Ya Ya Preschool Leases Dutch Street Space

The Mandarin immersion preschool will open its second Manhattan location in the Financial District.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Commercial

Brick and stone mid-rise commercial building facade on a narrow Lower Manhattan street under soft overcast daylight. — Ya Ya Mandarin Immersion Preschool signed a 10-year lease for 4,640 square feet at 9-15 Dutch Street in Manhattan's Financial District. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Ya Ya Mandarin Immersion Preschool signed a 10-year lease for 4,640 square feet at 9-15 Dutch Street in the Financial District. The space previously housed Downtown Little School, which closed in 2024.

Why it matters

The deal adds a second Manhattan location for the all-Mandarin preschool, which was founded in 2008 and operates its first Manhattan site at 291 Broadway in Tribeca. It also shows continued demand for childcare space in Lower Manhattan.

The lease covers 4,640 square feet for 10 years at an asking rent of $50 per square foot. The final negotiated rate and any landlord concessions were not reported.

The players

Ya Ya Mandarin Immersion Preschool

An all-Mandarin educational program for young children that operates locations in Manhattan.

Time Equities

The owner of the six-story commercial and residential building at 9-15 Dutch Street.

The details

RTL's Thomas Galo represented the tenant alongside Matthew Knispel, and the building at 9-15 Dutch Street, between Fulton and John streets, is six stories with commercial and residential space owned by Time Equities. No landlord brokers were involved in the deal.

2008: Ya Ya Mandarin Immersion Preschool was founded.
2024: Downtown Little School closed in the space.
November 4, 2026: Report on the new lease was published.

Space Turnover

The lease replaces Downtown Little School, which closed in 2024, with a new childcare operator in the same Dutch Street space. Ya Ya's move follows that closure and keeps the space in use for early-childhood education.

For New York City parents, the new location offers another all-Mandarin preschool option in the Financial District. The change also affects residents near Dutch Street who will see a childcare operator replace the one that closed in 2024.

The takeaway

Commercial space vacated by childcare operators is often re-leased to similar uses, so families watching a neighborhood's preschool options can expect continuity in the area. Parents seeking new programs should confirm opening dates directly with providers.