The DL on Delco (Chester, Drexel Hill: apartment, crime rates, big home)

[s1oozne]

Upper Central Delco: A mix of suburban sprawl, older communities, and exurban developments. Is a mix of the places it borders to the east, to the west, and to the south. Is along major highways and roads.


Upper Marple Township/Broomall: A mix of older communities and suburban sprawl. Contains the main campus of Delaware County Community College, and shares the Maple-Newtown School District with Newtown to the north. A mix of Central Delco and Far/Northeast Delco.

Newtown: Not Main-Line but still pretty damn nice in parts. Very similar to neighboring Radnor, though its blood isn't quite as rich. Has multiple office parks, similar to Radnor, is the US Headquarters of SAP, and is building itself up in parts to be more focused around town-centers, such as the huge one they're building near the "heart" of Newtown Square. In the Marple-Newtown School District. Definitely a mix of the places it borders.

[s1oozne]

Far Delco: The newest communities in the county. A mix of newer suburban sprawl and older communities. Has some of the newest, most monied school districts outside of the Main Line. Admittedly the part I know least about even though I've been through there a good number of times.


Bethel Township: One of those far-flung, newer tract-home areas of the county. Has beautiful large, old houses mixed with newer suburbia. Part of Garnet-Valley School District, which is solid but also fairly new compared to older districts in the county. Proximity to tax-free shopping in Delaware, which it borders, is a plus.

Chadds Ford: Similar to other far-flung newer suburbia and older farm/rural communities. In the Chadds Ford/Unionville School District. Borders the state of Delaware, and Chester County.

Chester Heights: Really nothing like Chester except in name. Part of the Garnet Valley School District.

Upper Chichester: Borders Lower Chichester, Linwood, Trainer, Chester Township, Aston, and the state of Delaware. Also in the Chichester School District.

Concord: Another of the far-flung newer suburbia parts of the county. In the Garnet Valley School District. Borders the state of Delaware.

Edgmont: Another newer exurban area. In the Rose Tree-Media School District, which is one of the best in the state.

Thornbury: Yet another far-flung part of Delco with a mix of older, beautiful homes and newer suburbia. Part of the West Chester School District. Borders Chester County.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by s1oozne

Southwestern Central Delco: A mix of older, walkable communities (mostly along a train or trolley line) and newer suburban sprawl. Originally built because of Chester city, whether as a suburb of it or as an outlying town. Places in this section tend to be in great school districts and have walkable, urban downtown or town center areas.


Aston Township: There is no low-income housing in Aston. It's a middle to upper-middle class area, with a solid school district, that boasts a movie studio and a growing Neumann University. A mixture of worn suburban housing, large new tract home communities, and some older architecture in parts.

Brookhaven: Typical older suburb, in the same school district as Aston but also Parkside, which it borders. Used to have its own middle school but that got closed down and sold to The Christian Academy. Neighbors Parkside but isn't really guaranteed to become anything like Parkside, let alone Upland, let alone Chester. Also borders Aston, which is definitely a plus. Time will tell which way Brookhaven and the Penn-Delco school district as a whole will go.

Media: The most urban place outside of Chester and Darby, with a fairly large downtown area, all different kinds of rowhomes, and probably the most colonial architecture and regular Philly-style rowhomes in the entire county. A bustling, urban center, Media is by far the center of Delaware County at this point, besides being the county seat. Its downtown has the most restaurants in the county by far, as well as numerous unique and even upscale shops in parts and plenty of boutiques. Tons of apartments in parts but also some of the best housing in the area architecturally, too. I take back what I said about Havertown being the best bargain in the county. Media is, because it's in an excellent school district but at the same time the borough has housing in parts that would go for much more in more pretentious areas. Not as crazy liberal as has been made out to be, is very diverse in every way really, and becoming moreso every day. Has everything from working/lower-middle class people to college students to hipsters/young professionals, to families of all ages and types. Very walkable borough with parks and nature throughout. Served by rail, trolley, and multiple bus lines. Basically, if DCCC was a four-year school, Media would be West Chester.

Middletown: Often mistaken for Media because it has the same zipcode, a very suburban township that features the Granite Run Mall, multiple shopping centers/strips, especially along Baltimore Ave, the Rocky Run YMCA (one of the nicest, biggest, newest ones in the area), Penn State University at Lima, and basically just a host of suburban and exurban things, but also things like the expanded Riddle Hospital and apartment complexes in parts. Becoming more and more accessible to middle class and lower-middle class people, which makes suburbanites think it's going down when it isn't. In the excellent Rosetree-Media School District, but probably the most-increasingly accessible part of it. One of the areas, along with Aston, that should become a lot more diverse in the coming decades.

