Work has begun on the interior space for Barcelona Wine Bar and Bartaco, two new restaurants that will open soon at Reston Town Center.

Crews are busy building out the 10,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of The Avant residential building at Town Square Street and Explorer Street. The restaurants are expected to open in the fall.

The Connecticut-based restaurant group announced last fall that it signed a lease for the Reston locations.

Barcelona has several East Coast locations, including one at Logan Circle in D.C.. The restaurant is known for tapas and other Spanish food, as well as a long wine list — featuring, of course, lots of Spanish wine.

Bartaco has five locations (three in Connecticut and one in Atlanta) and is known for craft margaritas and interesting twists on Mexican food. The restaurant is an inexpensive, very casual taco stand, but with unusual ingredients (in addition to the usual favorite ones) such as felafel, tofu, or fried oyster tacos.

With World of Beer and CVS already open on The Avant’s ground floor, the street level is fully leased. There are residential units in the luxury apartment building that are currently available for rent.

All 2.1 million square feet of office space at Reston Town Center is leased, with more being planned to accommodate prospective tenants. And with Metro’s Silver Line slated to open this summer, business around here is going to transform, Rep. Gerry Connolly said.

That was the takeaway from the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce’s annual Virtual Realty Tour at the Hyatt Regency Reston on Wednesday. The event brings together local developers and commercial real estate representatives for a look at what’s happening in the Dulles corridor.

“You look at Clarendon-Ballston,” Connolly (D-Va. 11th)  said of the transit-oriented Arlington business hub. “That is three-miles long. The Dulles corridor is 23 miles long. When we are finished it is going to be a hub of employment.”

Gerald Gordon, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, said Reston has 20 million square feet of office space, and another 8.5 million square feet can still be built under the blueprint of the Reston Master Plan.

But that has an impact on the rest of the county, where there is 18 million square feet of vacant space, said Gordon. Businesses want to be on the Silver Line, which will have five stops from Tysons to Reston when Phase 1 opens.

“All laws of supply-and-demand have been suspended for the next few years,” said Gordon. “Businesses want to be on the Metro line. Tysons/Reston are healthy and drive the economy of the rest of the county.”

Pete Otteni, Vice President of Development for Boston Properties, which owns most of the space at town center, gave an update on what’s happening there:

• 100 percent of the retail space at Reston Town Center is leased.
• The Avant, Boston Properties new luxury residential building that opened last fall, is 40 percent leased.
• World of Beer, located in The Avant’s ground floor, will open Monday. Other Avant ground-level retail spaces on the way are CVS, which will open in mid-June, and Barcelona and Bar Taco, which will open in late summer.
• The plan for redevelopment of the Reston Town Center’s surface lot will go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission June 11. The plan calls for 250,000 square feet of office space, 500 new luxury residences and 25,000 square feet of retail. Included in the plan is removing the two-story space where FedEx/Kinkos now stands and building a 17-story office tower.
• Boston Properties also has plans for Reston Gateway. That development will be on the 22 acres between the future Reston Parkway Metro Station (slated to open as part of Phase 2 in 2018) and Reston Town Center. Gateway will feature 3-4 million square feet of mixed use space, said Otteni.
• Future development is also expected to happen at Town Center North, the adjacent area around the Fairfax County Police Reston District Station.

Photo: The Avant and office buildings at Reston Town Center

CVS is set to begin construction on its new store at Reston Town Center in the next week or two, a Boston Properties spokesman said.

CVS will be the first drug- or grocery store to be located at Reston Town Center. It will be located on the ground floor of The Avant, the new luxury residential building that recently opened at 12025 Town Square St. The store will be located on the right side of the building, where Town Square Street intersects with St. Francis Street.

While Reston Town has many restaurants and clothing stores, residents have long lamented the lack of a place to pick up necessities within the town center. Read the comments on a June story on the subject on another website.

No opening date has been announced.

Other ground floor tenants of the building include World of Beer, which is also beginning construction, and Barcelona Wine Bar and Bartaco.

Reston Town Center’s newest residence — The Avant at Reston Town Center — officially opens this weekend.

After 20 months of construction, Boston Properties and Bozzuto are finally ready to show off the 359-unit building, which will offer residents a luxury, urban feel, says property manager Carla Sloan.

The first residents began moving into the building last week, said Sloan. The pre-leasing center has been open since Aug. 23, but prospective tenants can really get a feel for life at the Avant now that the building is ready.

Common spaces that include a business center, lounge, and party room with catering kitchen and private dining area.

“I predict these will be very popular as many of our residents are moving from larger homes and will appreciate the entertaining spaces,” she said.

Other amenities:

• Outdoor pool and patio space, 24-hour fitness center, yoga studio and rooftop dog park
• A six-level parking garage
• Views of Reston Town Square Park and future retail on the first floor, including CVS, World of Beer and Bartaco and Barcelona Wine Bar
• High-end finishes in units including granite and stainless kitchens and engineered hardwood floors
• Walk-in closets

The Avant has studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Pricing ranges from at $1,977 (for the smallest studio) to $4,105 for the largest three-bedroom.

The leasing center in The Avant is now open at 12025 Town Square St. Visit The Avant’s website or call 866-624-7191.