Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews are at RTC West, where they say an “electrical issue” has knocked out power.

The issue is affecting operations at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant (12130 Sunset Hills Road), which will be closed until the situation is alleviated. The office buildings at RTC West, 12100-12120 Sunset Hills Road, are also without power.

The power went out at about 1:10 p.m.

Our readers said lights flickered in other nearby areas around that time, but electricity returned immediately.

Power surged on Sunrise Valley near Wiehle, but back up after a second.

— Eric Rife (@imericrife) October 4, 2017

No, but it did flicker about then. I'm in the Boston ridge cluster

— matt (@TheMrinella) October 4, 2017

Dominion Energy tells us it is investigating the situation and hopes to restore power soon.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant is now open at 12130 Sunset Hills Road, marking the official opening of the RTC West restaurant and retail complex.

In March 2015, JBG Companies (now JBG Smith) announced that Cooper’s Hawk would be the anchor tenant of the 40,000-square-foot RTC West development. With its opening this morning, the Reston location becomes the 30th Cooper’s Hawk restaurant in the nation. It is the third in Virginia.

The 9,365-square-foot restaurant also features a 522-square-foot mezzanine area. It has “a lively tasting room and market, indoor dining for 196 guests, outdoor dining for seating for 146, and a private event space that can accommodate up to 44,” according to a recent press release from the restaurant. More than 200 employees were hired this summer.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new restaurant was Saturday night, Around Reston reports.

The restaurant’s menu includes items such as candied bacon and artisan cheeses; gnocchi bolognese with braised short rib; Southern hot chicken; pan-roasted barramundi; shrimp and scallop risotto; and wild mushroom-crusted chicken. In addition, more than 40 wines — produced at the Cooper’s Hawk winery in Illinois — are available to customers. Each menu item has a wine-pairing suggestion.

One of the restaurant’s most popular features, its representatives say, is its Wine Club. Members are privy to special wine offerings each month, as well as monthly Wine Club dinners and tastings.

Cooper’s Hawk will be open at 11 a.m. each day. Closing times are 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 9 p.m. Sundays.

Work also continues on other buildings in the RTC West development that will soon house six more restaurants, a nail salon and a Starbucks. The other restaurants on site will include Punjabi by Nature, The Black Squirrel, Honeygrow, BGR The Burger Joint, Mezza Mediterranean Grille and Nando’s Peri-Peri.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant will open its new Reston location in 10 days.

A permit to operate the eating establishment at 12130 Sunset Hills Road, in the RTC West commercial development, was issued by Fairfax County this week. Signage outside the front door of the restaurant advertises its Aug. 28 opening, as previously announced.

The 9,365-square-foot restaurant also features a 522-square-foot mezzanine area. It will feature “a lively tasting room and market, indoor dining for 196 guests, outdoor dining for seating for 146, and a private event space that can accommodate up to 44,” according to a press release issued this week by the restaurant. The Reston location — its third in the DC Metro area — will be led by general manager Ryan Delisi and chef Laurence Cohen.

Also from the release:

The concept is built upon [CEO Tim] McEnery’s passionate core belief that food and wine hold the power to forge lasting connections. His restaurants are home to 250,000+ Wine Club members, who enjoy limited production Wines of the Month, travel and dining experiences among other benefits.

[Chef Laurence] Cohen works closely with corporate-based Executive Chef Matt McMillin to ensure the utmost in quality and presentation of the expansive contemporary American menu. Utilizing peak of season ingredients, the restaurant’s scratch kitchen selections include a carefully crafted array of food and wine pairings, each listed with a bin number to guide guests’ selections of their perfect wine match.

The release names some of the restaurant’s menu favorites including candied bacon and artisan cheeses; gnocchi bolognese with braised short rib; Southern hot chicken; pan-roasted barramundi; shrimp and scallop risotto; and wild mushroom-crusted chicken.

In addition, the restaurant’s wide selection from its winery is celebrated in the release:

The company, which imports grapes from the best vineyards across the globe to produce more than 40 varietals in its Countryside, Illinois winery, has been honored with more than 450 wine awards. Crafted to please a range of palates, Cooper’s Hawk wines include selections that are accessible for those new to the world of wine, as well as complex and full-bodied options for more seasoned drinkers. In addition to the wine menu, guests can choose from a selection of craft cocktails and sangrias made with Cooper’s Hawk wine. These include inventive takes on a classic Collins cocktail (Harvest Peach Collins made with Slaughter House Whiskey), a Caipirinha with Cooper’s Hawk Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as creative martinis such as a Blood Orange Paloma Martini (Casa Noble Tequila and Cooper’s Hawk Prosecco).