Morton: There are no public housing projects in Morton. I'm not sure where people heard there were but there aren't. Furthermore, Morton has housing stock in parts that isn't exactly cheap, is in both the Springfield and Wallingford-Swarthmore School Districts, and may be 25% African American but is a middle-class African American enclave in the parts that are. A CDP within Springfield Township. Is working and lower-middle class in parts but no part of it is the least bit shady. Its downtown has seen better days but it has great "bones" as they say, and a few assets still. One of the places that will eventually hold up Ridley School District because it's actually walkable, along transit, somewhat urban, and has varied architecture.

Nether Providence: Another one of those places that's a combination of newer and older suburbia. Similar to Middletown. Is in the excellent Wallingford-Swarthmore School District.


Swarthmore: Beautiful old architecture that doesn't come cheap. Has a nice downtown area and one of the most prestigious small colleges in Swarthmore. Part of the excellent Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. Home to a mix of families, college students, and young professionals.

Wallingford: A CDP within Nether Providence Township, very similar to Swarthmore but without its downtown. In the excellent Wallingford-Swarthmore School District.

Originally Posted by s1oozne

Far Delco: The newest communities in the county. A mix of newer suburban sprawl and older communities. Has some of the newest, most monied school districts outside of the Main Line. Admittedly the part I know least about even though I've been through there a good number of times.


Bethel Township: One of those far-flung, newer tract-home areas of the county. Has beautiful large, old houses mixed with newer suburbia. Part of Garnet-Valley School District, which is solid but also fairly new compared to older districts in the county. Proximity to tax-free shopping in Delaware, which it borders, is a plus.

Chadds Ford: Similar to other far-flung newer suburbia and older farm/rural communities. In the Chadds Ford/Unionville School District. Borders the state of Delaware, and Chester County.

Chester Heights: Really nothing like Chester except in name. Part of the Garnet Valley School District.

Upper Chichester: Borders Lower Chichester, Linwood, Trainer, Chester Township, Aston, and the state of Delaware. Also in the Chichester School District.

Concord: Another of the far-flung newer suburbia parts of the county. In the Garnet Valley School District. Borders the state of Delaware.

Edgmont: Another newer exurban area. In the Rose Tree-Media School District, which is one of the best in the state.

Thornbury: Yet another far-flung part of Delco with a mix of older, beautiful homes and newer suburbia. Part of the West Chester School District. Borders Chester County.

I have never heard that about Middletown. Aside from the bus routes bringing poor people to the granite run mall, which has gone way downhill I admit. But a simple 3 bed 1.5 bath split in middletown is 300k range, that is not really attractive to lower middle class at all. A nice 4 bed 3 bath home is in the 500-600k range,and several homes over 1 million. There are a lot of other towns in Delco that I am worried about going downhill, like brookhaven, but not middletown.

You also forgot, Upper Providence, which is also 19063 zip. Which is very comparable to Newtown Square, large homes on private lots. And you did not mention the Tyler Arboretum, or Ridley Creek State Park which is a huge plus and draw to the area.

Edgemont is also arguably one of the nicest towns in the area.

I would give alittle more credit to western parts of Delco as well. Chadds Ford is by far one of the nicest towns in the entire area, much more attractive than Lower Merion in my opinion. And Glen Mills(which you forgot) and Concord, Bethel, Thornbury, are excellent towns for families. Really that group of towns is the main reason why Delaware counties population and avg income has gone up over the past 15 years.

Other than that your post is pretty accurate.

[s1oozne]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I have never heard that about Middletown. Aside from the bus routes bringing poor people to the granite run mall, which has gone way downhill I admit. But a simple 3 bed 1.5 bath split in middletown is 300k range, that is not really attractive to lower middle class at all. A nice 4 bed 3 bath home is in the 500-600k range,and several homes over 1 million. There are a lot of other towns in Delco that I am worried about going downhill, like brookhaven, but not middletown.

You also forgot, Upper Providence, which is also 19063 zip. Which is very comparable to Newtown Square, large homes on private lots. And you did not mention the Tyler Arboretum, or Ridley Creek State Park which is a huge plus and draw to the area.

