Living on the edge isn’t for everyone. But at Discovery West, the edge means something different; it’s where Bend meets the wild. Stepping outside your back door leads into the calm of the Deschutes National Forest, where you can spin your wheels at Phil’s Trail or scout for osprey nests in Shevlin Park. The same team behind NorthWest Crossing (Brooks Resources and Tennant Developments) has created another thoughtfully planned neighborhood that connects community, nature and lifestyle.
Discovery West offers mixed-use retail and a diverse array of housing, including an area for short-term overnight stays, an option not offered in NorthWest Crossing (fondly referred to as NWX by locals). When fully built out, it will be half the size of neighboring NWX, but residents and visitors will still enjoy walkable access to the neighborhood’s amenities, such as restaurants, wine bars, the Grove Market Hall, a bookstore and the popular summer Saturday farmers market.
At the heart of Discovery West is Discovery Corner, a circular plaza and retail hub opened in 2024, designed for gathering around a firepit sculpture and mosaic mural, encouraging relaxation, connection and community.
Valerie Yost Delves into the Discovery West Neighborhood
How does Discovery West differ from NorthWest Crossing?
The most noticeable difference is its smaller scale, but also its layout with mixed-use housing and retail organized around Discovery Corner, a central plaza with businesses oriented toward foot traffic rather than along busy streets. We placed townhomes and attached cottages near the plaza to create a sense of density in the urban core. As streets fan outward, single-family homes populate the landscape.
Breaking new ground from NWX’s traditional approach, Discovery West is introducing 20 luxury townhomes above street-level retail in the plaza for vacation rentals in a neighborhood setting. AvantStay, a national company specializing in short-term rentals in more than 100 cities, hosts Aerie by AvantStay at Discovery Corner. Each fully furnished unit has two or three bedrooms and a bird’s eye view over the neighborhood, expansive decks with hot tubs, outdoor furniture and BBQs for relaxing in a quiet setting. And they’re pet friendly!
Discovery Corner was designed as a gathering space and venue for neighborhood events. We integrated power and water access for vendors and entertainment, including a stage, and ample infrastructure for food trucks and services, all without needing to close roads. From our experience in NWX, we learned the value of a dedicated event space that minimizes disruptions to nearby businesses and residents.
What’s the vision behind the art installations in Discovery West?
Honoring our theme of discovery, we embrace opportunities to celebrate its spirit through public art thoughtfully placed throughout the neighborhood. Oregon artist Jenny Ellsworth created a 600-pound steel firepit sculpture that anchors Discovery Corner where people can gather year-round, warming up by the fire or sipping a favorite beverage while listening or dancing to live music at neighborhood events. Encircling the firepit is “Mechanical Waves,” a near-ground mosaic by Bend artist Rochelle Rose-Schueler inspired by sound waves, hydraulic waves and tectonic energy.
Another ode to the arts can be found on the lower side of Discovery West in the green zone, where walkers and cyclists may be surprised to find the Discovery Park Labyrinth. In partnership with Bend Park and Recreation District and with support from the Bend Sustainability Fund, the labyrinth was created by designers Lea Goode-Harris and Marilyn Larson of Creative Labyrinths to make a serene place to wander and connect with nature. Collaborative projects like this welcome the entire community.
Our theme of discovery first emerged when naming streets. We quickly realized most of the explorers we first thought to name streets after were men. That sparked a deeper journey: uncovering remarkable women whose contributions to science, space and exploration deserved to be celebrated. Today, our Women of Discovery are honored throughout the neighborhood in street names, art, bronze medallions around Discovery Corner and banners—proof that discovery can mean so much more. Among them are Annie Londonderry, the first woman to bicycle around the world in 1894; Marie Tharp, a geologist and oceanographic cartographer who provided proof for the theory of plate tectonics; and Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in space and former director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
How is buying a home in Discovery West different than buying in other areas?
We work with a hand-selected group of talented builders, our Discovery West Builders Guild, known for exceptional craftsmanship and a strong grasp of our design vision. We offer our builders finished homesites in each phase, and they bring them to life with a mix of 10 approved architectural styles, from classic craftsman and American farmhouse to sleek mid-century modern and minimalist Scandinavian. This thoughtful variety gives the neighborhood a timeless, custom feel, like it’s been here for generations. Whether families are looking for a beautifully designed spec home or want to build something truly custom, our builders can make it happen.