Beginning Aug. 28, the restaurant will be open at 11 a.m. each day. Closing times are 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 9 p.m. Sundays.

Earlier this summer, Cooper’s Hawk began the process of hiring more than 200 employees for the restaurant. Training of those workers is currently underway.

Work also continues on other buildings in the plaza that will soon house six more restaurants, a nail salon and a Starbucks. The other restaurants on site will include Punjabi by Nature, The Black Squirrel, Honeygrow, BGR The Burger Joint, Mezza Mediterranean Grille and Nando’s Peri-Peri.

The restaurant and retail space is the first phase of development for the site, which is bordered by Town Center Parkway to the east, the W&OD Trail to the north, and the plaza that contains Chick-fil-A, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Chipotle and more to the west. Property owner JBG announced last year that it has further plans for the site, including two multifamily residential buildings and three more office buildings.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant has a late-August opening planned in the RTC West development (12130 Sunset Hills Road), and many other restaurants will follow.

The restaurant and retail space in the southwest corner of RTC West is the first phase of JBG Companies’ plans for the development. The site is bordered by Town Center Parkway to the east, the W&OD Trail to the north, and the plaza that contains Chick-fil-A, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Chipotle and more to the west.

Signage recently placed in office buildings on the property — formerly known as the Reston Executive Center — shows eight new businesses in total that are in the works to be coming. Along with Cooper’s Hawk, six other restaurants are listed:

• Punjabi by Nature, Indian cuisine. It has three current locations, in Leesburg, Vienna and Chantilly.
• The Black Squirrel, a DC-based gastropub. This would be its third location.
• Honeygrow, a Philly-based fast-casual chain serving stir-fry, salads and more.
• BGR The Burger Joint, which was first announced in January.
• Mezza Mediterranean Grille and Nando’s Peri-Peri, which were both announced last spring.

In addition, a Forever Nails location is listed as coming soon.

When asked for further details about the potential new businesses, a JBG spokesperson told Reston Now that the company is “working on a variety of leases and will hope to announce in the coming weeks.” We will provide more information about the new businesses when it is provided to us.

JBG announced late last year that it has further plans for the property, including two multifamily residential buildings and three more office buildings.

That big new building at 12130 Sunset Hills Road? It’s Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant, and it has announced an Aug. 28 opening date.

Before that date, though, the restaurant is looking to hire more than 200 people. Its first hiring fair is set for Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its temporary hiring office, 12100 Sunset Hills Road Suite 130.

“Positions range from servers to line cooks, bartenders to wine tasting room attendants,” according to a press release. “Just about every job needed to run an upscale winery and restaurant needs to be filled.”

Additional hiring events are scheduled for July 11-12 and July 25-26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Cooper’s Hawk will be conducting open interviews with applicants on the spot, according to the release, as it aims to fill 202 positions.

According to founder and CEO Tim McEnery in the press release:

“We are currently looking to staff team members who have a passion for wine, food and first-class hospitality and look forward to meeting and working with many great members of the community. We are offering our staff a highly competitive pay rate, for example line cooks will be paid at $15 per hour and hosts at $12 per hour.”

Candidates who wish to apply but who are unable to attend a hiring fair are invited to do so online at apply.chwinery.com, or check out @CareersatCH on Twitter and Instagram.

Cooper’s Hawk will be the anchor of the RTC West restaurant and retail complex. Other restaurants expected for the site include Nando’s Peri-Peri, Mezeh Mediterranean Grill and BGR The Burger Joint.

This will be the 30th Cooper’s Hawk location nationwide. There are two others in Virginia, in Ashburn and Richmond.