Edgemont is also arguably one of the nicest towns in the area.

I would give alittle more credit to western parts of Delco as well. Chadds Ford is by far one of the nicest towns in the entire area, much more attractive than Lower Merion in my opinion. And Glen Mills(which you forgot) and Concord, Bethel, Thornbury, are excellent towns for families. Really that group of towns is the main reason why Delaware counties population and avg income has gone up over the past 15 years.

Other than that your post is pretty accurate.

There's a ton of smaller houses in Middletown though, you forget. It's not just the mall either. Look at all of the places around Middletown township and how well they're holding up (or not holding up, in this case), to the south and to the east, especially along Baltimore Pike. I'm not saying Middletown township will go downhill or anything but those smaller houses and the average suburban houses are going to keep losing value, and the part with them is going to be a lot more diverse and middle class. If it weren't for the school district though, that area might go downhill. By the way, it's not really poor people going to Granite Run. Poor people shop closer to where they live. However, the fact is that those people didn't feel comfortable in that area ten years ago, just like I didn't. Now though, we feel comfortable all over the township, minus the parts with the huge houses. That should tell you something.

I went by the Municipality map. Admittedly I forgot Upper Providence. I didn't include Glen Mills, though I know that area well. Like I said though, I don't know a lot about the "Far Delco" area as I call it, though I do think I did it justice by mentioning how there are older, beautiful houses and not just sprawl.

By the way, if I thought Middletown township would be going downhill, then I'd have put it in the Central Delco section. I think it's in a good enough school district and has enough assets that it won't go downhill.

[mancat100]

I now feel thoroughly educated on Delaware County. Thank you.

[s1oozne]

Originally Posted by mancat100

I now feel thoroughly educated on Delaware County. Thank you.

Haha no problem. I felt the need to correct the misinformation posted by the person who started this thread supposedly to correct the misinformation on city-data.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by s1oozne

There's a ton of smaller houses in Middletown though, you forget. It's not just the mall either. Look at all of the places around Middletown township and how well they're holding up (or not holding up, in this case), to the south and to the east, especially along Baltimore Pike. I'm not saying Middletown township will go downhill or anything but those smaller houses and the average suburban houses are going to keep losing value, and the part with them is going to be a lot more diverse and middle class. If it weren't for the school district though, that area might go downhill. By the way, it's not really poor people going to Granite Run. Poor people shop closer to where they live. However, the fact is that those people didn't feel comfortable in that area ten years ago, just like I didn't. Now though, we feel comfortable all over the township, minus the parts with the huge houses. That should tell you something.

I went by the Municipality map. Admittedly I forgot Upper Providence. I didn't include Glen Mills, though I know that area well. Like I said though, I don't know a lot about the "Far Delco" area as I call it, though I do think I did it justice by mentioning how there are older, beautiful houses and not just sprawl.

By the way, if I thought Middletown township would be going downhill, then I'd have put it in the Central Delco section. I think it's in a good enough school district and has enough assets that it won't go downhill.

To begin, all that land around the Rocky Run YMCA and those abandoned homes have been the center of a battle between a developer and the township. A developer wants to build a huge town center, that would transform that entire stretch of retail in Middletown. That is not all true. A lot of people who frequent that mall are from Chester and there is nowhere for people in Chester to shop, everything is closed, so they go to Brookhaven, and now the Granite Run Mall. The main reason that mall went downhill is because the yuppie people from middletown are uncomfortable being around the crowd that the mall now attracts. That mall is what is giving middletown a bad rep. There will always be a middle class in Middletown, but I see the town improving if anything, if that new town center goes through, and the mall either has an overhaul or is just torn down. Those smaller splits if kept up well will not drag down the town either. There are plenty of splits in lower merion, people keep them up nice, and so far that is what I see in Middletown.

[s1oozne]

Originally Posted by cpomp

To begin, all that land around the Rocky Run YMCA and those abandoned homes have been the center of a battle between a developer and the township. A developer wants to build a huge town center, that would transform that entire stretch of retail in Middletown. That is not all true. A lot of people who frequent that mall are from Chester and there is nowhere for people in Chester to shop, everything is closed, so they go to Brookhaven, and now the Granite Run Mall. The main reason that mall went downhill is because the yuppie people from middletown are uncomfortable being around the crowd that the mall now attracts. That mall is what is giving middletown a bad rep. There will always be a middle class in Middletown, but I see the town improving if anything, if that new town center goes through, and the mall either has an overhaul or is just torn down. Those smaller splits if kept up well will not drag down the town either. There are plenty of splits in lower merion, people keep them up nice, and so far that is what I see in Middletown.

