but the operating license had not been issued.
What is confirmed
DBPR’s plan-review extract lists a new-construction seating application filed August 26, 2026.
The plan-review status became Approved with Provisos following an October 7, 2026 review.
The facility address is Unit J8 at Merritt Square Mall.
The DBPR facility record rechecked October 30, 2026, still showed Application in Progress, no license number and no recent inspections; the latest plan-review extract located showed Approved with Provisos after an October 7 review.
What is not confirmed
Approval with provisos is not an issued restaurant license or final inspection approval.
No exact opening date or confirmed public opening was established.
What happens next
The operator must resolve any provisos, complete licensing inspections and receive an operating license.
7 Brew proposed for a Merritt Square Mall outparcel
Exact location
SR 520 outparcel in front of Macy’s, between Chick-fil-A and Truist, within the 777 E Merritt Island Causeway mall property; no separate street number assigned
Current stage
APPROVED
Last checked
Official MIRA minutes report unanimous August 27 approval of the 7 Brew site plan. Final county approvals, a building permit, construction start and opening date remain unconfirmed.
What is confirmed
MIRA meeting minutes for August 27, 2026, published in the official October 29 agenda packet, report that the board unanimously approved site plan 26SP00024 as presented.
The minutes describe an approximately 800-square-foot drive-through beverage building on the Merritt Square Mall outparcel north of Macy's and west of Chick-fil-A.
The same minutes report that MIRA delegated final signage approval to County Planning and Development staff for the September 16 Board of Adjustment meeting.
What is not confirmed
The reviewed record confirms MIRA approval, not final completion of every county site-plan, variance, building-permit or construction requirement.
No building permit, verified construction start or opening date was confirmed in today's official-source review.
What happens next
Verify the September 16 signage action, final county site-plan status and building-permit issuance before describing the project as ready for construction.
The Jade Space Coast hotel-to-apartments conversion
Exact location
260 E Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL 32952
Current stage
APPROVED
Last checked
The former hotel is planned for conversion into a 164-residence apartment community. Land-use approval is reported, but no conversion permit or construction start was verified.
What is confirmed
The developer identifies 260 E Merritt Island Causeway as The Jade Space Coast.
The developer describes conversion of the former 128-room hotel into 164 Class A residences.
The developer states that the property was rezoned in April 2025 for up to 190 residences.
What is not confirmed
No current building or interior-conversion permit was verified.
No financing closing, construction start, leasing launch or completion date was independently confirmed.
The developer’s rezoning statement was not matched to a newly retrieved county final-order record during this review.
What happens next
Conversion plans must proceed into building permits, financing and physical construction.
SR 528 widening and Banana River bridge reconstruction
Exact location
SR 528 from east of SR 3/N Courtenay Parkway to the SR 401/Port Canaveral interchange, including the Banana River crossing
Current stage
PROPOSED
Last checked
FDOT is designing a four-to-six-lane widening of eastern SR 528, including reconstruction of the Banana River bridge and three interchanges, but construction remains unfunded.
What is confirmed
FDOT project 407402-4 is in Design and covers 5.091 miles.
The plan adds one lane in each direction within the median.
The Banana River Drive, SR 401 and George King Boulevard interchanges would be reconstructed.
The bridge over the Banana River would be reconstructed.
Right-of-way acquisition began in late 2025.
FDOT lists a $9.5 million design cost and an estimated $366 million construction cost.
What is not confirmed
Construction funding, letting, contract award and construction start are not established.
The final bridge phasing and traffic-maintenance plan have not been published.
What happens next
Design and right-of-way acquisition continue while FDOT seeks future construction funding.
600 Cone Park Court, Cone Medical Park, Merritt Island, FL; Tax Account 2501787
Current stage
APPROVED
Last checked
Official MIRA minutes report unanimous August 27 approval of the approximately 2,488-square-foot medical/professional office site plan. A building permit, construction start, tenant and opening date remain unconfirmed.
What is confirmed
MIRA meeting minutes for August 27, 2026, published in the official October 29 agenda packet, report that the board unanimously approved site plan 26SP00038.
