Monday, January 4, 2016

Cherish the charm that made Media what it is, it's about to change BIG TIME - West End Flats

The west end of Media is about to change drastically in 2016 and here are the renderings that show what that will look like.  Altogether, there will be about 162 (luxury) apartments proposed for this footprint with an estimated starting price of ~$1,600 (per unit).  Just across the street, West End Walk will take shape with high density (luxury) housing that will include at least 26 townhouses.  No word yet on pricing, but they are expected to be at least $400k and probably closer to $500k and beyond.

With what will be the biggest development in decades, Media Borough Council and Mayor McMahon have barely said a word about this project and shared even less.

Here's what was quoted by the council president and vice president in the Daily Times back in August:

“This is going to change that part of town, and everyone is excited,” said Council Vice President Paul Robinson.
Council President Brian Hall equated the preliminary plan phase as “making the cake,” and details in final submission as “the icing.”
“This will have a transformative effect,” Hall said in agreement with Robinson. “We are pleased the west end is getting attention, and with the shared values of the borough and developers. And there is still some frosting to come.”

I've not been able to find the traffic study, but I'll post as soon as I do.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.arcadialand.com/development/portfolio/west-end-flats/







West End Walk (to be build where the Redbud store is now)





34 comments:

  1. Guess the Friends of Glenn Providence Park aka the frogs didn't think West End Walk would be a detriment. Or perhaps because the traffic for this new development won't be going down 3rd St. Past their houses the FROGS didn't much care about this end of their special park.

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    1. Is this development burying sensitive wetlands, within a public park, to benefit a private club at taxpayer expense? I guess it is not the same as the Third Street project.

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    2. How is the Third Street Bridge benefiting a private club? The borough let the bridge go in disrepair after the highway department partially compromised the structure by backing into the wall while dumping snow removed from the town (~1995). Remember? That's how the whole mess started.

      It was incompetence (pres.Joan Hagen) after that that led to it still not being fixed. Funny how the people speaking loudest against the bridge repair all seem to be members of Friends of Glen Providence Park and live within a 100 yrs of the bridge. Most people I talk to can't stand this group. So, nice job dividing Media for your own political selfishness.

      So now that traffic will be an unmitigated nightmare on Baltimore Ave due to west end flats, even the fools that were against the bridge are now thinking it's a good idea to have additional, restored access into town.

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    3. Dam was declared unsafe in 1980. Any new,high hazard dam will only impound artificial private lake. Increased development means pedestrian-friendly, green space is even more important.

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    4. Anon 11:17 are you forgetting a new "high hazard dam" as you put it will also allow cars to drive into and out of media on 3rd St. So everyone is benefiting. Unless your name is Shannon, Kent or Stephanie........who knows

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    5. A simple bridge, over the original stream, would benefit every taxpayer, as well as the Park,

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  2. I actually like the look of BOTH those projects -- a nice change from the beige, cookie-cutter townhouses popping up all over the place. Now I just have to befriend some people who move into the apartments so I can use that pool in August ;)

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  3. Media gets exactly what is deserves! The arrogance was bound to catch up with the town sooner or later.

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  4. My gosh, this is worse than I thought. Who voted for the baker? And is the icing vegan certified?

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  5. The West side of Media doesn't have a whole lot going on and this is a positive overall for Media, but I wouldn't want to live within several blocks of the development.

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  6. I love Media how it is now, but I don't see this as too big of a negative. That corner is a pretty big eyesore as it is now. It could use something more appealing. I'd rather have that area developed rather than seeing big apartment buildings on State Street. That is where the charm really is!

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    1. Well said. What will happen at the Townhouse property is alot more concerning. This are removes what amounts to blight (part time grocer/ part-time used car lot- right?) and it brings the opportunity to create a gateway affect for the west entrance into town. Traffic should be a priority though.

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  7. They look a lot better than I expected. Certainly better than what is there now.

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    1. Really? You must not live within 4 blocks of them. What cluster F*#$ this is.

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    2. Move into the flats :)

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    3. Interesting anon6:34. You live withing 4 blocks of this area? Seems you have a typical NIMBY response. "Don't make any changes if they are in my backyard". You should get together with the 3rd street folks that are blocking the bridge.
      These plans look fine and are a vast improvement to dilapidated eyesore development currently in these areas. Of course traffic is a concern for the entire borough. It will be worked out -- hopefully they will change the entire pattern where State comes into B.Pike. That area is long overdue for a change in traffic patterns anyway. The benefits to the borough, the businesses and to the overall brand and marketability of Media should outweigh immediate concerns. Stay positive. Give it a chance.

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    4. AGREED! I hope with these projects we'll see some new businesses popping up in the empty storefronts we currently have on State Street. More residents = more businesses = a thriving town. And these projects are easy walk to State Street, so it will have virtually no impact on parking. These projects are a win for Media.

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    5. Anon 10:44 just because i do not want cars driving past my house does not make me a 3rd St NIMBY. Remember the park has sensitive wetlands that need protecting.

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  8. What a disgrace .. really what are you thinking , this is a very old town stay within the look of the structures within the borough . Tis in not cool !

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    1. If you want to dictate what is done with the land, you should purchase it then.

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    2. I agree that Media has a lot of older buildings worth preserving. It's a big part of the town's charm. But it's hard to see why you would feel this spot should remain unchanged. It is a bleak first view of Media when driving in to the town from Middletown.

      The townhouse look attractive with front porches that go along with the character of many of Media's older homes. The West End Flats has an industrial look to it that fits with in some of the industrial buildings now on Brook Street.

      Hope it goes forward as planned.

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  9. Looks like the "transparent" democrats forgot to tell us about this lil cake they were planning over the last year.

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    1. These projects were presented at public meetings -- zoning, planning commission, and borough council -- going back more than a year. If you want to know more about what's going on in Media and want your opinion heard, you have to be part of the process. Go to these meetings. They have them every month.

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    2. These two projects were also the subject of numerous articles in Town Talk and Delco Daily Times.

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  10. A static town will eventually die off and it's a great sign that someone wants to build such a large development here. The changes should be managed and the residents should have some input. Which usually doesn't happen in a one-party town. You get what you vote for.

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  11. To all of you who love the past, give it up. This is called economic development and sometimes it is not perfect. It is damn better than the alternative which is economic depression and boring old delco institutions that are half dead. The world is changing. Embrace or else. JOBS first, sensitive bs wetlands second. Opinion. Not a native

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  12. This is a complete and total positive. It is the right place to add density to the borough. People can and will walk to State Street and to the train station. It is so much better than our existing stock of Media real Estate properties.

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    1. I agree with everything you said except the last statement. Yes, MRE has traditional, more affordable apts that don't look as fancy as these, but they also own a large chunk of those gorgeous old Victorian buildings on State St and beyond. MRE has done more good for Media than most. They were established when Media was not in the boom it is now. They poured money into this borough to make it a sought after community.

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  13. Who's ready to sit at that new light? It's hard enough getting in and out of town that direction, now a light there is going to make things so much better.

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  14. I remember back when the Springfield mall and Granite Run mall were built and folks were terrified Media businesses would not survive, sandwiched in the middle of the two. It did, and it will survive this change too. Media is an old town and constant change is unavoidable. Yes, the new traffic is going to suck and the new stop light is going to be extremely annoying. And wetlands absolutely need to be preserved, but we'll all get used to this new development and Media will continue to be a fabulous place to live.

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