Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) directed a team made up of JVM Studio, a Philadelphia-based placemaking firm, and The Riddle Company, a retail consulting practice from Washington, D.C. (together “the ESI team”) to prepare an economic development roadmap for the immediate, short-term, and long-term future of the Borough of Media, Pennsylvania. Media, like many suburban communities, is undergoing a period of change; the borough needs to act proactively to maintain and promote its economic health by building upon its vibrant environment, engaging the community around a shared vision for growth, and developing a sustainable implementation strategy.
The ESI team used a data-driven approach to provide recommendations that address multiple areas, including economic development, retail attraction, placemaking, transportation, and marketing.
A local economic development vision requires community buy-in for it to succeed. The ESI team used one-on-one interviews with the borough leadership, focus group sessions, a survey of the opinions of the public at large, and a public forum to solicit feedback and direction from the public.
Through economic analysis, spatial assessment and public outreach, ESI was able to make tailored recommendations for economic development, business recruitment, retail, placemaking, and transportation whilst maintaining the “Everybody’s Hometown” that originally made the borough of Media so memorable.
