MELBOURNE, Fla. – When Mayor Paul Alfrey looks over Melbourne, he sees a city on the rise.
“Years ago, we were called Melboring,” he joked. “There was nothing to do. There were no good jobs. When you grew up, you kind of moved away from here.”
Alfrey, who was born and raised in the Harbor City, was elected mayor in 2020. News 6 met up with him at Pineapples restaurant to talk about how his once sleepy town is now part of one of the fastest growing regions in the country.
“You see a lot of people moving here,” Alfrey said. “We were number one on U-Haul for people moving here because they like the weather, they like the beaches, they like the small-town feel, but they also like to be close to Orlando or three hours from Miami, so it’s a really good place to live.”
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That success, though, also comes with challenges like traffic and keeping up with the city’s aging infrastructure. The mayor admits managing growth without raising taxes is a top priority.
“We have the lowest tax millage in a 10-year history,” Alfrey explained. “Not only are we investing in our community and our infrastructure and our parks and our playgrounds, but we also have low taxes. You put all that together and it’s very attractive for people.”
The boom happening at Melbourne Orlando International Airport is another catalyst. Its growing campus of aerospace, defense and manufacturing companies draws more than 20,000 employees to MLB every day.
“You see the Dassault Falcon doing their jets here, you see L3 Harris, you see Northrop Grumman,” Alfrey said. “All of those are good-paying and high-paying jobs, so with that kind of growth, you’re seeing a lot of young engineers who are looking for places to live, looking for places to shop, places to eat. They want to live in a community that’s vibrant.”
Some of that vibrancy can be found in historic downtown Melbourne. The charming district is home to nearly 300 unique shops and restaurants.
“And then Melbourne has another downtown,” Alfrey added. “Downtown Eau Gallie, which is the art district. It’s very vibrant at night and walkable. We’re building a nice parking garage there.”
Capitalizing on Brightline’s growing popularity is something else Alfrey has his eyes on. The high-speed trains already roll through Melbourne, but could a stop be in the city’s future?
“I foresee one in the future at our airport,” Alfrey said. “We are the economic hub of Brevard County. Why wouldn’t you have one?”
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