What are the defining characteristics of Media, and how should the borough plan for the next decade?
Those are the questions at the core of “Media 2035,” the comprehensive plan adopted by Media’s borough council last month designed to shape the next chapter of land use, housing, economic development, traffic planning, and environmental decision making in the 5,900-resident Delaware County community.
“A comp plan is a long-term vision of how a community can look in the future,” Brittany Forman, Media’s borough manager, said.
The 166-page plan, built on feedback from around 500 residents, is centered around four guiding principles: Preserving Media’s character, fostering inclusivity through housing diversity, preserving the environment, and becoming a more connected and less car-dependent borough.
Municipalities in Pennsylvania are required to have a comprehensive plan under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code and must review them every 10 years.
Media’s leaders have been tasked with stewarding a borough that has seen immense economic growth in recent decades, transforming it from a sleepy town wrought by financial disinvestment and crime to a cultural hub and destination for families settling in the suburbs. While Media’s metamorphosis has brought new residents and investment into the borough, it has also pushed the community’s limits around housing affordability, traffic, and growth.
“We’re a victim of our success, and it’s a good thing to be a victim of your own success,” said borough Council President Mark Paikoff. “But careful planning really is helpful.”
Here are four key takeaways from Media’s comprehensive plan.
Media’s charm has made it a desirable, and increasingly unaffordable, place to live
Surveyed residents said Media’s “small-town feel,” including its historic architecture, walkability, and diverse local businesses, is the borough’s most important asset. Yet the traits that make Media a great place to live have also made it a harder place to afford to stay.
“For generations, Media has prided itself on being ‘Everybody’s Hometown,’ a motto that reflected a genuine reality: a community where wealthy professionals, hourly service workers, young families, and retirees lived side-by-side,” the comprehensive plan states, adding that economic diversity was made possible by a “varied housing stock that offered entry points for people at every stage of life.”
As demand for walkable, transit-accessible living has surged in the Philly region, rising real estate costs are chipping away at this accessibility, creating a “severe burden” for a large segment of Media, notably seniors, teachers, nurses, and first responders, the plan states.
Recommendations outlined in the plan include deepening partnerships with affordable housing agencies, updating the borough’s zoning code to spur housing development in key areas, and promoting non-traditional housing options like in-law suites. Officials said there’s a significant opportunity in converting underutilized office spaces into housing, as many of Media’s vacant offices are already located in former residential properties.
Paikoff said the borough has had informal conversations with developers who are interested in both renovating older units and building new housing, though he stressed that bringing additional housing to the borough “will take some time.”
Media has strong transit access but ample traffic safety challenges
Media is defined by its density. The borough’s footprint is under one square mile, and it’s a place where pedestrians, cyclists, cars, buses, and SEPTA trolleys regularly interact.
“For a small town, I’d say we’re very sophisticated in terms of multimodal transportation,” said Forman.
Yet Media’s density and busy streets have also created the conditions for traffic safety issues. The borough recorded eight vehicle crashes resulting in serious injury and two resulting in death between 2013 and 2024. A 2020 traffic study conducted by the borough found that drivers regularly speed, especially along Baltimore Avenue, and roll through stop signs. Media’s only bicycle infrastructure comes in the form of painted road markings. Residents expressed a desire for more crosswalks, less disruptive downtown traffic patterns, and protected bike lanes.
Parking, too, remains a “source of friction.” The Baltimore Avenue parking garage is the anchor of the borough’s parking system, but it’s aging and requiring increased maintenance. At the same time, a surge in food delivery services has led to frequent double-parking outside of restaurants and blocking travel lanes. Media’s current parking and loading setup, the plan states, is “largely organized for a world that no longer exists.”
The vast majority of Media’s workforce lives outside the borough
Nearly all workers employed in Media commute from outside the borough. Of the approximately 9,800 primary jobs in Media, only 2.5% are held by residents. While Media’s accommodation, food service, healthcare, and arts and entertainment sectors have grown, its office administration, public administration, and wholesale trade sectors have shrunk. Overall tax revenues have increased in the past decade, led primarily by a growth in earned income tax revenues.
The post-pandemic shift to hybrid and remote work has also “fundamentally altered” travel behavior in the borough, according to the plan. Twenty percent of Media residents worked from home in 2023, up from 3% in 2014, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. With fewer residents and workers commuting on a daily basis, traditional 9-to-5 traffic on SEPTA’s Regional Rail and trolley lines has shifted, following regional and national trends. Local neighborhood activity, on the other hand, has increased during the workday.
Elizabeth Romaine, borough council vice president, said local businesses are already shifting to meet new consumer patterns, extending their hours or opening on weekdays when they would have previously been closed.
Residents love Media’s dining scene, but want more retail options
Nearly 80% of surveyed residents reported satisfaction with Media’s vibrant restaurant scene, which draws diners from across the region. Media’s downtown is viewed as the borough’s “defining economic and social heart,” according to the plan.
At the same time, residents expressed desire for a greater variety of retail, dining, and entertainment options. Non-food destinations and stores that fulfill everyday needs, specifically bakeries, clothing and home goods stores, and fitness centers, are outlined as particular areas of need.
Romaine said Media has had some recent “retail successes,” like the opening of Sonny’s Vintage Clothing on State Street and the expansion of craft store Homesewn.
The plan recommends increasing funding for the Media Business Authority, conducting a business-focused parking study and crosswalk inventory, and working to court new retailers. Recommendations also include enhancing programming at the Media Theatre to generate more foot traffic, deepen Media’s identity as a cultural destination, and “further solidify Media’s draw for visitors from across the region.”
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