The official minutes describe an approximately 2,488-square-foot medical/professional office building for 630 Cone Park Court LLC, with the site address still to be assigned.
The site lies within the Cone Road sub-area of the MIRA redevelopment district.
What is not confirmed
The reviewed record confirms MIRA approval, not final completion of every county site-plan or building-permit requirement.
No building permit, verified construction start, medical tenant or opening date was confirmed in today's review.
What happens next
Verify final county development approvals and building-permit issuance before advancing the project to construction.
Griffis Landing / Blue Crab Cove / Ms. Apples redevelopment
Exact location
Blue Crab Cove and Griffis Landing at the former Ms. Apples Crab Shack site, Merritt Island
Current stage
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Last checked
County demolition/site work was previously reported underway. MIRA has scheduled an October 27 liaison discussion and an October 29 status report, but those notices do not establish an outcome, final design or vertical-construction schedule.
What is confirmed
A demolition contractor had been secured and county records described demolition as underway by May 19, 2026.
The County Commission extended Grant Agreement HL197 from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
MIRA records said staff were securing an architect under county purchasing procedures.
MIRA approved a board liaison for the broader Blue Crab Cove/Griffis Landing/Ms. Apples initiative.
MIRA's current meeting notice schedules a Griffis Landing project-liaison kickoff discussion for October 27, 2026 at the Merritt Island Service Complex.
The official October 29 MIRA agenda packet lists a Griffis Landing/Blue Crab Cove/Crabshack redevelopment status report under ongoing business.
What is not confirmed
Demolition completion, architect award, final design and vertical-construction start were not confirmed by the cutoff.
The final public use, building program, cost and construction schedule remain unsettled.
The October 27 liaison discussion and October 29 board status report were scheduled events. No posted MIRA minutes or other official outcome record was located in the October 30 review.
What happens next
Check for recorded outcomes after the October 27 liaison discussion and October 29 MIRA meeting before reporting a design, procurement or construction milestone.
4615 N Courtenay Parkway, west side of the road north of W Hall Road, Merritt Island, FL 32953
Current stage
PROPOSED
Last checked
County records describe a proposed replacement Fire Station 40 at 4615 N Courtenay Parkway. The latest accessible Legistar record does not show final action on the related easement item, and the contractor page does not verify physical construction.
What is confirmed
The September 15, 2026 County Commission agenda included a water-line/ingress-egress easement item for the north Merritt Island Fire Station No. 40 project; the live Legistar record checked October 30 still showed Status: Agenda Ready and no Final Action.
The contractor describes a one-story, 6,598-square-foot station with two apparatus bays at 4615 N Courtenay Parkway.
The contractor’s official project page uses future-tense language and does not confirm that physical construction has started.
What is not confirmed
Final site-plan approval, a building permit and a verified physical construction start were not established in the accessible sources reviewed.
No substantial-completion date, opening date or operational transition schedule was confirmed.
The September 15 easement item’s final disposition was not visible in the Legistar record checked October 30.
What happens next
Verify the county’s site-plan/building-permit status and look for dated evidence that physical site work has begun before advancing the stage.
North Merritt Island Zone E; Merritt Island Zones C, F and G; and Sykes Creek Zones M, N and T, including Horti Point and the North Banana River Drive area
Current stage
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Last checked
The October 16 SOIRL report says Sykes Creek Zone N has 75% of sewer pipe installed, Zone T pump-station electrical and mechanical work is underway, and North Merritt Island Zone E is preparing its permit package. No service-start date is confirmed.
What is confirmed
The County’s October 16, 2026 SOIRL progress report says Sykes Creek Zone N sewer-pipe installation was about 75% complete and lift-station work was progressing.
The October 16 report says Zone T pump-station electrical/instrumentation work was underway while sewer installation had reached completion milestones.
For North Merritt Island Zone E, the October 16 report says the permit package is being prepared; that report does not state that the package has been submitted or reviewed.
