WATCH: Mayor Michael Blake Provides City of Cocoa Update, New Amazon Fulfillment Center Coming to Cocoa

Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake elected in 2020

ABOVE VIDEO: Exciting things are happening in the City of Cocoa. Mayor Michael Blake talks with Space Coast Daily’s Giles Malone about positive growth and development in the City of Cocoa.

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – City of Cocoa Mayor Michael Blake visited the Space Coast Daily TV Studios on Thursday to provide an update on the development and growth the city of Cocoa is experiencing.

Just this week, Amazon has announced plans on Tuesday to open a new delivery station in Cocoa, along Grissom Parkway by late 2021.

The new delivery station will power Amazon’s last-mile delivery capabilities to speed up deliveries for customers around Brevard County.

Packages are shipped to delivery stations from neighboring Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers and loaded into vehicles for final delivery to customers.

“The addition of Amazon to the Cocoa community brings a much needed boost to our local economy that is in need of a recharge after a year of shutdowns and losses due to the worldwide pandemic. This facility will bring much needed jobs to our residents and enhance the overall tax base for our city benefiting all of the Cocoa community. I thank them for choosing Cocoa and look forward to having them as an economic driver and community partner for many years to come,” said Mayor Michael C. Blake.

Below is the transcript of Thursday’s interview with Space Coast Daily:

Giles Malone
Mike Blake, welcome to Space Coast Daily.

Mayor Blake
Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure to be here in this awesome facility here.

Giles Malone
Well, it’s a real pleasure to talk with you, Mike. And we got some great news for you out there, folks. The city of Cocoa is sort of poised to really move into the next generation of technology. One of the stories we’re going to cover today with our online permitting, but many other exciting things happening in the city of Cocoa, which we’re going to lay out for you today with Mayor Mike Blake. So, Mike, first of all, I know with you and Sam and the team down there, City of Cocoa, you’re putting together online permitting.

Giles Malone
Can you tell us about that? Absolutely.

Mayor Blake
I’m happy to say that we, the great city of Cocoa, affectionately known as hot chocolate. I’m happy to say hot chocolate. Yes, sir. We’re poised to show growth in our building department. We are condensing the criteria for obtaining a building. Permit, that’s the word I want to show and now what we’re planning on doing starting on Wednesday, sir, online and the online subscription for applying for a permit will consist of the window replacement, plumbing, fencing, h-back and also sheds and fences.

Giles Malone
Yeah, this is going to make doing business much easier for the people out there. You’ve got to fill out the permit application online, send it, and you won’t have to go down there and take all that time traveling back and forth. The city cocoa really modernizing their application process. And as Mayor Blake said, it’s going to be a real smooth, sort of seamless process for you. It’s going to allow for permitting of payment of fees, viewing the policies, viewing all the submittal requirements and scheduling inspections.

Giles Malone
Everything will be done online. Mike, this is this is major for people, isn’t it?

Mayor Blake
Clearly, sir, we’re advancing as the century gets through the twenty twenty one starting of the new year. We’re condensing the ability to get your online permitting fees quickly and aggressively. And also on Wednesdays, you can apply the convenience of your home. You can be in your tidy whities, your night robe, whatever the case may be, and get the results within a few hours.

Giles Malone
Yeah. So the City of Cocoa getting up on the technology, this is wonderful stuff. And the new service shows the city’s commitment to getting up to speed, like the mayor said. And some images there. You know, normally you go down to the city, you wait in line. Of course, you’ve got the covid situation. And so this is really going to help streamline customer service now that Amazon, now, my daughters, my wife, the Amazon delivery van is a regular occurrence at my house.

Giles Malone
Right. And I always wonder, I say, where do they get these packages from? Where do they actually how do they do this? This is incredible. Well, City of Cocoa, exciting news. Tell us about your Amazon friends, Mayor.

Mayor Blake
Thank you very much, Giles.

Mayor Blake
Just recently this week, the early part of this week, Tuesday, to be exact, we consummated an agreement with Amazon. Amazon will be the second distributor in the great city of Cocoa. So we’re very fortunate to have two of the world’s largest distributors here, Walmart, but our newest member, Amazon. So I’m happy to say this will provide an economic plus for our funds and also be a plus for the citizens of cocoa and the surrounding area. The starting salary was at fifteen dollars an hour, so it would be an economic boost for everyone.