That may be so but it's not the reason for changes in Middletown.

I go to that mall all the time. The majority of people from places like Chester that go there happen to work there. Why would people without money go to a mall? The people from places like Upper Darby who go there aren't poor either. Don't judge a book by its cover.

Actually, it's really KOP that's causing the mall to go downhill. It's an outdated and somewhat small mall, and it's not as simple as it being "the mall" giving Middletown a bad rep.

Lower Merion is part of the Main Line, has architecture as old as anywhere in the country, and rich architecture at that, is connected to multiple rail lines, and is in one of the best school districts in the country, surrounded by the others, and surrounded by places with more money than most of the county has seen. It's about what people want, and the only people who want the small, suburban homes are those moving up in the world, and putting town center after town center in there is only a band-aid that will not stop anything. Look at what's happening to Ridley and Springfield. What's to stop that from happening in Middletown? Nothing really, though luckily it's in a much better school district. That's what happens when you have so many smaller suburban homes, not to mention all of the outdated apartment buildings in Middletown.

[FKD19124]

I've driven through Eddystone and thought the same thing. Nice little town that reminds me of when I lived in Philly. The one thing I do not like about Delco is that it seems to congested and I hear the property taxes are really high.

Originally Posted by RCdelco

There's seems to be a ton of bias and misinformation floating around about Delaware County, PA. As someone who has spent a substantial amount of time in pretty much ALL areas of Delco, I felt the need to make a thread dedicated to providing factual information about the various boroughs, townships, census designated places, and unincorporated communities in Delaware County.

Ardmore
Although Ardmore is located in both Delaware County & Montgomery County, many people tend to associate it purely with MontCo due to its "main line" look and feel. Ardmore is one of those places I don't know too much about, but I do know that it is served by both the Lower Merion School District and the School District of Haverford Township (depending on which side of Ardmore you live in). Ardmore is also home to Suburban Square, a large, outdoor shopping mall with high-end shops (including both boutiques and department stores), and outdoor cafes. While much of Ardmore is seen as "upscale," there are several pockets that are definitely considered to be working class. Although it is technically located on the main line, it is probably the most blue-collar area the main line has to offer.

Aldan
Aldan is a decidedly blue-collar area of Delaware County. It's reputation would probably be better if it wasn't serviced by the William Penn School District. Aldan could be considered a nicer offshoot of Clifton Heights, given their proximity and similarities.

Aston Township
Aston Township is your typical, run-of-the-mill, middle class suburban town. It's predominantly white, has a median family income of around $55k, and residents attend Sun Valley High School which is neither great nor horrible. There are some pretty houses that rest on large plots of land as well as lower-end housing available for lower-income people.

Clifton Heights
Blue-collar, working class town. People generally see it as one of the areas that drags down Upper Darby School District's reputation. In all my years of frequenting the town of DelCo, I've never seen any stand-out houses in this area. Underage drinking and illegal drug use are becoming increasingly dominant in this area.

Collingdale
If you're looking to purchase real estate in DelCo, look elsewhere. Collingdale has a horrible crime rate, a low median income, and no nice houses to speak of. Not trying to be rude, just stating the facts. This is considered a low class town (as opposed to working class). The school district is one of the worst not only in the state of PA, but in the entire country. In some parts of Collingdale, it's not even safe to walk around late at night. Underage drinking and drug abuse is the norm here.

Darby
At this point, Darby is an extension of Philly. Sadly, Collingdale is (not so) slowly but surely, becoming an extension of Darby. I can only hope this doesn't spread further.

Lansdowne/East Lansdowne
If only Lansdowne could be successfully gentrified. It's not so bad that people are completely writing it off, but it not the greatest area in the world. It's definitely a "rougher" neighborhood. The only thing keeping it (slightly) afloat is the amazing housing stock. You can purchase a completely renovated Victorian for around $150k and the taxes are nowhere near as high as neighboring Drexel Hill. There is a movement to get Clifton Heights and Lansdowne to form their own school district in hopes of salvaging the rest of Upper Darby Township.

