This sounds promising: The former Justin’s restaurant, at 301 Lark St. in Albany, empty since Justin’s went dark at the beginning of January, is being taken over by a duo who plan to rename it Savoy Taproom, bring back live music and offer what the owners are calling “approachable upscale multicultural cuisine.”

An opening in mid- to late spring is projected. The basement bar was called the Savoy Taproom in the 1930s and ’40s, according to the new owners; it was renamed Justin’s in the 1950s.

The owners are Daniel Atkins, who has managed Oh Bar, located across the street, for four years, and Jason Pierce, who is owner and president of ASE Metal Recovery Inc., a regional refiner of gold, silver and platinum. Atkins is also general manager of the Fuze Box club on Central Avenue and vice chairman of the Lark Street Business Improvement District.

Atkins tells me the bar area and dining room will be extensively renovated, with new additions to include a copper bar, marble back bar, LED lighting throughout, booths in the dining room and new paint, trim and fixtures throughout.

“You won’t recognize it as Justin’s,” Atkins says. The partners will spend about $100,000 to develop and open the restaurant, he says. They have a five-year lease and the option for two five-year renewals with building owner Andy Morehouse.

Among the menu items being considered are swordfish poached in Jamaican jerk-infused duck fat, Portuguese-style clams, grilled macaroni-and-cheese sliders and bone-in filet mignon. The owners are working with Andy Espinola, formerly of the Wine Bar and Bistro in Albany, as a consultant to develop the menu and to hire a chef for Savoy Taproom.

The bar will be under the direction of George Fiorini, previously of Wellington’s and Speakeasy 518, both in Albany. In January, Fiorini won the Woodford Reserve bartending competition as part of the 2016 Albany Wine & Dine for the Arts festival. Atkins says the bar will offer traditional and contemporary cocktails and a rotating selection of wine and beer; there will be 12 draft lines.

Savoy Taproom will seat 30 in bar, 45 to 60 in the dining room, depending on the arrangement. Live music, featuring jazz, acoustic and small amplified acts, will be programmed on weekends, Atkins says. Updates on the restaurant’s progress will be available on its website.