The original Wintonaire was pretty cool — literally. When it opened in the mid-1940s at 628 N. Winton Road, it was one of the first local taverns to offer air conditioning. Hence “air” being part of the name.

In the decades since, it’s blown through a number of owners and even sat vacant for eight years in the 2000s.

The latest iteration shut down in October. But in early August, the place will reopen — only as something entirely new, says building owner Mike Calabrese, the man behind Java’s Café on Gibbs Street and a co-owner of Good Luck Restaurant on Anderson Avenue.

He says the forthcoming establishment in the Browncroft section of North Winton Village is “going to be a great neighborhood restaurant. We want it to be a place that people can count on for quality food, drinks and service.”

Calabrese is partnering on the project with two major players on the Rochester restaurant scene — Chuck Cerankosky, also a co-owner of Good Luck and of Cure at the Rochester Public Market, and Dan Martello, chef at Good Luck and Cure.

“It’s a great neighborhood,” Calabrese continued. “Browncroft is one of the oldest and most well-known neighborhoods in the city. And we just love it there. Everything’s happening there.”

The restaurant’s menu hasn’t been hammered out yet. “We’ll work on that together,” he said.

As for décor, “We’ll work with what’s there to make it feel natural,” he said, but it definitely will have a different vibe — one that does not evoke a sports bar. “It’s going to be a little more serious.”

Also, parking will be expanded. Currently there is a small lot next to The Wintonaire, but Calabrese recently bought a building on Browncroft Boulevard behind The Wintonaire, and that building's parking lot will be available for restaurant customers. He estimated that the two parking lots combined will offer around 42 spaces.

Perhaps the biggest change of all will be letting go of longstanding Wintonaire moniker.

“It’s time,” Calabrese said, adding that he, Cerankosky and Martello have “a few ideas we’re kicking around” for a new name, but “I can’t say anything just yet.”

Once everything is settled, though, “We’d like to be there a long, long time.”