BANGOR – Locals will soon be able to pay a visit to “the authentic West” when a new LongHorn Steakhouse opens at the former Hogan Road location of Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill.

“We’re looking to spend about eight weeks to change it from a Smokey Bones to a LongHorn,” Bruce Peck, construction engineer from Darden Restaurants Inc. of Orlando, Fla., said Tuesday.

Darden Restaurants operates Olive Garden, including the Hogan Road location, and Red Lobster and Bahama Breeze restaurants nationwide, and formerly owned and operated the Smokey Bones chain.

Smokey Bones, which succeeded Paul’s Restaurant and Speakeasy after it closed in 2004, was closed by Darden last year.

“The chain didn’t work in our plan,” Peck said. “We closed a number of them and sold the chain.”

D.L. Poulin Inc. of Brunswick has been hired to redesign and renovate the building, and several local subcontracting companies have been hired to do the work.

Workers on Monday could be seen removing the exterior facade, and on Tuesday they were busy working inside the building removing tile, changing wiring and stripping the interior to prepare for new LongHorn-style interior designs.

“When you come into LongHorn Steakhouse, you’re paying a visit to the West. The authentic West,” the restaurant’s Web site states. “The West of loyalty, hospitality, and of course, real good food.”

The steakhouse will serve hand-cut and hand-seasoned steaks, including an 18-ounce “outlaw ribeye,” burgers and a selection of salads, chicken, pork and some seafood.

There is a LongHorn Steakhouse in Augusta that opened several years ago across from the Augusta Civic Center.

Hiring for the Hogan Road restaurant will begin in about two months, Peck said.