Childcare Facility Preliminary Assessment
of
Feasibility
Edenvale Community Center 330 Branham Lane East, San Jose, CA 95111
Prepared by Matthew Tinsley, SCCOE, September 2025 This childcare feasibility assessment report was prepared by the Santa Clara County Office
of
Education
with
funding
from
the
Silicon
Valley
Community
Foundation.
2 1. Summary This report provides the findings of a site visit by Santa Clara County Office of Education
(SCCOE)
staff
to
the
Edenvale
Community
Center
at
330
Branham
Lane
East,
San
Jose,
CA
95111.
The
facility
is
approximately
20,200
square
feet
in
size
and
has
fire
sprinklers
throughout,
meeting
new
fire
safety
requirements
to
serve
infants
and
toddlers.
The
visit
focused
on
two
existing
classrooms
(approximately
900
square
feet
each),
currently
used
for
teen
afterschool
programs,
and
a
community
room
(approximately
1,800
square
feet)
immediately
across
a
hallway
from
the
existing
classrooms.
The
purpose
of
the
site
was
to
make
a
preliminary
assessment
of
the
feasibility
of
retrofitting
these
existing
spaces
to
serve
as
a
licensed
childcare
facility.
The
intended
outcome
of
the
visit
was
to
assess
the
space,
highlight
opportunities
and
challenges
associated
with
developing
it
as
a
childcare
facility,
and
determine
a
list
of
next
steps
required
to
complete
the
feasibility
assessment.
The proposed childcare spaces can be accessed via a side door to the center that is separate
from
the
main
entrance.
The
other
end
of
this
hallway
leads
into
the
main
entrance;
a
door
at
this
point
would
separate
the
childcare
spaces
from
the
rest
of
the
building,
providing
access
control.
The
existing
classrooms
are
completely
built
out
and
include
all
the
necessary
fixtures
to
serve
as
childcare
space.
Each
already
has
a
restroom
with
a
toddler
height
sink
and
toilet.
There
is
existing
millwork
with
storage
cupboards,
“cubbies”
by
the
entrance,
and
an
adult
and
toddler
height
sink
in
the
main
classroom
area.
These
rooms
also
have
doors
to
the
main
hallway
and
a
separate
door
to
a
small,
enclosed,
outdoor
space
with
direct
access
to
an
existing
parking
lot.
This
could
be
used
as
an
emergency
exit
or
as
an
entrance
to
a
play
area
that
would
replace
part
of
the
current
parking
lot
(please
see
below).
Both
interior
and
exterior
doors
in
these
rooms
are
glass,
allowing
ample
natural
light
into
the
space.
The community room, across the hallway from these classrooms has a row of glass windows
looking
onto
the
hallway
and
two
exterior
doors
to
the
front
landscaped
area
of
the
building.
This
allows
the
required
two
exits
for
safety.
The
room
has
a
partition
system
that
allows
it
to
be
temporarily
divided
into
two.
There
is
a
lofted
ceiling
and
exterior
clerestory
windows
allowing
ample
natural
light
into
the
space.
There
is
no
existing
plumbing
in
this
room,
so
conversion
of
this
space
into
childcare
space
would
require
trenching
through
the
existing
foundation.
The building has a 50+ spaces dedicated parking lot and is owned by the City of San Jose.
It
neighbors
a
Boys
and
Girls
Club
afterschool
center
and
Davis
Intermediate
School,
part
of
Oak
Grove
School
District.
Please
see
Appendix
A
for
site
visit
photographs
with
annotations.
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 3 Opportunities : The existing classrooms require little to no renovation to serve as childcare
space,
there
is
sufficient
parking
for
staff,
the
building
meets
new
fire
code
requirements
for
serving
infants
and
toddlers,
and
allows
for
a
simple
and
secure
access
to
the
childcare
space
for
families.
Challenges : There is currently less than 500 square feet of outdoor space, between the two
existing
classrooms,
that
could
serve
as
a
play
area.