Lieutenant Governor in Reston Tonight — Ralph Northam, Virginia’s lieutenant governor and a Democratic candidate for governor in the 2017 election, will be a guest speaker tonight at a meeting of Herndon-Reston Indivisible. Other speakers will be Del. Ken Plum (D-Fairfax) and Del. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax/Loudoun). The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at Sunset Hills Montessori School (11180 Ridge Heights Road). [Herndon-Reston Indivisible]

Bulova: ‘Painful Cuts’ in Proposed Federal Budget — The chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors says she is hopeful the local congressional delegation will address what she sees as a number of problems with the Trump administration’s budget proposal, unveiled last week. [Sharon Bulova/Facebook]

Arrests Made in Chantilly Gun Store Heist — Two 23-year-old men and a 19-year-old man have been arrested in connection with the theft of 35 guns from a Chantilly store earlier this month. The men are also charged in the theft of firearms from two shops in Fredericksburg. They each face up to 10 years in prison. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Digital Marketing Agency Opens New Office — Baltimore-based Jellyfish has opened a new office at RTC West (12120 Sunset Hills Road). The office will house more than 20 employees and serves as the development and technology hub for the agency. Five job openings are available. [Jellyfish]

Burger lovers in Reston will soon have another option to help satiate their desires.

BGR The Burger Joint will be coming to RTC West, parent company Chanticleer Holdings announced Tuesday.

There are currently 22 BGR restaurants operating nationwide, with more than half of those in the D.C. and Baltimore areas. Nearby locations include Sterling and Tysons. Another, in the Mosaic District in Merrifield, is listed on the chain’s website as coming soon.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant was previously announced as the anchor of RTC West, which is expected to open later this year. Nando’s Peri-Peri and Mezeh Mediterranean Grill are also signed on to be tenants.

The Reston BGR location will be operated by Sci-Reston LLC as part of a franchise agreement that includes the opening up to three additional locations down the line.

“We are thrilled to have Sci-Reston LLC as our franchise partner,” said Ed Kelley, BGR president of franchising, in a press release. “[We] look forward to opening in such a dynamic lifestyle center in the Washington, D.C. market.”

The burger market in Reston already includes Be Right Burger and The Counter in Reston Town Center, as well as Five Guys Burgers and Fries at Plaza America.

The JBG Companies’ Reston Town Center West project has big plans for expansion.

JBG has filed a rezoning application and development plan with Fairfax County Planning to permit the addition of 1.3 million more square feet of development to what is currently being built in the development on Sunset Hills Road about one-quarter of a mile from the future Reston Town Center Metro Station.

The space is currently an office park, which JBG is in the process of repurposing by adding 40,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space to the ground floor of existing buildings. The 13.77-acre property already has two four-story parking garages.

The plan for the second phase calls for about 675,000 square feet of residential (about 700 units) in two multifamily buildings; 650,000 square feet of office space in three new buildings and ground floor retail throughout the property. The plans also call for 3,100 parking spaces.

JBG plans to construct the new office buildings on the southern side of the property along Sunset Hill Road, for maximum visibility from the Dulles Toll Road. The residential towers will be built to the northeast, closer to the W&OD and Town Center Parkway.

The county planning commission hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The first phase of RTC West already has leases signed for a nearly 10,000-square-foot Cooper’s Hawk Winery, Nando’s Peri-Peri and Mezeh Mediterranean Grill. It is expected to open some time in 2017.

Renderings courtesy JBG

Coming soon at RTC West: a couple of restaurants. Coming in a few years (maybe): more than 700 apartments, one million square feet more of office space and much more retail.

Developer JBG Companies says that the plans for RTC West — the project that is turning several office buildings on Sunset Hills Road near Town Center Parkway into more than 40,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space — is just a “phase one” plan.

The developer has said there is the potential of more than 1 million square feet of development for RTC West. Washington Business Journal recently gave a peek into what the eventual project could be — and found JBG’s proposal calls for the addition of two residential buildings and two office towers

The 13.77-acre property already has  two four-story parking garages, one of which would get a six-story, 125,000-square-foot office addition, JBG said.

The nearly 500,000-square-foot office park would grow by roughly 1.35 million square feet — 675,000 square feet of residential and 675,000 square feet of office.

In the end, expect plans for 702 multifamily units; about 1 million square feet of office space; 91,950 square feet of retail; and more than 3,100 parking spaces.

JBG proposes to construct the new office buildings on the southern side of the property along Sunset Hill Road, for maximum visibility from the Dulles Toll Road, and the residential towers to the northeast, closer to the W&OD and Town Center Parkway, WBJ reports.

