Demolition and renovation proposed for Herndon Taco Bell

A Taco Bell in Herndon could soon be temporarily out of commission.

A proposal before Fairfax County seeks to demolish and redevelop the fast-food restaurant, which is located at 2170 Centreville Road, into a larger restaurant with a second drive-thru lane, according to a May 24 application.

“This redevelopment will bring a modern Taco Bell restaurant to the site, where the applicant will continue to service customers in the greater Herndon area,” the application from Virginia Restaurants LLC says.

The new restaurant will have the franchise’s new modern look and a slightly larger footprint. The increase in the building area — 2,380 square feet to 2,710 square feet —  accommodates a larger on-site freezer, but the restaurant will likely be in the same position as the previous restaurant.

Because of a decrease in the use of interior seating, the restaurant will have fewer seats. An outdoor patio is also planned with 12 seats. The drive-thru — which is driven by demand — will provide 11 stacking spaces for customers, according to the application.

“The additional drive-through lane will allow the applicant to provide a more efficient customer experience and respond to trends at quick service retail facilities, which are seeking increased demand for drive-through space utilization, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the application states.

The restaurant will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day. The applicant estimates that the expansion will generally only 26 net new morning and afternoon peak hour trips.

The application is in the early phases of the county’s approval process and has not yet been formally accepted for review.

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