A Latin chicken restaurant chain is looking to redevelop a long-vacant property in Herndon for a new location, but they’ll need some help from town officials first.
Pollo Campero has proposed taking over the 28,000-square-foot site at 1131 Elden Street, which formerly housed Herndon Auto Care. But town officials need to sign off on the restaurant’s plans before that can happen.
In an application submitted to Herndon’s Architectural Review Board, Pollo Campero proposes erecting a new building that would include a drive-thru — something the brand’s nearby location doesn’t have.
The application, which has been under review in some form since 2021, says the redevelopment would result in a new parking lot and landscaping. The new building would also feature a front outdoor seating area, a trash enclosure and site lighting.
The architectural review board was scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal on Wednesday (March 19), but the meeting had to be postponed when only one member of the five-person board attended, leaving the board without a quorum.
According to meeting materials, the town staff had already recommended giving Pollo Campero additional time to make revisions. Lingering concerns include an “over-reliance” on an “off-the-shelf corporate design,” an overly complicated mix of exterior materials and an accent tower over the entrance that staff deemed “unnecessary and awkward.”
“Staff recommends a continuance of this item to the April regular meeting to provide the applicant additional time to revise the design to address the comments raised by staff and the board,” one document said.
Pollo Campero is a Guatemalan fast food chain offering both fried chicken and grilled chicken in a variety of ways, such as in salads, on sandwiches or on their own.
Founded in 1971, Pollo Campero has more than 400 locations worldwide, including seven across Virginia.
Along with the current Herndon location, Pollo Campero has Fairfax County restaurants in Bailey’s Crossroads, Hybla Valley and Springfield.
It is unclear whether the proposed restaurant would replace the current Herndon restaurant at 496 Elden Street — approximately 1.3 miles away. An inquiry sent to a restaurant spokesperson went unanswered.
The Herndon Architectural Review Board is expected to discuss the restaurant’s proposal again next month, with meetings scheduled for April 2 and April 16.
