It’s literally a sign of another key element in the redevelopment and revitalization of downtown Salina.

The most visible sign yet of The Alley, a bowling alley / family fun center, went up on Thursday. Once open in Downtown Salina, the indoor entertainment facility will feature state-of-the-art bowling lanes, Cosmic Bowling, indoor electric go-karts, a family-friendly arcade, a sports grill, and billiard tables. The Alley is scheduled to open next summer.

Along with The Alley, plans for a car museum are also progressing. The new Salina Educational Automotive Museum of America will be located on 5th Street in downtown Salina, the former location of Images Recycling. A new drive-thru recycling center opened in July several blocks to the north on Santa Fe.

There are also plans for an Old Chicago restaurant.

The streetscape phase of the project is also underway, replacing underground waterlines and refurbishing Santa Fe. The redesign will open up more sidewalk space, thus opening up outdoor seating for downtown businesses.

Pedestrian access to all storefronts will be maintained during the project. On-street parking will be disrupted during the project, but plenty of downtown parking exists in public lots and along Fifth St. and Seventh St.

The key part of the Salina Downtown project is the Salina Fieldhouse, which became a reality last year. Since then, just across the street, the KU School of Medicine and Nursing – Salina has opened.

The downtown renovation project, costing in excess of $160 million, is the largest public – private partnership in the history of Salina.