The County sewer-project page continues to list multiple Merritt Island zones at different stages, including construction, design and bidding preparation.
What is not confirmed
The October 16 report does not provide a sewer-service connection start date or an overall completion date for Zones N, T or E.
Zone E’s permit-package submission, approvals and construction date remain unconfirmed in the October 16 report.
What happens next
Monitor the next official progress report for Zone E’s permit-package submission or review and for further construction progress in Zones N and T.
555 Fortenberry Road near Harbor Woods Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Park, Merritt Island, FL 32952
Current stage
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Last checked
The revised 296-unit apartment project is actively under construction, but its final marketing name, leasing launch and completion date remain unconfirmed.
What is confirmed
The general contractor identifies a 296-unit apartment project developed by Woodfield Development Company.
The contractor lists a May 27, 2025 construction start.
A right-of-way use and maintenance agreement appeared on the September 15, 2026 County Commission agenda; the current Legistar file still shows Agenda Ready with no Final Action, so approval is not claimed.
What is not confirmed
No government-issued completion or opening date was confirmed.
A developer page references 2027 completion, but no exact delivery or leasing schedule was verified.
The final consumer-facing project name had not been established in the reviewed primary records.
Whether the September 15 right-of-way agreement was adopted was not confirmed in the Legistar record checked October 30.
What happens next
Continue following the contractor’s active construction update and verify any final County action on the right-of-way agreement before describing it as approved.
Veterans Memorial Park stormwater-lakes capacity and conveyance project
Exact location
The Lakes at Veterans Memorial Park regional stormwater facility serving a 165-acre basin near SR 520 and Fortenberry Road, discharging toward Sykes Creek
Current stage
APPROVED
Last checked
MIRA authorized Phase 1 engineering to evaluate the regional stormwater facility and design concepts for greater treatment and conveyance capacity. Construction design and construction are separate future phases.
What is confirmed
The existing facility serves a 165-acre drainage basin and discharges to Sykes Creek and ultimately the Indian River Lagoon.
The scope includes evaluating conveyance extensions to adjacent commercial properties, including Appliance Direct Plaza and the Griggs property.
The authorized engineering amount was approximately $124,204, with an anticipated 290-day performance period.
MIRA later unanimously authorized proceeding through an MOU with Brevard County Natural Resources so the task order could be issued under the county department’s contract.
The official October 29 MIRA agenda packet lists a Lakes at Veterans Memorial Park System Extension Analysis update under ongoing business.
What is not confirmed
Construction documents, construction funding, permits and physical construction were not approved as part of Phase 1.
The Notice-to-Proceed date and resulting engineering completion date were not confirmed.
The October 29 agenda established that an update was scheduled, but no posted MIRA minutes, completed analysis or construction authorization was located in the October 30 review.
What happens next
Review the recorded October 29 MIRA outcome and any completed engineering analysis before advancing the project beyond Phase 1 assessment.
Brevard County’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure grant program
Exact location
Brevard County program in development; potential applicability to Merritt Island is not yet confirmed
Current stage
WATCHING
Last checked
Brevard County is developing a green-stormwater grant program for homeowners, HOAs and other organizations. Merritt Island eligibility, funding rules and a launch date are not yet confirmed.
What is confirmed
The County’s October 16, 2026 SOIRL progress report says the County Commission approved proceeding with development of a Green Stormwater Infrastructure grants program.
The report describes potential audiences including homeowners, HOAs, businesses, churches and nonprofits.
The program is in development; the report does not say applications are open.
What is not confirmed
Whether all Merritt Island addresses or organizations will be eligible is not yet confirmed.
Grant funding amounts, eligible improvements, application rules and launch date have not been published.
What happens next
Watch for published program guidelines, funding details and an eligibility map or application process; confirm Merritt Island participation before advancing the item.
Only active Merritt Island projects with enough credible, checkable information to describe carefully. Denied, dormant, low-confidence, and location-unknown rumors stay off the active list.
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Send Carrie an official agenda, permit record, project page, or business announcement. Tips help us know where to look; published updates still need a source readers can check.
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