Eastwind Development Breaks Ground on 264-Unit Aston at Longleaf in Melbourne

• Eastwind Development has started construction on The Aston at Longleaf, a 264-unit multifamily community on approximately 17 acres in Melbourne, Florida.

• The project is planned for Preserve Drive and North Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32935, with four residential buildings and a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse.

• Eastwind secured a $45.5 million construction loan from TD Bank, with the first units targeted for late 2027 and full completion expected by mid-2028.

What Eastwind Development Is Building

Eastwind Development has broken ground on The Aston at Longleaf, bringing 264 new apartments to Melbourne's growing Space Coast market. The community will offer studio through three-bedroom apartments, with reported rents ranging from approximately $1,800 to $2,600 per month. Units are planned with private patios or balconies, quartz countertops and energy-efficient appliances. Eastwind's President Jack Weir said the project represents the type of infill opportunity the company targets, calling it “an infill location with high barriers to entry” and a renter base supported by major employers.

What The $45.5 Million Financing Covers

Construction began after Eastwind closed on the 17-acre site acquisition and secured a $45.5 million construction loan from TD Bank. The financing puts the project into construction at a time when developers remain selective about new multifamily starts, particularly in markets where employment growth can support additional rental demand. Traded reported the loan closed September 8, 2026, with Eastwind's John “Jack” Weir identified as the developer behind the transaction. Eastwind is a Palm Beach Gardens-based multifamily developer with more than 4,100 units delivered throughout Florida and the Southeast, according to the company's current portfolio.

What Amenities Are Planned

The Aston at Longleaf is designed around a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse with a community lounge, game room, fitness center, spin room, coworking lounge and multi-sport gaming simulator. Outdoor amenities will include a resort-style swimming pool with private cabanas, outdoor kitchen, firepit, yoga lawn, games lawn and dog park with an adjacent pet spa. The development team includes FaverGray as general contractor, FK Architecture as project architect, Kimley-Horn as project engineer, Innovations Design Group as landscape architect and R Shana Designs as interior designer.

What Melbourne’s Growth Means For The Project

The Aston is entering a market supported by Melbourne's aerospace, defense, technology and healthcare employment base, with companies including L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Collins Aerospace, SpaceX and Blue Origin operating in the broader region. CRE reporting citing CoStar says multifamily absorption in Melbourne has more than tripled over the past three years, highlighting the rental demand developers are targeting across the Space Coast. The first apartments are expected to come online in late 2027, with the full 264-unit community targeted for completion by mid-2028.