Taco Bell is working on a makeover in Reston, but when it will be delivered is not yet clear.
The fast-food chain closed its existing restaurant near the Wiehle Metro station at 11257 Roger Bacon Drive around mid-November, erecting a chain-link fence around the building to indicate that construction on a planned renovation is near.
Requests for comment from Taco Bell didn’t get a response by press time. Employees at nearby locations on Centreville Road in the Herndon area told FFXnow they don’t know when the Reston one is expected to reopen.
However, it appears that Reston residents may have to wait some time to get their hands on a Crunchwrap Supreme again without leaving the immediate area.
An application for a permit to demolish the existing Taco Bell and replace it with a new structure was submitted to Fairfax County on Nov. 22. That permit must be issued before the county grants a separate one allowing construction on the new building, according to an administrative note.
Accepted on June 20, the building permit application has gotten several necessary approvals, including ones from the fire marshal and county health department, but the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has been awaiting corrections since Oct. 21.
According to the permit, Taco Bell is planning to construct a 2,975-square-foot building with a covered patio. A 1,034-square-foot public dining area will seat 48 customers, and it’s aiming for a LEED Silver certification to reflect the use of sustainable materials and construction practices.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a special exception in October 2022 allowing franchise owner Summerwood Corporation to overhaul the fast-food restaurant with a more modern look and an additional drive-thru lane.
The existing, 2,309-square-foot building was constructed in the 1980s and belonged to a fast-food-dominated block known by locals as “McTacoHut” until Pizza Hut closed in 2019. That restaurant was soon replaced by Pupatella, which remains standing along with McDonald’s.
A legal representative for Summerwood Corporation told the Board of Supervisors in 2022 that a second drive-thru aisle will improve traffic flow on the site, which currently shares a one-way drive aisle with McDonald’s. With more patrons ordering at the drive-thru instead of parking and going into the restaurant, concerns about backed-up queues cropped up during the county’s review of the special exception application.
Taco Bell is also planning to renovate one of its Herndon locations at 2170 Centreville Road, getting the county’s approval for an expansion that will include double drive-thru lanes in June.
Hat tips to Laura Crielly and Patrick Seitz