RTC West is less than a quarter mile from the future Reston Town Center Metro station, which is scheduled to open in 202o. It also essentially extends development from the station through RTC West and into the existing Reston Town Center.

RTC’s first phase is under construction. The second phase has not yet gone through Fairfax County Planning process.

The first phase of RTC West already has leases signed or a nearly 10,000-square-foot Cooper’s Hawk Winery, Nando’s Peri-Peri and Mezeh Mediterranean Grill. It is expected to open some time in 2017.

RTC West rendering/JBG

Two more restaurants have signed on to join Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant at JBG Companies’ RTC West development.

RTC West announced on Thursday that Nando’s Peri-Peri and Mezeh Mediterranean Grill will open Reston locations at the mixed-use development on Sunset Hills Road.

Nando’s, a flame-grilled chicken restaurant that began in South Africa but has several DC-area locations, has signed for 3,400 square feet of the converted retail space. Mezeh, which JBG calls “an all fresh and natural take on Mediterranean fare,” has signed for 2,124 square feet of space.

JBG is in the process of redeveloping several floors of existing office buildings to add more than 40,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space in walking distance of the future Reston Town Center Metro station (set to open in 2020). There is the potential of up to 1.4 million square feet of development for RTC West, which is expected to open the first phase in 2017, JBG reps said in a release.

“Within easy walking distance to the future Reston Town Center Metro station, RTC West is ideally positioned to be a walkable and active mixed-use neighborhood,” Greg Trimmer, a JBG principal, said in a release.”JBG has a strong presence in Reston, and we believe it’s an excellent submarket for further investment and a wonderful community for enhanced placemaking.”

The first phase of development converts 15,000 square feet of office space into street-level retail and adds 25,000 square feet of new retail on the southwest corner of the nearly 14-acre campus.

Just what is RTC West and where at the Reston Town Center will it be located?

That’s a question Reston Now got a lot on Tuesday, when it posted that Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant will be the first tenant at the 40,000-square-foot retail-and-restaurant destination.

A few basics:

RTC West is being developed by JBG Companies.

RTC West is NOT at the town center. RTC West will be built where three office buildings and a parking garage currently stand at Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway. It is also bordered by the W & OD Trail and the Sunset Hills area that contains Chick-fil-A, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Chipotle and more.

JBG’s plan, which was approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors last week, will mostly add the retail space to the first two floors of the office buildings.

JBG says it plans to convert 15,100 square feet of office space to retail/restaurant space and add 25,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant space (on the southwest corner of the site), including outdoor seating.

The addition of RTC West brings amenities closer to where the Reston Town Center Metro stop will eventually open in 2018 or early 2019. While the Silver Line stop is called Reston Town Center, it actually will be located in the center of the Dulles Access Road just west of Reston Parkway.

That means pedestrians will have to walk about a quarter-mile from the station to the town center. Now they can walk through RTC West — or have a destination such as Cooper’s Hawk or other restaurants and shopping — closer to public transportation.

JBG had to agree to make transportation and pedestrian improvements, so look for walkways and crosswalks to be added to the the W & OD Trail and Town Center Parkway entrances of the development.

See the entire Fairfax County Planning Commission staff report on project on the Fairfax County Planning website.

RTC West, the restaurant-and-retail complex that was just approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has signed its first tenant.

Chicago-based Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant will be the anchor for 40,000 square feet of space at Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway, the JBG Companies announced on Tuesday.

The supervisors last week approved JBG’s plans to reconfigure three office buildings close to the site of the future Reston Town Center Metro station, slated to open in late 2018 or early 2019. The retail plan will convert 15,000 square feet of office space into street-level retail and add 25,000 square feet of new retail on nearly 14 acres.

“This is our first step in repositioning RTC West from a suburban office park into a walkable and active neighborhood served by the Reston Town Center Metro,” Greg Trimmer, a JBG principal, said in a statement. “Our vision is to create a community environment with a strong focus on dining and service retail that will change a 9-to-5 location into a vibrant and social destination. Cooper’s Hawk will be a catalyst for this transformation, and we are very pleased to have them.”

Cooper’s Hawk will take over approximately 9,700 square feet, with an additional area for outdoor dining, JBG says.