This
is
insufficient
and
so
additional
outdoor
space
would
need
to
be
created.
The
most
likely
option
is
to
turn
part
of
the
existing
parking
lot
into
an
outdoor
play
area
(please
see
below).
The
community
room
would
need
significant
renovation,
including
trenching
and
installation
of
new
water
and
sewer
lines,
to
be
converted
into
either
two
classrooms
or
one
classroom
and
non-classroom
accessory
space.
Existing
restrooms
in
the
community
center
could
be
used
by
staff
but
are
outside
the
proposed
childcare
space.
Recommendation : Based on the findings of the initial assessment, should the decision be
made
to
continue
evaluating
this
space,
we
recommend
the
following
steps.
First,
assessment
by
an
architecture
and
engineering
team
of
the
feasibility
of
using
a
portion
of
the
existing
parking
lot
to
create
an
outdoor
play
area.
Second,
evaluation
of
the
best
use
of
the
community
room
as
either
(i)
two
classrooms,
or
(ii)
one
classroom
and
accessory
space
and
the
associated
costs
of
each.
This
evaluation
may
require
outreach
to
childcare
operators
about
their
interest
in
operating
a
licensed
program
at
a
site
with
either
three
classrooms
or
extremely
limited
non-classroom
and
accessory
space.
Alternative
uses
include
the
site
operating
as
satellite
space
for
an
existing
provider
with
a
nearby
center
or
as
an
unlicensed
childcare
center
(e.g.
a
parent
co-op
program).
However,
both
of
these
uses
would
still
require
the
development
of
outdoor
play
space.
2. Local Childcare Need Data from the Local Early Education Planning Council (LPC) 2023 Childcare Needs Assessment
1 (published
in
March
2025)
shows
that
in
the
City
of
San
Jose
there
are
approximately
19,242
children
ages
0-2
years
for
whom
there
is
no
child
care
slot.
For
preschool
age
children
(ages
3-4
years),
supply
exceeds
the
demand
by
3,600
slots.
Within
zip
code
95111,
the
LPC
ZIP
Code
Priorities
Report
(2024)
2 shows
there
are
over
1,500
preschool
age
children,
that
almost
800
are
eligible
for
subsidized
childcare,
and
that
81%
of
eligible
children
are
currently
unserved
by
a
subsidized
program.
Similarly,
there
are
almost
2,000
infants
and
toddlers
in
this
zip
code,
almost
900
are
eligible
for
subsidized
childcare,
and
that
97%
of
eligible
infants
and
toddlers
are
currently
2 https://www.sccoe.org/supoffice/lpc/Documents/Reports/Santa-Clara-County-LPC-ZIP-Code-Priorities-R eport_2024-CSPP.pdf
1 https://www.sccoe.org/supoffice/lpc/Documents/Reports/2023_LPC-Needs-Assessment.pdf Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 4 unserved by a subsidized program
3 . Based on these data, this zip code is classified as Priority
One,
meaning
that
providers
seeking
to
serve
subsidy-eligible
children
in
this
zip
code
will
receive
preferential
access
to
new
subsidized
childcare
contracts
from
the
state
in
any
upcoming
expansion.
Data from the SCCOE Resource and Referral Agency Childcare Portal (www.childcarescc.org) indicates that there are 51 licensed private childcare providers in zip code 95111 with a combined capacity of 812, less than 25% of the population of children
ages
0-5
in
the
area.
Of
those
45 are
family
childcare
homes
(FCCH)
and
six
are
centers.
Twenty
three
of
the
FCCH
and
one
of
the
centers
accept
childcare
subsidy
vouchers,
the
remainder
are
private
pay
only.
Together
these
data
suggest
(i)
there
is
unmet
need
for
childcare
in
this
zip
code,
(ii)
there
is
substantial
unmet
need
for
subsidized
care
in
this
zip
code,
especially
for
infant
and
toddler
care,
and
(iii)
any
childcare
center
at
this
site
should
be
designed
to
support
infant
and
toddler
care.