Mayor Blake
Jobs, jobs.

Giles Malone
You guys were successful in drawing Wal-Mart in that incredible facility out there. And now you’ve drawn into Amazon, which is, what, a 200,000 square foot facility,

Mayor Blake
correct, sir.

Giles Malone
Yeah. Wow. Where’s it going to be Mike?

Mayor Blake
It will be located right off Grissom Boulevard. It’s called like the last mile stretch.It will give individuals the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and work hand in hand with Amazon so they can start their own business in the delivery business. So you can obtain your product with, say, less than two to three hours, depending on the size of it.

Giles Malone
Yeah. Wow. I wonder if we’ll be seeing those those drones eventually take off and delivering stuff to our homes. Right. That’s probably next. The mayor’s probably got that working. I bet you he does. So this is hundreds of jobs, more jobs, good paying jobs coming to the city of cocoa. So this is this is really good news. Really, really good news. Delivery stations will offer entrepreneurs the opportunity to build their own business. Right. So if you’ve got an idea for a business and you’re worrying about delivery and so on, guess what? You’re going to have your delivery mechanism set up thanks to the city of Cocoa and Amazon. This is expecting when do we when we expecting it to open up there?

Mayor Blake
We’re looking at construction start in the latter part of May. OK, so every day everything goes well. Mother Nature cooperates. She’ll be concluded, say maybe the latter part of 2021.

Giles Malone
OK, wow, that’s fast. Amazon just doesn’t let grass grow into that feet right now. They’ll be getting it done quick. So it’ll be a much needed boost to our local economy. And after a year shutdown, of course, this is this is great news. This is just what we need to hear, isn’t it?

Mayor Blake
Yeah. Yes, it is. Again, jobs, jobs, jobs, future, secure at home, the opportunity to be economically independent and sound.

Giles Malone
And of course, when it means new jobs, it means new people. They need places to live. And there’s some exciting news coming down the pike which we’re going to get to in just a moment. Let’s talk about the Winn-Dixie out there on 524, you know, before Beef O’Brady’s is out there. Right. Publix is there across the street. We’ve had that that vacant building, the Winn-Dixie building for 15 years right now. I know you got some exciting news on that really exciting news.

Mayor Blake
Absolutely. At the last council meeting, we had the opportunity to meet with the framework group located from Tampa, Florida. We consummated agreement with them, which 280+ units on the high end providing all type of accessories and positive amenities, so we are going to entice you to stay, play and live in the great city of Cocoa.

Giles Malone
Yeah, this is exciting stuff with Mayor Mike Blake, mayor of the city of Cocoa, with some exciting news. We’ve been laying out the new permitting process and now we’re getting into the development situation. Now, look at these photographs. Juan Rodriguez, one of our editors, is putting those pictures up on the screen for you. Check out these apartments, high level, beautiful, beautiful apartments right there at the intersection of 528 and 524. What a location to live. The amenities are going to be outstanding. This is just what we need, isn’t it, Mayor?

Mayor Blake
Absolutely. I mean, easily accessible 520 US-1, I-95 and the 528 corridor so easily access again you can stay up late and pray right in the great city of Cocoa and never leave this great city.

Giles Malone
Awesome. So some of the details on that complex I guess Mayor, we’ve got what, three bedroom units and feature courtyards with pools.

Mayor Blake
Absolutely.And then you’ll have the skyline at night. You can see the launches. And also a pool, which I would like to initiate and swim first and foremost.

Giles Malone
I think you and I might have to get out there in our Speedos and christen the school. We’re going to try that one.

Mayor Blake
We’ll be tanning our buns in the Florida sun.

Giles Malone
Can’t wait. That’s going to be grilling areas, outdoor gathering areas, a clubhouse, a rooftop lounge, a dog park, walking trails and a rocket launch. I think I’m going to get my lease signed up pretty soon on that. That’s going to be a hot ticket.

Mayor Blake
Come one. Come all.

Giles Malone
That’s awesome. Property will be constructed in two phases with the first being the apartment complex and the second phase consisting of some commercial development. Any ideas on what that might be?

Mayor Blake
It can range from what we have presently CBS that’s there now currently to a high level in chain that environment or shall I say business will come to that area and make themselves

Giles Malone
Thats awesome. Awesome. Yeah, I, I know we’re going to talk about a certain coffee chain here in just a moment. Just a little tease there for you folks. But the construction on the apartments, Mayor, when do you think what are we looking at stock wise and wise?

