Living in Florida's Space Coast
Costa Norte
Costa Norte is a small waterfront townhouse community at the end of Sykes Creek Drive on Merritt Island, one recorded plat, one street, tile roofs and a Spanish street naming carried over from Via De La Reina and Via Havarre. Several units hold private docks and boat lifts on Sykes Creek, and the community keeps its own pool, spa and tennis court.
Costa Norte In Merritt Island, Florida
Costa Norte is one plat, one street and a short list of addresses. You come off North Courtenay Parkway onto Via De La Reina, turn onto Via Havarre, follow it around the bend and turn onto Sykes Creek Drive, and the community sits at the end of it. Everything here is a townhouse, three bedrooms with two and a half baths, two car garages, and a sidewalk that ends at the water rather than at another cul-de-sac.
This is unincorporated Brevard County, not a city. Merritt Island has a post office name and a strong identity but no municipal government of its own, so county code governs, county services apply, and permits go through Brevard County rather than a city hall. On a waterfront property that matters more than usual, because docks, lifts, seawalls and any work in or near the water run through county and state review.
The water is the reason this community exists. Sykes Creek is navigable here, and from a lift behind these units you reach the Canaveral Barge Canal, then the Indian River on one side and the Banana River on the other, with Port Canaveral and the Atlantic beyond. Across the creek sits the Ulumay Sanctuary, a six hundred acre Brevard County conservation property with hiking, paddling and birding, which means the view east is protected marsh instead of somebody else's back porch.
The units were built between 1988 and 2006, which is an unusual spread for a community this small, and the later ones show it. Sizes run about 1,958 to 2,964 square feet. Interiors lean toward vaulted ceilings, tongue and groove porch ceilings, Spanish tile, ground floor primary suites on several plans and upstairs Jack and Jill arrangements on others. Rooftop decks appear here, which is rare anywhere in Brevard, and they are a genuine asset on launch nights.
Costa Norte Homeowners' Association, Inc. is registered with the Florida Division of Corporations and active. Dues apply and they cover lawn care along with the pool, spa, pool house and tennis court, which is a large part of the appeal for people who want a waterfront address without a waterfront chore list. Ask specifically who is responsible for the seawall, the docks and the roofs, because in a townhouse community that line is drawn differently from one association to the next.
Costa Norte At A Glance
Costa Norte at a glance, from the gate of the front patio to the end of the dock.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | Sykes Creek Drive, off Via Havarre and Via De La Reina from North Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island 32953 |
| Jurisdiction | Unincorporated Brevard County. County code, county services, county permitting |
| Recorded plats | One, Costa Norte |
| Built | 1988 to 2006 |
| Property type | Townhouses, attached, with end units carrying extra side windows |
| Home size | About 1,958 to 2,964 square feet, near 2,438 typical |
| Bedrooms | Three, with two and a half baths |
| Lot size | Roughly 0.10 to 0.15 acre of townhouse parcel |
| Construction | Block and stucco with tile roofs, several replaced in the 2020s. Impact and high impact glass on some units |
| Water | Sykes Creek frontage on part of the community, with private docks, boat lifts and seawall. Navigable to the Canaveral Barge Canal, the Indian River, the Banana River and the ocean |
| Across the water | Ulumay Sanctuary, about six hundred acres in the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands program |
| Amenities | Community pool, spa, pool house and tennis court, with lawn care handled |
| Association | Mandatory. Costa Norte Homeowners' Association, Inc., active with the Florida Division of Corporations. Dues apply and include lawn maintenance and the amenities |
| Garage | Two car, with paver drives and front courtyard patios |
| Flood | Waterfront parcels. Get a written flood zone determination and an elevation certificate. Brevard County Public Works Floodplain Administration, (321) 617-7340 |
| Utilities | Confirm water, sewer and irrigation source for the specific unit |
| Price range | $450,000 to $685,000 |
Costa Norte Details
A Townhouse With A Boat Lift
Attached housing with a private dock and lift on navigable water is not common anywhere in Brevard. That combination is the whole argument for Costa Norte: you get the boat, the deep water and the short walk to it without owning a half acre of waterfront yard to maintain.
Protected Water View
Ulumay Sanctuary faces this community across Sykes Creek. Six hundred acres of county conservation land is not going to be developed, so the eastern outlook here is permanent marsh, birds and open sky. That is a rare guarantee on a Brevard waterfront.
