The Dedham schools' business manager - tasked with finding a replacement tenant - said he has talked with two organizations interested in buying the day care and early childhood education center. VNA Care Network & Hospice has said it intends to close Kids' Place by Aug. 31 due to financial problems.
Kids' Place occupies a portion of the former Dexter School at 1100 High St., which is owned by the Dedham schools.
Business manager Michael LaFrancesca said two organizations have been in touch "that were very comfortable with the space. They just met with the VNA, and they had a couple of questions for us."
The School Committee's budget subcommittee last week directed LaFrancesca to discuss possibilities for the space with the VNA, the adjoining Education Cooperative, and "field or engage in any negotiations to try and keep the space occupied," said board member Thomas Ryan.
"It's fluid right now. I think there's a business opportunity out there potentially with the day care, but it's something that the private sector needs to investigate," Ryan said.
LaFrancesca said he did not want to identify the two interested parties because of negotiations.
CEO Karen Green told Kids' Place parents recently that the VNA Care Network could no longer support the money-losing Dedham program, which is not the mission of her home care and hospice organization.
Stunned parents were informed of the expected Aug. 31 closing date on June 19, leaving just over two months for them to find alternative child care.
Green and longtime Kids' Place Director Linda Byrne were to meet on June 25 with two day care providers possibly interested in taking over the Dedham program. Asked about that meeting yesterday, Green declined comment on the specifics.
"We're still just working on trying to help the families and help the school," she said.
Earlier this year, LaFrancesca offered the VNA Care Network a one-year lease extension that would have raised its rent by 10 percent, or $5,800, with an additional $500 for snow removal.
LaFrancesca said VNA occupies between one-quarter and one-third of the former Dexter building - including one wing, a couple offices off the wing, and playground space outside. He said, if VNA were to sell the day care to another business, the new owner would step in for the final year on the lease with the Dedham schools. The space would then have to go out to bid.
"Nothing is definite at this time," Ryan said, "but we're just basically trying to see what's available, and if it's cost-effective for us to enter into any agreements with (the interested parties)."
LaFrancesca also said extending the VNA Care Network's lease through the end of September remained a possibility. That would give Kids' Place more time to move its children to other day care centers.
Full text available at Daily News Transcript.