Mayor Blake
Well, we’re looking at this summer, as you alluded to earlier, it’s a two phase construction site we’re looking at this summer to start and hopefully again, just like with the other construction buildings, hopefully by the end of this year, that phase will be completed.

Giles Malone
OK, now then you’re going to hear it first, maybe on Space Coast daily, you know, as you drive from Merritt Island over the bridge, the Hubert Humphrey Bridge, and you come down, you cruise down into towards Cocoa Village, right in the middle of the road, you’ve got the eastbound lane, the westbound lanes. Finally, there’s that old SunTrust bank. Everyone knows where it is, right? You park there when you go when you go down to one of the concerts in the village. But what’s happening with this, Mike? This is this is awesome news. What’s going on?

Mayor Blake
We’re offering a nationally organized, recognized coffee chain that will be located in the former central West Bank.

Mayor Blake
So you could get catch it coming into the city or exiting the city, and you will have a cup of Java and you can have a good time as you pull in and we’ll be efficiently and effectively operated. So there will not be long lines, but it’s another plus for our economic development. So kudos to our economic development and staff, our city manager and our super attorney as well, and everybody that works for the great city.

Giles Malone
Yeah, yeah, I know. Mike, this is your second term as mayor and you’ve been working for the city for decades. And you know all that work from yourself and all the other folks who come before you. You know, this is now sort of coming to fruition, isn’t it, Mike? This exciting development.

Mayor Blake
Absolutely great time. So here again, I’m happy to say we’re on the cutting edge, so, you know, you can’t get ahead with that one. So, again, team work is dream work. And I attribute all that success with the great City of Cocoa for the citizens, for our staff and our city manager and council.

Giles Malone
And we said a nationally known coffee chain. Now, we’re not going to say the name, but maybe you could come up with a few ideas. But we’re going to see what happens because with Mayor Mike Blake at the helm, who knows what can happen down there in the city of Cocoa. But this is going to miss the tide is going to lift all boats, isn’t it, Mike, when we do this sort of development?

Mayor Blake
Yes, indeed. The game plan is to appease and appeal to everyone because everyone matters. So you can have a seat at the table. And the great City of Cocoa.

Giles Malone
Yep. I know you’ve got a very experienced city manager now. Stockton Whiton came from the county and eastern Florida. How Stockton enjoying the job?

Mayor Blake
In my eyes A plus there. He’s doing a phenomenal job for the city of Cocoa in conjunction with his staff and also the city council. So as you alluded to, state it all boats rise when the tide rise and we’re rising. We’re right there on the intercoastal, the Indian River. But in our dream, Giles, will be to go from not only just the Indian River potential all the way to the St. John’s River. So we have fresh water and brackish water, so you’ve been our city.

Giles Malone
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. We’re very excited to hear the residents of cocoa now approaching almost 20,000. So the city’s growing and this development is going to improve things. It’s going to be more jobs, more better roads and better life for everyone here who visited, visit this great city of cocoa and also also residents. So, Mike, this is great news. We want to thank you very much for coming in today with this with this cool news. Please keep us informed. We’d love to have you back any time to to spread the good word. Closing words for you. I know this has been an incredibly challenging year, right? I mean, we’ve been yesterday we were talking with some folks in the restaurant business and they formed a group called Hospitality Life to help people in the hospitality industry, lost their jobs and so on. But what’s the what’s the you’re on the finger. The pulse of the City of Cocoa. Tell us what you think the health and wealth of our community is right now.

Mayor Blake
We’re not only surviving, Giles, we’re thriving. This is the place to be. So you could come and bring your family and reside here in the city of cocoa. Clearly, beyond the shadow of a doubt, economic development has taken place, control, growth. So have your face in the place with the human race come to cocoa, hot chocolate, the place to be. It is.

Giles Malone
Thank you so much, Mayor.

Giles Malone
And you can get all those permits online. Now, if you want more information, you know, on this information, you can reach out to the mayor and reach out to Samantha at City of Cocoa and they’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and go to their very informative website for Mayor Mike Blake of the City of Cocoa. Giles Malone for Space Coast Daily. Stay tuned for more breaking news later today on your favorite local news channel.

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