Rooftop Decks And Launch Nights
Several units carry rooftop or upper decks, which is unusual construction for this county. Facing east across the creek toward the Cape, they turn a rocket launch into a front row event and a sunrise into a daily one. Check the deck membrane and flashing carefully during inspection.
Eighteen Years Of Build Dates
Units date from 1988 through 2006 in one small community, so systems, glass packages and roofs vary widely unit to unit. Some carry triple pane impact glass and a tile roof from the 2020s and others do not. Judge each address on its own paperwork.
Lawn Care Comes With It
The association handles the grounds along with the pool, spa, pool house and tennis court. For second home owners and people who travel, that is the practical reason to choose an attached home on the water instead of a detached one.
Boat Access Beyond The Dock
Even without a lift of your own, the water is right there. Kayaks launch a short distance away, and the Kelly Park boat ramp on the west side of the island is about four miles from here, giving you a hard ramp option for a trailered boat.
Homes For Sale In Costa Norte
Anything currently available in Costa Norte is shown below. With a community this small, listings are infrequent, so the useful questions are whether the unit has actual creek frontage, what the roof and glass package are, and whether the dock and lift convey.
Costa Norte Frequently Asked Questions
Are these townhouses or single family homes?
Townhouses. Every home in Costa Norte is an attached three bedroom, two and a half bath unit with a two car garage. End units are worth seeking out because the extra side windows change how much light the interior gets.
Does Costa Norte have water access?
Yes. Part of the community fronts Sykes Creek with seawall, private docks and boat lifts. From there you reach the Canaveral Barge Canal and on to the Indian River, the Banana River and the Atlantic. Not every unit has frontage, so verify the specific address.
Is Merritt Island a city?
No. Merritt Island is unincorporated Brevard County, sitting between the Indian River and the Banana River. There is no city government, so county code and county services apply and permits go through the county. The mailing address says Merritt Island, but the jurisdiction is the county.
What does the association cover?
Costa Norte Homeowners' Association, Inc. is active with the Florida Division of Corporations. Dues apply and cover lawn maintenance plus the community pool, spa, pool house and tennis court. Request the current budget, rules and reserve information in writing, and ask specifically about seawall and roof responsibility.
What is across the creek?
The Ulumay Sanctuary, roughly six hundred acres managed under the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands program, with hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and some of the better birding on the island. It is day use only and parking is free.
Do I need a flood elevation certificate?
On waterfront parcels, yes, and you want it before you shop for insurance rather than after. Brevard County Public Works, Floodplain Administration is the official repository for FEMA map panels and issues written determinations. Their number is (321) 617-7340.
How old are these units and does it matter?
They were built between 1988 and 2006, and the difference matters. Roof type and age, window glass, plumbing, electrical and the condition of the seawall and dock all differ across that span. Two units on the same street can be twenty years apart in practical condition.
What is the drive from here?
North Courtenay Parkway puts State Road 528 minutes away for Orlando and the airport, and State Road 520 south of here crosses to Cocoa on the mainland and to Cocoa Beach on the other side. Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center are both a short run north.
Sykes Creek Drive, Merritt Island 32953
Costa Norte sits on the east side of Merritt Island along Sykes Creek, north of the Canaveral Barge Canal. From North Courtenay Parkway, State Road 3, you turn east onto Via De La Reina, then onto Via Havarre, and follow the curve to Sykes Creek Drive. The community occupies the end of that street, so there is no through traffic, and the last stretch of pavement runs out at the water.
For getting around, State Road 528 is a few minutes north by way of Courtenay Parkway, which puts Orlando and Orlando International Airport about an hour out. State Road 520 heads west to Cocoa and Interstate 95 and east to Cocoa Beach. Port Canaveral, the cruise terminals and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex are all a short drive north, and the beach at Cocoa Beach is roughly fifteen minutes.
Near Costa Norte In Merritt Island
Considering Costa Norte?
Waterfront townhouses trade rarely here, so when one comes up you need to move with good information. My partner Nichole and I will tell you what the seawall and the lift are actually worth, what the roof and glass package on a specific unit really are, and how the association draws the line between your responsibility and theirs. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will meet you on Sykes Creek Drive.
