The economy is growing — and so is the need for day care facilities in Greater Portland
Courtesy / Rebecca Palmer
The 6,000-square-foot building at 18 Patrick Drive in Westbrook that sold for $875,000 to Rebecca and Jason Palmer, who plan to open their fourth day care facility there.
WESTBROOK — When Rebecca and Jason Palmer saw the building and grounds at 18 Patrick Drive in the Cumberland County city, they knew it would be perfect for their fourth day care facility for children age 6 weeks to 12 years old.
Day care — which includes preschool for younger children and afterschool and vacation care for school-age kids— is a growing field, thanks to the burgeoning economy, says Rebecca Palmer.
The 6,045-square-foot building was built in 2004 as a day care center. Mike Anderson of Malone Commercial Brokers represented the Palmers in the transaction, which closed July 12 for a price of $875,000. The seller, Kiel LLC, was represented by Craig Young of CBRE|The Boulos Co.
“The property never made it to the market before it went under contract,” said Anderson. “That shows the strength of not only the day care industry but the continued strength of the commercial real estate environment in general. Several of my recent sales have been a result of matching a buyer with a property that is not necessarily on the market but for one reason or another makes sense for the seller to sell.”
Rebecca Palmer got her start in the field when her second child was born. She was previously in the commercial lending field and was able to send her first child to her mother-in-law’s day care center. But when her mother-in-law decided to close the center and Palmer’s second child was born, she found herself hunting for alternatives. It wasn’t easy.
“There wasn’t a center or a home day care that I was comfortable with,” she said. “So I decided to stay home with my children, and open my house to other families.”
The move felt right, especially given that Palmer had originally trained in child psychology. That was in 2000, when she received her first license as a home day care provider and ran the day care out of the in-law apartment at her house.
In 2009, she bought a historical building at 596 Main St. in Westbrook that was once the town’s original elementary school and moved operations there, calling it The Little Red School House.
In 2015, it was brought to her attention that two existing day care centers were up for sale — Songbird Creative Center in Yarmouth, which had been going for about 20 years, and Discovery Place Child Care in Saco, which had been in operation perhaps five or six years. So she bought those. The Patrick Drive purchase represents the continued increase in demand for day care, she said.
“I have a waiting list over a year out,” she said. Most of that demand is driven by referrals from existing parents, existing families who are having more children, and some of Palmer’s teachers, who are also having children.
The new facility, which will be named Little Red School House Too, is close to two major thoroughfares and new residential development projects, and Palmer has no doubt the facility will thrive. It will have the same feel as the other three facilities. And that’s all about warmth and liveliness. The interior has large spaces with excellent natural light, plus extra space for a gym and dance room that’s always part of her day cares. There’s parking for staff and parents, a playground area with wood chips and a grassy knoll with pine trees.
“I didn’t want to lose the feel of the home day care,” she said. “So although the building has an industrial exterior, inside it’s warm and inviting.”
The other three facilities combined are licensed for 173 children. The new facility will be licensed for 150 children.
Further investment is expected to be minimal, perhaps $2,000 for things like area rugs and paint. Palmer expects to be operational by Dec. 5.
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