The Borough of Media retained IMEG(formerly FHI Studio), in partnership with Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI), to update its comprehensive plan and establish a 10- to 20-year framework for growth, land use, and public investment. As part of this broader planning effort, the Borough sought a targeted strategy to sustain the vitality of its downtown commercial core, address rising retail rents and limited storefront availability, and position Media to capture emerging opportunities in professional and creative industries amid shifting office market dynamics.
ESI led development of the plan’s Economic Development section, building on prior work with the Borough on the 2017 Media Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan.
ESI assessed current economic conditions, tax revenue trends, and commercial real estate fundamentals, supplemented by a community survey and stakeholder engagement process. The analysis situated Media’s current position relative to its 2017 Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan and aligned local priorities with the 2024 Pennsylvania State Economic Development Plan, identifying which prior recommendations had advanced and where market conditions had evolved.
Based on this analysis, ESI developed goals and recommendations to diversify the business mix along State Street, mitigate the effects of SEPTA’s Trolley Modernization program on the State Street Business District, strengthen marketing and regional positioning through the Media Business Authority, and improve property conditions through inspection and compliance. ESI also identified opportunities to expand the Borough’s commercial footprint through rezoning, including a Mixed Industrial District for light industrial and maker uses, a mixed-use Baltimore Avenue corridor, and an Arts and Innovation District within the Office Zone.
IMEG presented the Media2035 Comprehensive Plan, including ESI’s Economic Development component, to Borough Council, and the plan was formally adopted on June 18, 2026. The Economic Development section now provides Media with a clear, actionable framework to guide business support, strengthen downtown vitality, and advance commercial rezoning initiatives through 2035.