Living in Florida's Space Coast
Riverside
Riverside is a 1960s waterfront pocket west off South Tropical Trail, entered on Barcelona Boulevard and laid out on Carrigan Boulevard, Granada Avenue and Alhambra Drive. Four of the five most recent transactions were on the Indian River or a navigable canal, and every one of them had a pool. Dues are 225 to 250 dollars a year and the association owns a canal-side ramp.
Riverside In Merritt Island, Florida
Riverside is a compact 1960s subdivision on the Indian River side of south Merritt Island, west of South Tropical Trail. Barcelona Boulevard is the entrance, and the addresses that trade sit on Carrigan Boulevard, Granada Avenue and Alhambra Drive. The Spanish street naming was the fashion when the plat went in, and the houses match it: single story, block and concrete, low horizontal lines, wide river-facing glass across the back.
Every home in the most recent group of transactions has a private in-ground pool, four of them screened and three converted to salt. That is not a coincidence of sampling, it is what this neighborhood is. These were built as river houses, oriented to the sunset over the Indian River, with the pool deck between the living space and the water. Metal roofs and hurricane shutters have replaced original materials on several of them.
The waterfront breaks two ways. Three homes front the Indian River directly with a seawall, and one sits on a navigable canal that runs out to the river, the first lot in from the open water. Three of the properties carry a dock and three have a boat lift. From here the Indian River gives you the intracoastal south toward the Eau Gallie and Melbourne causeways or north toward the barge canal.
The Riverside Homeowners Association keeps dues low, 225 to 250 dollars a year, and owns a canal and boat ramp parcel at 1035 Granada Avenue for members in good standing and their registered guests. Be clear-eyed about it: the ramp has been closed to trailer launches since April 2020 because of accumulated muck in the canal, with the county's dredging program the path to reopening it. Ask the board where that stands before you assign the amenity any value.
Pricing runs 650,000 to 1,200,000 dollars with about 305 dollars a square foot, and homes have settled near 92 percent of the original asking price after roughly four weeks. Houses are 2,076 to 3,032 square feet on lots from a fifth of an acre to nearly half. Most have been substantially updated inside, and the ones that have not are priced accordingly. Property tax bills land in the 3,700 to 8,100 dollar range.
Riverside At A Glance
Riverside, reduced to the facts that matter.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Detail | Value |
| Location | South Merritt Island, west off South Tropical Trail via Barcelona Boulevard, Merritt Island FL 32952 |
| Built | 1965 to 1973, with the middle around 1967 |
| Home size | 2,076 to 3,032 square feet, about 2,412 square feet typical |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 5 bedrooms, 4 typical, with 2 to 3 bathrooms |
| Lot size | 0.22 to 0.46 acre, about 0.29 acre typical |
| Construction | Concrete block and stucco, single story throughout, shingle and metal roofs |
| Association | Riverside Homeowners Association, dues 225 to 250 dollars a year. The association owns a canal and ramp parcel on Granada Avenue for members in good standing |
| Streets | Carrigan Boulevard, Granada Avenue, Alhambra Drive, entered from Barcelona Boulevard |
| Water frontage | Four of five homes. Indian River frontage on three, navigable canal on one |
| Docks | Three homes with a dock, three with a boat lift, four with a seawall |
| Boat ramp | Private association ramp at 1035 Granada Avenue, closed to trailer launches since April 2020 pending canal dredging |
| Pools | Every home has a private in-ground pool, most screened |
| Garage | Two-car garages throughout |
| Utilities | Public water and public sewer |
| Price range | 650,000 to 1,200,000 dollars, with the middle near 754,000 dollars |
| Price per square foot | About 305 dollars |
Riverside Details
Sunset Side Of The Island
Riverside faces the Indian River, which puts the evening light on your back porch rather than the morning light. On this side of Merritt Island the water is wide and open, and the view across to the mainland is uninterrupted. That western exposure is a genuine daily difference from a Banana River address.
A Pool On Every Lot
Every home in the current group has a private in-ground pool, most of them screened and several converted to salt. Cage age, deck surface and pump equipment are the three inspection items. A 1960s pool that has been kept current is an asset. One that has not is a project.
