Renovations are underway for Houston Bowling Center to provide staff and patrons with more space and activities.

Upgrades will include expanding the kitchen to about double its current size, expanding the dining area, new flooring and constructing a new game room, party room and pro shop, said Melinda Stickle, chief of business programs at Fort Knox Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

"We are phasing it very slowly so that we can stay open the whole entire time and not disrupt any services to customers," Stickle said.

The 365-day contract was awarded early November 2016, although most of the upgrades may be completed by this summer, she said.

"It was a region-funded project," Stickle explained. "We were the recipients of, if you will, a region grant, and it's a $700,000 project."

One area receiving upgrades is the bowling center's kitchen.

"The Houston Bowling Center Strike Zone snack bar is very popular and they put out a large amount of food from a very, very small kitchen," she said, adding that the kitchen currently lacks a lot of the equipment it would need to run more efficiently.

"We're trying to get our kitchen bigger, which is making my staff really happy because it's very small," said Pam Meredith, Houston Bowling Center manager.

"We're expanding the kitchen to give them more storage area, more work area, which makes it a safer environment for them to work and to just make us more productive and efficient," Stickle said.

Dining room renovations were prompted by the desire to add more tables and chairs but not having the space to do so because of the game room at the back of the dining area, Stickle said.

A new game room will also be built, complete with new games.

"When we get the new game room done, we'll be placing several new electronic games in there for kids and adults and everybody to enjoy while they're bowling," Stickle said.

When upgrades are complete, the bowling center will provide a variety of options for customers, from bowling to games to food, Stickle said.

"We're hoping (the upgrades give patrons) more space to sit down and eat and enjoy more time with family and friends," Meredith said.

"I think it'll make (Houston Bowling Center) a more convenient and a more entertaining place to go," Stickle said. "It's just going to be a state-of-the-art center."