Cooper’s Hawk launched in 2005 and offers modern, casual dining and 60 wines exclusive to the restaurant. There are 19 locations in eight states in the Midwest and South.

“We are excited to be expanding in the Washington-area market at RTC West,” said Tim McEnery, founder and CEO of Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant. “A decade in, Cooper’s Hawk is a unique concept that has enjoyed tremendous success through the quality of our food and wine, as well as our distinctive and relaxing environments.”

Cooper’s Hawk locations also feature private event space and a Napa-style tasting room with gift shop.

JBG said it expects to begin work on the new retail component late this summer and anticipates opening in mid-2017.

Rendering of Cooper’s Hawk at RTC West/Courtesy JBG

JBG’s RTC West project was approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, clearing the way for 40,000 square feet of retail and dining close to the future Reston Town Center Metro station.

The public hearing portion of the supervisors meeting had no speakers and the project was unanimously approved.

The planning commission recommended the project for approval in late February. There was no significant opposition, but the developer had to agree to many conditions, mostly to add traffic and pedestrian access.

A January county staff report also recommended approval for RTC West, provided transportation conditions were met.

The 13-acre site currently houses three office buildings. Much of the development will convert the first two floors of the office buildings.

JBG says it plans to convert 15,100 square feet of office space to retail/restaurant space and add 25,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant space (on the southwest corner of the site), including outdoor seating.

The area is bordered by the W & OD Trail on the side of Reston Town Center, Town Center Parkway, Sunset Hills Road and the complex that currently houses Chipotle, Potbelly, Chick-fil-A, Carrabba’s and Extended Stay America.

Some of the transportation conditions include adding walkways and crosswalks to the W & OD Trail and Town Center Parkway and moving access to the office park about 440 feet north of the Parkway’s Intersection with Sunset Hills Road.

See the entire staff report on the Fairfax County Planning website.

The Fairfax County Planning Commission voted on Wednesday to recommend JBG’s RTC West project for approval. RTC West will bring 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space to what is currently an office park off of Sunset Hills Road close to the future Reston Town Center Metro station.

The planning commission held a public hearing on the project three weeks ago, but deferred decision. There was no significant opposition, but the developer had to agree to many conditions, mostly to add traffic and pedestrian access.

There may be more development at the site years down the road, however.

“This is what I call an ‘interim development’ of this site,” said Frank de la Fe, the planning commission’s Hunter Mill representative. “In the future, I am sure we will be seeing [the location] with new redevelopment under the new [Reston] Master Plan.”

“This makes sure what is being done in the interim meets current needs in marketplace without negatively affecting what we envision in master plan for this site,” said de le Fe.

A January county staff report recommended approval for RTC West, provided transportation conditions were met.

The 13-acre site currently houses three office buildings. Much of the development will convert the first two floors of the office buildings.

JBG’s says it plans to convert 15,100 square feet of office space to retail/restaurant space and add 25,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant space (on the southwest corner of the site). The planning commission approved outdoor restaurant seating for the complex.

The area is bordered by the W & OD Trail on the side of Reston Town Center, Town Center Parkway, Sunset Hills Road and the complex that currently houses Chipotle, Potbelly, Chick-fil-A, Carrabba’s and Extended Stay America.

“The development vision includes the upgrade of the first one or two floors within the office buildings to be more suitable to retail uses, and extensions of the retail program in specific areas of the site,” says JBG materials included in the staff report.

Some of the transportation conditions:

Connecting an existing walkway to the adjacent trails along the public roadways and adding two new crosswalks across Town Center Parkway.

Connecting the development to the W & OD trail, which runs on the northern part of the property. One development condition for JBG is working with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) and Dominion Virginia Power to establish an easement for a pedestrian connection between the site and the W&OD trail.

Closing the existing exit-only driveway on Town Center Parkway and to construct new signalized access point about 440 feet north of the intersection at Sunset Hills Road. Constructing an entrance in this location will require the relocation or closure of an existing entrance for the property across Town Center Parkway to avoid an unsafe intersection, JBG says. JBG will have to work out an agreement with Boston Properties, which owns that parcel, as a condition of development.

Two new crosswalks across Town Center Parkway at a new access point.

A new turning lane on Reston Parkway.

The project now moves on to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for final approval.

See the entire staff report on the Fairfax County Planning website.

Photo: Rendering of RTC West/Credit: JBG