3. Site & Facility Assessment In order for a space to support a high quality early childhood program it should provide (i)
ample
classroom
space
with
direct
connections
to
outdoor
play
areas,
(ii)
non-classroom
space
to
support
teacher
work,
administration,
and
family
support
activities,
(iii)
accessory
space
for
food
and
janitorial
services,
(iv)
outdoor
space
that
supports
a
variety
of
play
activities
and
gross
motor
development,
with
appropriate
separation
between
age
groups,
(v)
safe
and
efficient
access
for
child
drop-off
and
services,
and
(vi)
staff
parking
and
efficient
traffic
circulation.
Indoor classroom space:
Childcare licensing requires a minimum of 35 square feet of unencumbered classroom space
per
child.
Current
best
practice
recommends
classrooms
be
1,000
to
1,300
square
feet.
The
existing
two
classrooms
are
approximately
900
square
feet
each.
The
licensed
capacity
of
these
classrooms
will
depend
on
exact
furniture
layout
and
other
constraints
but
a
typical
classroom
enrollment
of
12 toddlers
(18-36
months)
is
possible
in
this
space.
Given
that
these
rooms
already
have
toddler
height
sinks
and
toilets,
and
all
the
necessary
cabinetry,
our
recommendation
is
that
they
be
used
for
toddler
care
(i.e.
18-36
month
old
children)
as
infant
care
would
require
additional
space
for
cribs.
One
classroom
could
be
used
for
younger
toddlers
and
the
second
for
older
children
to
allow
for
developmentally
consistent
grouping.
The existing, 1,800 square foot community room could be converted into ECE learning space.
However,
this
will
require
significant
investment.
There
is
currently
no
plumbing
and
so
installing
toilets,
sinks,
dishwashers
etc.
will
require
connecting
to
existing
utility
3 https://www.sccoe.org/supoffice/lpc/Documents/Reports/Santa-Clara-County-LPC-ZIP-Code-Priorities-R eport_2024-CCTR.pdf
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 5 lines, which may require trenching through the existing concrete slab. This space could be
converted
into
a
single,
large,
classroom
with
low
walls
or
furniture
dividers
to
designate
different
learning
spaces.
Alternatively,
a
full
height
wall
could
be
built
to
divide
the
space
into
two,
small,
classrooms
or
to
one
classroom
and
non-classroom
accessory
space.
This
room
does
have
direct
outside
access,
meeting
emergency
exit
requirements
but
does
not
have
direct
access
to
appropriate
outdoor
space
for
play.
Non-classroom and accessory space:
A childcare facility requires a variety of spaces in addition to classrooms. These include separate
offices
for
administration,
assessment,
and
parent
conferences;
teacher
work
spaces;
rooms
for
food
service,
laundry,
and
janitorial
storage
that
are
separate
from
childcare
areas;
adult
restrooms,
a
reception
area
with
access
control,
and
circulation.
There is currently no non-classroom or accessory space associated with the existing classrooms.
Existing
restrooms
in
the
community
center
could
be
used
by
staff
but
are
outside
the
proposed
childcare
space.
The
only
opportunity
to
build
non-classroom
space
within
the
proposed
childcare
footprint
would
be
to
include
it
in
the
renovation
of
the
community
room,
sacrificing
the
possibility
of
a
fourth
classroom.
This
creates
a
potential
barrier
to
recruit
a
provider
to
offer
childcare
services
by
reducing
the
number
of
children
who
can
be
served
in
the
space,
affecting
fiscal
sustainability.
Alternatively,
if
the
site
does
not
include
accessory
spaces,
this
creates
substantial
difficulties
in
program
operations.
This
is
a
significant
barrier
to
the
feasibility
of
this
site
supporting
a
stand-alone,
licensed
childcare
center.
