This Week’s Philadelphia Deal Sheet: National Daycare Chain Plans 11 New Greater Philly Locations
Many working parents can attest to how challenging it can be to get a coveted spot at a daycare facility.
Citing that unmet demand in greater Philadelphia, The Learning Experience, a Florida-based daycare chain with 420 locations nationwide, is purchasing 110K SF of real estate to expand its presence in the region.
Each of the 11 new locations will include a 10K SF indoor space and a 5,000 SF playground. Up to 30 workers are employed at each facility to watch as many as 180 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years.
The first new facility is scheduled to open at 1010 Church Road in Lansdale this month. The rest are set to open their doors by the end of the third quarter of 2026.
The Learning Experience is owned by the San Francisco private equity group Golden Gate Capital, which has helped the company add 80 locations over the past two years. The chain also has three locations in the UK.
Locations in greater Philly will include:
- Landsdale: 1010 Church Road in February 2025.
- Philadelphia: 1775 N. American St. in Q2 2025; 399 Market St. in Q3 2025; and 4224 Baltimore Ave. in Q3 2026
- Wyomissing in Q3 2025
- Medford, New Jersey: 198 Old Marlton Pike in Q4 2025
- Glen Mills: 43 Dougherty Blvd. in Q1 2026
- Phoenixville: 710 Pike Springs Road in Q1 2026
- Collegeville: 1425 S. Collegeville Road in Q2 2026
- New Castle, Delaware: 287 Christiana Road in Q3 2026
- Glassboro, New Jersey in Q3 2026
PEOPLE
Three team members at FCA, a Philly-based architecture and design firm, were promoted to principal positions last month. They include Principal of Information Technology Christopher Marotto, principal and Director of Art Integration Marissa Dionne Mead and principal Francis Altieri Jr.
LEASES
CBRE has been appointed as the exclusive leasing agent for a nearly 78K SF office structure at 248 Chapman Road in Newark, Delaware, owned by Rockford Capital Partners. Brian Hopkins and John Kaczowka will manage the leasing campaign on behalf of the brokerage.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Federal Realty’s redevelopment of the 374K SF Lawrence Park Shopping Center in Broomall is coming to a close. The final new store, a Sephora location at 1991 Sproul Road, will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.
***
Two new warehouses, one with 411K SF and another with 348K SF, have been completed at the 5000 Richmond St. complex in Bridesburg. The 67-acre site is operated by DH Property Holdings.
***
Lee & Associates and Carson Cos. have completed the construction of two warehouses at their Carson33 project in the Lehigh Valley. The structures at 1575 and 1571 Van Buren Road in Palmer Township are about 174K SF and 224K SF, respectively. Three more buildings slated for the site will bring the grand total to more than 1.1M SF.
***
A $16M, 61-unit apartment community at 2 W. 4th St. in Downtown Wilmington opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month, Delaware Business Now reported. One-bedroom units in the project developed by the Buccini/Pollin Group are going for $1,900.
FINANCING
Conshohocken-based CenterSquare Investment Management has teamed up with the Singaporean firm Temasek for a $100M commercial real estate debt co-investment vehicle. The vehicle will expand to $200M once it is fully funded.
***
Naftali Credit Partners recently closed a $45.5M multifamily lease-up loan for the 132-unit mixed development at 4224 Baltimore Ave. in West Philadelphia. The refinancing is on behalf of Thylan Associates, the New York City-based developer behind the project.
THIS AND THAT
The Delaware River Port Authority awarded Skanska a $220M contract to paint and rehabilitate the Commodore Barry Bridge between Chester and Bridgeport, New Jersey. The project began in December 2024 and is expected to wrap up in Q1 2028.
