Matt Russo of Stone Mountain bought the 112-year-old, two-story structure in October 1999. For more than a year, he and restaurant partners -- Brian Collantuno and Russo's sons, Wesley and Jay -- have been working hard to restore much of the historical look of the building, Russo said.

The partners plan to open the business in late April 2001.

''A lot had been changed (on the building) in the 1960s,'' Russo said. ''We acquired some old pictures (of the original building) from the University of Georgia Library and the (Athens-Clarke) Heritage Foundation and are doing our best to restore the architectural integrity.''

The work has taken a lot longer and cost more than expected, said Russo, who graduated from UGA with a journalism degree in 1962 and most recently worked with DeKalb County's risk management department.

''It's worth it to us,'' Russo said. ''It's a better environment for eating.''

Part of that eating environment will come from salvaged lumber from some of the building's heart pine timbers, which had to be removed for the renovation.

''The booths are made from the building's original heart pine wood,'' Wesley Russo said. ''The trees were probably 80 years old when they were cut down, so the wood is probably 200 years old now.''

Russo said Transmetropolitan will feature a simple but unique blend of gourmet pizzas and pasta dishes. Using family recipes and experimenting with others, the Russo brothers and Collantuno expect to offer an expansive variety of pastas such as tortellini, fettuccine, penne, linguine and spaghetti. Steamed vegetables also will be part of the fare.

The ground floor, about 3,000 square feet, encompasses the dining space as well as a counter and kitchen area, where the chefs can be seen preparing the food. Lunch patrons will go to the counter and order their meals, then seat themselves. Members of the Transmetropolitan staff will deliver the meals and drinks to the customers. Russo said he and his partners are debating about whether to offer full service for the dinner business.

The dining area will seat about 72 people, and a recessed front provides a covered patio area for about 20 folks to enjoy the open-air feel.

A separate entrance from the outside, which ties into a stairway inside, guides customers to the upstairs cocktail lounge and private offices for the Transmetropolitan owners. The second floor also contains about 3,000 square feet. The bar will accommodate 40 to 50 people, and Russo said he hopes to have jazz music serve as the main entertainment there.

The hours for Transmetropolitan will be from 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday. On Friday, it will stay open until 2 a.m. The business will employ 8 to 10 people during lunch and a dozen for dinner. The menu will be the same for lunch and dinner, and prices will average around $5 for pastas and salads. Pizzas will vary in size from a 12-inch to a 16-inch and be priced between $12 and 14.