The Association Ramp, Honestly
The association owns a canal and ramp at 1035 Granada Avenue for members in good standing. It has been closed to watercraft trailer launches since April 2020 because of muck in the canal, and reopening depends on Brevard County's dredging schedule. Treat it as potential, not as a working amenity, until the board tells you otherwise.
Low Dues For Waterfront
At 225 to 250 dollars a year, the carrying cost of membership is minimal for a neighborhood with river frontage and a common ramp parcel. It also means the association operates on a small budget, so ask what reserves exist before assuming major common area work is funded.
Seawalls And Docks
Four of these homes have a seawall and three carry a dock with a lift. On 1960s frontage, seawall condition is the single most expensive unknown. Any new dock, lift or seawall work goes through Brevard County Planning and Development as a Residential Marine Construction permit with Natural Resources review.
Sixty-Year-Old Houses
These are 1965 to 1973 block homes. Most have been updated, some extensively, with impact glass, metal roofs, new kitchens and repiping. Ask specifically about the electrical panel, the plumbing material and the roof date, because that trio drives both your insurance quote and your first five years of spending.
Homes For Sale In Riverside
Current Riverside listings are below. Homes on Carrigan Boulevard come up rarely, and river frontage here does not sit long once it is priced correctly.
Riverside Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Riverside in Merritt Island?
Riverside is in south Merritt Island, FL 32952, on the west side of South Tropical Trail below State Road 520. You enter on Barcelona Boulevard and the neighborhood runs on Carrigan Boulevard, Granada Avenue and Alhambra Drive, ending at the Indian River.
Does Riverside have a boat ramp?
The Riverside Homeowners Association owns a canal and ramp parcel at 1035 Granada Avenue, private to members in good standing and their registered guests. It has been closed to watercraft trailer launches since April 2020 because of muck accumulation in the canal, and reopening is tied to the county dredging program. Confirm the current status with the board.
What are the HOA dues in Riverside?
Dues run 225 to 250 dollars a year, which is low for a waterfront neighborhood. The Riverside Homeowners Association maintains the common canal and ramp parcel and handles neighborhood matters. Ask for the current budget, the meeting minutes and any dredging updates before you close.
Do Riverside homes have Indian River frontage?
Three of the five most active homes front the Indian River directly with a seawall, and one sits on a navigable canal that opens to the river, the first lot in from open water. From either you have intracoastal access north and south.
Do all the homes have pools?
Every one in the current group does. Most are screened, several have been converted to salt water, and one property adds a separate spa. Given the age of the neighborhood, treat pool equipment and cage condition as inspection line items with real dollars attached.
What do homes cost in Riverside?
The range runs 650,000 to 1,200,000 dollars, with the middle around 754,000 dollars and roughly 305 dollars a square foot. Homes have settled near 92 percent of the original asking price after about four weeks, so there is generally some room to negotiate.
How old are the houses?
They were built between 1965 and 1973, with 1967 the middle. Expect single story block construction with wide rear glass. Most have been renovated at least once, and several carry metal roofs and hurricane shutters or impact glass.
Is Riverside in a flood zone?
Determination is parcel by parcel. Brevard County Public Works Floodplain Administration, at (321) 617-7340, is the official county repository for the FEMA flood map panels and issues written flood zone determinations and copies of elevation certificates. Order one before you request insurance quotes on a river lot.
Carrigan Boulevard, Merritt Island 32952
Riverside sits on the Indian River shoreline of south Merritt Island, west of South Tropical Trail and south of State Road 520. Getting in means turning off Tropical Trail onto Barcelona Boulevard and then onto Carrigan, which runs toward the water. Coming from South Courtenay Parkway, Cone Road is the cross connection over to Tropical Trail. It is a short, self-contained neighborhood with no through traffic.
State Road 520 is roughly five to ten minutes north, which puts Cocoa Beach about twenty minutes east and Cocoa and the mainland about ten minutes west. The Pineda Causeway to the south is the faster route to Interstate 95 and the Suntree and Viera side of the county, about fifteen to twenty minutes away. Everyday shopping is on the Merritt Island commercial corridor along Courtenay Parkway.
Near Riverside In Merritt Island
Considering Riverside?
Riverside comes down to three questions: what the seawall is going to cost you, what the ramp will or will not be, and what a 1960s river house is worth once you account for the updates it still needs. My partner Nichole and I know this shoreline and we will give you the unvarnished version on all three. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will set up a walk-through with the tide chart in hand.
