Construction has begun for a new restaurant near West Towne Mall, one of two sites being worked on at the busy corner of Mineral Point and Gammon roads.

LongHorn Steakhouse is being built by Orlando-based Darden Restaurants at the site of the recently demolished Smokey Bones restaurant. Smokey Bones closed in 2007 when the barbecue chain was sold by Darden. Red Lobster, which had previously been on that site at 418 S. Gammon Road, was also a Darden restaurant.

"It's a very important corner. We're happy Darden is putting one of their concepts in there," said Paul Matyas, general manager of West Towne Mall. "We think there's an opportunity for a steakhouse to do well there."

Haley Construction of Daytona Beach, Fla., is working on the project. The company has built other Darden projects. A Darden spokesman said the steakhouse was expected to open by spring.

LongHorn Steakhouse is one of two projects on the site. Another 6,000-square-foot building between the LongHorn site and Olive Garden is being constructed by Tri-North Builders of Madison. Matyas said no tenant for that site, at 402 S. Gammon Road, has signed a lease yet.

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