Other
alternative
uses,
such
as
an
unlicensed
program
(e.g.
parent
co-op
program)
or
as
a
satellite
site
for
a
nearby
early
learning
program,
are
possible
but
depend
on
factors
outside
the
scope
of
this
study.
Outdoor play space:
There is currently no licensable outdoor play space at the site. There is an enclosed courtyard
of
approximately
500
square
feet
between
the
two
existing
classrooms.
After
renovations,
this
could
serve
as
outdoor
space
for
six
children
at
a
time.
This
is
insufficient
and
so
additional
space
needs
to
be
found
for
the
site
to
be
feasible.
Given
the
existing
layout,
the
only
possibility
is
to
take
some
of
the
existing
parking
lot
behind
the
community
center
and
convert
it
to
outdoor
play
space,
with
the
enclosed
courtyard
being
used
as
access
to
this
area.
The site has a parking lot with 50+ spaces alongside and behind the center, bounded by the
Boys
and
Girls
Club
on
one
side
and
Davis
Intermediate
School
on
the
other.
During
the
time
of
the
visit,
a
mid-week
morning,
a
majority
of
the
spaces
were
empty.
This
suggests
that
a
portion
of
the
lot
might
be
able
to
be
used
as
outdoor
play
space.
Depending
on
the
classroom
configuration,
scheduling,
and
enrollment,
the
outdoor
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 6 space would need to be approximately 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. This could be achieved
by
taking
the
space
behind
the
center
and
using
it
as
outdoor
space
while
maintaining
existing
parking
alongside
the
center,
adjacent
to
Branham
Lane
East.
This
configuration
preserves
parking
access
and
circulation,
while
giving
shelter
and
privacy
to
the
play
area.
It
would
also
allow
access
to
the
childcare
space
from
an
existing
door
and
to
the
outdoor
space
from
the
existing
classrooms
and
community
room
via
the
enclosed
courtyard.
SCCOE staff had a number of concerns about this plan to create an outdoor space.
Most
importantly,
this
area
of
the
parking
lot
is
also
a
fire
lane.
Determining
which
parts
of
the
site
are
served
by
this
fire
access,
and
whether
this
area
can
be
repurposed
as
outdoor
play
space,
will
determine
whether
childcare
is
a
feasible
use
of
this
site.
Additionally,
determining
the
parking
demand
on
site
-
and
whether
there
are
existing
agreements
with
neighboring
sites
about
use
of
the
lot
-
is
necessary.
This
analysis
requires
contracting
with
an
architect,
landscape
designer,
and
utilities
engineer
and
may
also
require
discussion
with
the
San
Jose
Fire
Department.
There
is
also
a
significant
grade
immediately
beyond
the
existing
lot
that
runs
down
onto
the
school
site.
Use
of
the
space
as
a
play
area
may
affect
drainage
and
runoff
and
will
need
to
be
understood.
This
renovation
will
also
result
in
a
significant
capital
expense.
Safe child drop off:
The side entrance to the community center, adjacent to the parking lot, opens into the proposed
childcare
space
and
could
serve
as
a
dedicated
childcare
entrance
into
a
reception
area.
Nearby
parking
spaces
could
be
reserved
for
short
term
parking
(e.g.
10 minutes)
to
allow
safe
and
efficient
childcare
drop-off
and
pickup.
SCCOE
staff
noted
that
drop
off
and
pick
up
for
a
program
that
includes
infants
and
toddlers
is
complicated
because
parents
need
to
leave
their
cars
and
accompany
children
to
the
classrooms.
SCCOE
staff
had
no
significant
concerns
about
developing
a
safe
child
drop-off
area
for
this
space.
Services access:
The side entrance to the community center, described above, could also serve as services
access
to
the
proposed
childcare
space.
This
would
support
food
service
deliveries
from
an
off-site
kitchen
and
other
services.
SCCOE
staff
did
not
have
concerns
about
services
access
to
this
space.
