Worthy Brewing in Bend building observatory

Owner: Obsidium LLC

General contractor: SunWest Builders, Redmond

Architect: Ascent Architecture & Interiors, Bend

Details: Worthy Brewing owner Roger Worthington isn’t ready to disclose the final detail about the “hopservatory” contractors are erecting as part of a two-story expansion of the brewpub on Bend’s east side.

Patio guests continue to drink and dine alfresco while builders finish work on a 3,880-square-foot project to expand the indoor dining area and add an 80-seat, second-story banquet area and separate bar. Cost of construction is about $1 million, according to a building permit the city issued in December.

The piece that sets the project apart is a 50-foot tower where Worthington plans to install a telescope for stargazing. The observatory plan required a variance from the maximum allowable building height of 45 feet.

When Worthy CEO Chris Hodge announced the expansion project in May 2015, he said Worthington hoped to find a telescope with some history to cap off the project. Tuesday, Hodge said Worthington planned an announcement about the telescope in his own time.

“It’s a great story,” Hodge said.

The project is expected to be complete in August, said Worthy spokeswoman Lindsay Landgraf. A temporary plywood wall separates the work area from guests on the outdoor deck; garage doors will eventually replace the plywood. The banquet room will permit the brewpub to rent space for events like wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners, she said. The open-air, second-story bar will be limited to customers age 21 and over, she said.

— Joseph Ditzler