Eddystone
Eddystone would be the perfect quaint, family community if it weren't so close to Chester. You can literally hear gun shots and police sirens at all hours of the night. That being said, Eddystone is a very "cute" community where homeowners take pride in their homes. Most neighbors are friendly, and the kids get to attend Ridley School District which is a plus. If only we could physically move Eddystone further West ...

Folcroft
Teeters between being a lower class and working class area. Mostly made up of rowhomes. Underage drinking and drug abuse are starting to become the norm. Huge coke ring/biker gang was apparently busted here a few decades back and the area has been going downhill ever since. Real estate market is pretty much down the toilet.

Glenolden
By and large a working class area. School districts aren't great, but if your kid is naturally smart and motivated and is more a leader than a follower, he/she will do just fine. I would encourage him/her to hang out in places other than Glenolden, however. The areas that run up and down MacDade Blvd and Chester Pike are becoming an absolute mess. However, I do believe that Glenolden can be saved. It's definitely better off than places like Folcroft, Collingdale, and Sharon Hill. Hopefully neighboring areas such as Ridley and Swarthmore can help pull it up, but this seems unlikely considering Ridley needs help itself and Swarthmore really doesn't associate itself with Glenolden.

Marcus Hook
Sounds harsh but at this point it's just a waste of time. Basically an extension of Chester.

Media
People on this site love to throw around the fact that Media has a downtown. Great! Have any of you ever actually been to Media's downtown area? Theres a handful of restaurants/bars and a Trader Joe's. Congratulations. Anyway, most of Media is dowdy and you will feel uncomfortable unless you are super liberal. I know a few people who grew up in Middleton Township (which Media is a part of) that lived in multi million dollar homes. However, I don't know anyone who grew up in Media proper who was wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. Runnymeade Farms is an excellent community that borders Ridley Creek State Park. The homes are very expensive but the community is tight-knit and well worth it. Springton Lake is another gorgeous development in Media located near 252 and the Delaware County Community College's Media campus. If you can't afford these 2 areas and are looking to BUY, not RENT, I'd look elsewhere.

Morton
No one I know really wants to be associated with Morton. The people from Ridley think it's "shady" and site the block of projects as the cause. The people from Springfield think Morton pales in comparison and is bringing down their school district's reputation. Morton's downtown street (I don't think you can really refer to it as a district) has a great restaurant and bar and a few cute shops, but that's it.

Norwood
Everyone's a little iffy on Norwood. General consensus seems to be that Interboro School District sucks. Crime in the surrounding areas is rising. Houses are being sold cheap. Additionally, the houses aren't really anything special to look at. I'd consider it a relatively stable community for now, but not good for a long-term investment.

Prospect Park
As I mentioned earlier, the areas surrounding MacDade Blvd and Chester Pike are rapidly declining. This includes Prospect Park. It's a very working-class, blue-collar town with somewhat of a Union presence. The bars tend to be densely packed and pretty seedy for the most part. Definite alcohol/drug presence. Not a great place to raise kids at this point in time. It has a downtown area that has the potential to be "quaint," but only if they start filling it with better shops. There are a few streets with beautiful single-family homes, but most of the homes are very small and are seriously lacking curb appeal.

Ridley Park
Home to some gorgeous Victorian homes, however most of them are in disrepair and in serious need of renovations that's likely to cost you a boatload of money. Bottom line is, a lot of people don't find Ridley Park worth investing in because of the surrounding areas and the slightly below average school district, so these homes stay in ruins are are huge eyesores. I really hope some wealthy investor comes in and buys them all up so that they can be restored to their former glory. Total waste of absolutely gorgeous architecture. Ridley Park is in Ridley Township which has a huge middle class, blue-collar, Union presence. I don't think the area is going downhill per se, but it would be better if Ridley Park could detach itself from other places in Ridley Township like Eddystone, Leedom Estates, and Folsom.

Rutledge
Some houses make Rutledge seem like a mini-Swarthmore, but some houses make it seem like a high-end Ridley Township. It's solidly middle/upper-middle class and located within a great school district. Part of the reason Rutledge is so sought after is because it's seen as being relatively exclusive, rarely having homes for sale. I think there are currently 2 or 3 on the market. The houses are huge and gorgeous compared to neighboring Folsom where the majority of the housing stock consists of bland and boring brick cape cods (no offense if this is your thing, I just prefer houses with more character).

