LONGMONT — In what is likely the largest renovation in its 34-year history, Centennial Lanes is undergoing a major interior makeover.

“Our philosophy is to constantly upgrade the facility, and this is one thing we haven’t done since we opened in 1979,” said Don Angstead, the center’s general manager.

His father, Frank Angstead, who opened the bowling alley, said it’s the biggest improvement to the building since the mid-1990s, when the north wall was blown out and eight more lanes were added, making a total of 32. And at about $450,000, it’s likely to end up costing more than the lane additions, he said.

For the past decade, the owners have been spending money on improving the bowling equipment, including the lanes, new pinsetters a few years ago, and all new software and scoring equipment.

“The last step in renewing and refreshing Centennial Lanes is to remodel the interior,” Frank Angstead said.

Attending the annual Bowling Proprietors Association of America trade show, Frank and Don met with an architect from the Denver metro area who has designed, either from scratch or as a remodel, some 250 bowling centers around the country. He’s doing the design for Centennial.

New carpeting, lighting and paint on the walls is only the start of the makeover, Don Angstead said.

“What we’re doing with the lounge — half of it is going to be made into an arcade and a party room for birthday parties,” he said. “And the other half is going to continue to be a lounge.”

This will allow most birthday parties and all of the arcade games to be moved off of the building’s main concourse, which is the walkway people use to get from one end to the other. That should allow for a much more open feel.

Also, Frank Angstead noted that a 5-by-20-foot window will be installed where a wall is today so people can sit in the lounge and watch the bowlers. Also, all of the TVs will be upgraded to flat-screens and the bar is getting an overhaul.

The snack bar and service counter are getting overhauled, and a “floating, simulated wood floor” will be installed where the scorers’ tables and ball returns are, Frank Angstead said.

Centennial Lanes is remaining open while the work is going on. Sixteen lanes are shut down until 4 p.m. each day, Don Angstead said, and then all 32 are open after the construction crews leave for the day. The target date for having everything complete is Aug. 15.

“We’re going to shut half down for the first half of the project and then we’ll move to the other half,” Don Angstead said.

Centennial was launched in 1979 with 38 original investors, and today the center is owned by 27 investers, including Frank and his sons, Don and Ron.

“We’ve been thinking about this for over a year,” Frank Angstead said. “But the actual serious discussion started in January.

Tony Kindelspire can be reached at 303-684-5291 or at tkindelspire@times-call.com.