Building boom changing the face of Media
MEDIA >> A building boom appears to be happening at either end of the borough. West End Flats and West End Walk, both residential developments, are under construction and redefining that gateway.
The eastern gateway – mainly the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Providence Road – is undergoing change as well. The Wawa is rising, providing the answer to some locals’ question, “Is it ever going to be built?”
Similarly, a new construction fence is around the medical office building on Beatty Road. According to borough officials, nothing definite can be reported.
And the latest development – or un-development – concerns the northeast corner of the intersection where the Lukoil gas station has been demolished. The decision on Lukoil came about, in part, after the sale of the adjacent Media Shopping Center (usually referred to as the Acme shopping center).
Echo Realty, represented by Senior Vice President Drew Gorman, appeared before the borough’s Community Development Committee late in February. Gorman said Echo, headquartered in Pittsburgh, has been trying to acquire the center for several years. The company closed on the deal with the owners at the end of 2016. Echo specializes in development, investment and management of shopping centers with a supermarket anchor. Gorman said his firm is looking to expand holdings along the eastern seaboard, but has about 9 million square feet of retail space in its portfolio.
Echo’s goals are to revitalize the existing structures, work with Acme — which separately owns its property — and add at least one new building of about 5,000 square feet on the corner where Lukoil stood.
“We did have a call from Lukoil, which would have been required to sign a new long-term lease,” said Gorman. His impression was Lukoil made the decision to close, faced with the new Wawa which will have gas as well as the convenience store.
The borough’s Community Development Committee is often approached prior to a formal appearance at the planning commission. However Gorman, along with an Echo engineer, presented a fairly comprehensive concept which included upgrades to building facades; changes to parking with about a dozen additional spaces; alterations to access/egress points; landscaping and work on sidewalks.
“We believe this center has life left in it. We hope to draw people from miles away, not just locals. We want to make this and entertaining experience with destination retail,” said Gorman.
Information is premature on which existing tenants will stay, and what types of new businesses may be signed for vacant stores. Echo’s next stop is expected to be at the planning commission in the coming months. But the biggest certainty is new ownership and the removal of Lukoil which Gorman said was “an ugly corner.”