Springfield
Springfield Township is huge. There are definitely upper class pockets, but most of Springfield is considered a solidly middle class town. Springfield Township is home to the Springfield Mall, AMC Marple 10 Movie Theatre, Springfield Country Club, and The Healthplex (probably the best gym facility in Delaware County). The upper class section of Springfield is located along North Rolling Road. One of the best school districts in Delaware County. But, if you're looking at other school districts in MontCo and ChesCo, it's nothing special.

Sharon Hill
You can pretty much lump Sharon Hill in with Folcroft, Collingdale, and Darby. I can't imagine anyone spending money on a home there these days. Most of the people I knew who grew up there couldn't wait to get out because they knew it was going downhill even then. Horrible school district, high crime rates. Pretty much on par with Collingdale in terms of feeling safe walking around at night. (Hint: Don't do it.)

Swarthmore
Gorgeous homes, priced accordingly. Good school district. Apartments and condos available for rent. Small community feel. By and large considered upscale for Delaware County and an exclave of the Main Line. If you could physically remove Swarthmore from DelCo and plop it down in the middle of ChesCo or MontCo, it would make more sense. Snobbery tends to run deep because it is one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest section of Delaware County, especially compared to the surrounding areas. There are a few blocks in Swarthmore that contain relatively new homes. In my opinion, these homes make Swarthmore look tacky and very "new money" compared to some of the gorgeous mansions you drive by when coming from the direction of Baltimore Pike.

Folsom
Ridley Township. School district is mediocre, but seeming to go downhill in recent years. Very blue-collar/working/middle class. Standard homes are brick cape cod.

Woodlyn
The dump of Ridley Township. The homes are nice enough but the area is going downhill, especially given it's close proximity to Chester and I95. Many seedy bars and drug use happening in this area.

Drexel Hill
If you're looking to buy a home in Drexel Hill there are only 3 areas really worth looking at - Aronimink Estates, Drexel Park, and Pilgrim Gardens. Aronimink and Drexel Park have the bigger/better homes. Drexel Park is in the seediest area because it borders parts of Lansdowne and crime has increased a bit in recent years (break ins, muggings, etc.). An added bonus of living in Pilgrim Gardens is that it is actually served by Haverford School District so the kids there get to escape the clutches of Upper Darby High School- huge bonus. Houses in Drexel Park tend to sell for anywhere from $300k to $400k. Homes in Aronimink Estates go from $250k - $400k. If these 3 areas were looked at as separate from Upper Darby Township, they would be compared to Swarthmore and a few Main Line areas. These are the upper middle class sections of Upper Darby Township. The rest of UD Township is decidedly middle class with a few working class areas (Stonehurst, Garret Hill, etc.)

Havertown
Good and bad areas. Great school district. The areas that border Upper Darby/Llanerch are less sought after than the ones bordering Haverford (a main line community). Housing prices are pretty high. Taxes are a tad high, but a lot lower than neighboring Drexel Hill. The Quarry Center just opened on Township Line and includes a Super Giant, Starbucks, Panera Bread, Chipotle, and Lowes. It's bound to bring a lot of business/tax relief to the township. They also just completely rebuilt Monoa Elementary School which was a huge, multi-million dollar project, but well worth it. The school district is award-winning. There are blue-collar areas but Havertown is by and large an upper middle class community with a large white-collar presence.



Feel free to make an addition or ask a question! I know there are some areas I've missed!

[mcguirk]

Originally Posted by s1oozne

That may be so but it's not the reason for changes in Middletown.

I go to that mall all the time. The majority of people from places like Chester that go there happen to work there. Why would people without money go to a mall? The people from places like Upper Darby who go there aren't poor either. Don't judge a book by its cover.

Actually, it's really KOP that's causing the mall to go downhill. It's an outdated and somewhat small mall, and it's not as simple as it being "the mall" giving Middletown a bad rep.

Lower Merion is part of the Main Line, has architecture as old as anywhere in the country, and rich architecture at that, is connected to multiple rail lines, and is in one of the best school districts in the country, surrounded by the others, and surrounded by places with more money than most of the county has seen. It's about what people want, and the only people who want the small, suburban homes are those moving up in the world, and putting town center after town center in there is only a band-aid that will not stop anything. Look at what's happening to Ridley and Springfield. What's to stop that from happening in Middletown? Nothing really, though luckily it's in a much better school district. That's what happens when you have so many smaller suburban homes, not to mention all of the outdated apartment buildings in Middletown.

What's happening to Ridley?