Staff parking:
Using the site as a childcare center will create demand for 12-15 staff parking spaces, depending
on
the
number
of
classrooms,
the
ages
of
the
children
served,
and
other
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 7 operating features. There is likely sufficient parking to meet staff’s needs, contingent on existing
parking
demand
and
the
extent
of
the
parking
lot
renovated
into
outdoor
play
space.
General comments:
While there are two existing classrooms that are “turnkey” spaces for childcare with bathrooms,
toddler
height
fixtures,
and
millwork,
these
spaces
are
small.
Modifying
the
community
room
to
support
either
two
small
classrooms,
one
large
classroom,
or
a
classroom
and
accessory
space,
will
be
complex
and
expensive
due
to
the
lack
of
existing
plumbing
access.
The
lack
of
additional
space
for
non-classroom
uses
creates
a
difficult
trade
off
for
any
potential
operator
between
having
enough
classrooms
for
a
fiscally
sustainable
program
and
having
other
areas
necessary
for
program
operations.
Access to outdoor space is another major concern. There is currently no sufficient outdoor
space
and
the
best
option
for
creating
this
space
may
not
be
feasible
due
to
the
need
for
fire
access
to
the
site
and,
potentially,
neighboring
facilities.
Determining
whether
a
portion
of
the
parking
lot
can
be
repurposed
into
an
outdoor
play
area
is
the
key
to
the
feasibility
of
using
the
site
as
childcare
space.
If
it
is
possible
to
repurpose
part
of
the
parking
lot,
it
will
require
significant
capital
investment.
There appear to be no concerns with access control, services accessibility, and staff parking.
4. Operational Considerations
General recommendations for fiscally sustainable childcare operations are that (i) a new center
should
support
a
minimum
of
four
classrooms
to
allow
for
efficiencies
of
scale,
administrative
oversight,
and
robust
operations,
(ii)
the
site
should
provide
care
for
infants,
toddlers,
and
preschool
age
children
to
allow
families
to
enroll
at
the
site
for
as
long
as
possible,
(iii)
the
program
should
provide
full-day
care,
(iv)
the
site
should
have
space
for
a
warming
kitchen
to
allow
central
food
service,
and
(v)
programs
serving
infants
and
toddlers
should
have
on-site
laundry
facilities.
As discussed above, the proposed space will require significant trade offs between these
competing
uses.
The
existing
classrooms
are
best
suited
to
provide
toddler
care
as
they
are
too
small
to
accommodate
the
increased
class
size
of
a
preschool
room
and
are
also
too
small
to
meet
infant
room’s
requirements
for
crib
space.
Converting
the
community
room
into
two
classrooms
may
allow
sufficient
enrollment
for
a
fiscally
sustainable
program,
but
does
not
provide
space
for
non-classroom
uses.
Converting
it
to
one
classroom
and
accessory
space
does
not
allow
the
center
to
serve
the
full
infant
to
preschool
age
range,
as
these
two
ages
must
be
physically
separated.
All
of
these
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 8 constraints make it less likely that a provider would be interested in the space - although they
do
not
rule
it
out
completely.
For
example,
a
provider
with
a
nearby
preschool
center
may
be
interested
in
using
the
space
for
a
satellite
infant
and
toddler
program.
Examining
these
possibilities
is
outside
of
the
scope
of
this
assessment.
Additional operational considerations include the cost of rent, utilities, janitorial, and landscape
services,
that
have
a
significant
impact
on
the
program
operations
budget
and
could
determine
whether
the
site
is
attractive
to
childcare
providers.
Most
childcare
providers
operate
with
very
thin
margins
and
so
it
would
be
important
to
determine
what
terms
might
be
available
from
the
City
of
San
Jose
before
reaching
out
to
potential
operators.
5. ROM Capital Costs Estimate
Based on prior experience and recent childcare construction projects, SCCOE staff estimates
the
cost
of
transitioning
the
site
from
its
current
state
to
a
licensed
childcare
facility
to
be
on
the
order
of
$2.5-3
million.
