Sometimes you have to see it for yourself. Emerald Lakes has begun, and it’s big.
Exit 166 off of I-95 was opened in 2020, connecting a section of St. Johns Heritage Parkway to Babcock Street. For quite some time it was rarely used and the area remained quiet pastureland, but that’s changing now.
When researching this part of the county, it’s hard to appreciate the scale of everything from just looking at maps. I took another drive south on Babcock today and took a few photos.
Emerald Lakes will encompass all four quadrants of the interchange. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s coming:
Development Scale & Timeline
Total size: 1,561 acres.
Project timeline: 20-year build-out plan.
Local governance: Managed and funded by the Emerald Lakes Community Development District (CDD).
Residential & Community Features
Total housing: Up to 3,760 total residential units.
Housing types: Single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments.
Current builder: Lennar Homes actively building the first single-family houses.
Signature amenity: A planned 9-plus-acre swimmable crystal lagoon.
Commercial & Infrastructure
Commercial space: 2.8 million square feet for a mixed-use town center, offices, and industrial space.
Healthcare expansion: A planned 300-bed hospital to support regional growth.
Hospitality: Future hotels integrated into the master plan.
Since Emerald Lakes is being rolled out over many years, I would expect plans to shift as it progresses. But I was surprised to see homes already being built. I spoke with the agent on duty, and he was very helpful with home prices and the expected fees involved.
Fresh from City Hall: On September 3, 2026, the Palm Bay City Council voted 5-0 to approve a brand new amendment for Emerald Lakes West Phase II. They are adding 11 more single-family lots to Lennar’s active phase (bringing that phase up to 2,192 total residential units) and completely rewriting design rules for a new, wider 60-foot lot style.
What stands out to me most in this master plan map is how much area is zoned for commercial and industrial business—this is not your usual residential development.
On the map above, Lennar is currently building homes on the lots in the bottom-left section. I’m sure restaurants and big-box stores will be moving to the area fast.
The St. Johns Heritage Parkway currently ends just east of the I-95 interchange. It will eventually turn south and head for Ashton Park on Micco Road.
The Lennar price sheet shows home prices in this section ranging from the low $300s to $500,000, depending on design and lot size. If you are looking to buy here, make sure to factor in the total cost of a planned community like this—you will be paying CDD infrastructure taxes, standard HOA fees, and eventual club dues once the lagoon and amenities are finished.
Meanwhile, things are just ramping up along the Parkway and south along Babcock Street. Looking through the city and county websites, it’s honestly a little crazy.
Bulldozers are about to hit Ashton Park, as public notice signs have appeared on Micco Road. Waterstone and Cypress Bay continue knocking out homes in the same corridor. And just outside the Palm Bay city limits, two more massive communities are working their way through the process—SunTerra Lakes and Rolling Meadow Lakes—each with their own unique stories.
— Nathan
Quick Disclaimer: Information and images in this article are not guaranteed to be accurate. I do my best to research the topics and visit the areas in person, but sometimes information can be conflicting, misleading, or outdated. I’ll make corrections as soon as I learn more.
Contact me at: 321southbrevard@gmail.com