These
estimates
assume
a
cost
of:
● $800,000 thousand in soft costs (architect, permitting etc.) and contingency, ● $500 sqft to retrofit the community room, ● $300 sqft to renovate a portion of the parking lot into playground spaces. These estimates are approximations only and do not take into account construction cost inflation or unforeseen delays. They are provided to give a sense of the scale of the capital
costs
and
funding
required
to
develop
the
existing
space
into
a
childcare
facility.
6. Conclusion & Next Steps This site is challenging to convert into a stand alone licensed childcare facility due to the lack
of
classroom
space,
non-classroom
and
accessory
space,
and
outdoor
play
areas.
Conversion
of
the
community
room
and
a
portion
of
the
parking
lot
to
new
uses
will
require
substantial
funds.
Additionally,
converting
a
portion
of
the
parking
lot
into
play
space
may
not
be
possible
given
its
current
use
as
fire
access.
If
that
is
the
case,
this
site
may
not
be
a
feasible
location
for
childcare.
There
are
three
recommended
next
steps.
First, determining the viability of converting a section of the parking lot into outdoor play space.
This
includes
assessing
the
need
for
fire
access,
alternatives
to
the
current
design,
and
the
cost
of
conversion
if
alternatives
do
exist.
It
also
includes
understanding
any
constraints
on
what
can
be
done
with
the
existing
parking
lot,
e.g.
current
use
demands,
any
use
by
neighboring
facilities,
and
any
imposed
by
regulatory
or
funding
requirements.
Second, the development of a preliminary indoor and outdoor space plan by an architect
experienced
in
designing
childcare
centers.
This
could
resolve
space
use
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 9 questions (e.g. the best use of the community room) and would provide additional information
on
design
requirements
for
the
outdoor
space.
Finally, discussion with the City of San Jose, the building owner, about (i) use of the space
for
childcare
and
how
it
would
interact
with
the
ongoing
use
of
the
rest
of
the
building
as
a
community
center,
(ii)
the
conversion
of
part
of
the
parking
lot
into
outdoor
play
space,
and
(iii)
their
expectations
for
rent
and
other
operational
costs
for
potential
childcare
providers
on
site.
Any
ability
to
reduce
these
costs
could
have
a
significant
impact
on
the
attractiveness
of
the
site
to
a
potential
childcare
tenant.
Appendices
- Appendix A: Site visit photographs with annotations
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education 10 Appendix A : Site visit photographs with annotations View from the community center entrance to
the
hallway
of
the
proposed
childcare
space.
To
the
right
is
the
community
room.
The
end
of
the
hallway
is
the
proposed
childcare
entrance.
The
doorways
to
the
front
left
are
the
center
restrooms
that
could
be
used
by
childcare
staff.
Existing classroom with bathroom in back left
corner
(including
toddler
height
toilet
and
sink),
counters
and
cabinetry
(including
toddler
height
sink
in
back
middle
and
storage
along
the
left
wall).
Bathroom in existing classrooms with the
toddler
height
sink,
mirror,
and
toilet
installed.
View of enclosed courtyard between the two
existing
classrooms
showing
direct
access
to
the
outdoor
space.
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education
11 Community room. Note the lowered ceiling
halfway
down
to
accommodate
the
existing
partition
system,
the
glass
wall
between
the
room
and
interior
hallway,
and
the
exit
door
to
the
front
exterior
of
the
community
center
providing
emergency
egress.
View of the existing parking lot behind the
center
proposed
to
be
renovated
into
an
outdoor
play
area.
Note
the
red
curbing
indicating
fire
lane
access.
Additional view of the parking lot behind the
center
showing
proximity
of
the
lot
to
the
building.
The
horizontal
panelled
section
of
the
building
in
the
center
of
the
photo
is
the
wall
between
the
lot
and
the
enclosed
courtyard,
illustrating
the
potential
path
of
travel
to
the
proposed
outdoor
space.
Prepared by the Santa Clara County Office of Education