Life is being breathed back into the former Adair Furniture buildings in the downtown, with a Cassano’s Pizza franchise preparing to open there this month, along with a Hershey’s ice cream parlor that looks out over an interior open-air courtyard.

“I think it’s going to be a really comfortable atmosphere. You come in, and sit and eat and talk and have a good time. That’s what we were wanting to do,” said Larry Reinsmith, an owner of the buildings and a Cassano’s franchisee.

The building that houses the Cassano’s was built in 1875 and was a livery stable where horses were kept while their owners lodged at the Buckye Hotel next door. While the building needed extensive upgrading in terms of plumbing, electric and other utilities, the goal was to preserve as much as possible of the structure including beams and low-hanging timbers.

Moreover, the theme of a livery has been kept and cared for in ways big and small, such as murals, a buggy, architectural features including a barn fence and a window stall, and decor like wall skonces and spoked wheels.

The hope is that what once was a livery stable and later a fine furniture showplace known regionally, will become a magnet and destination place for residents to gather and eat pizza, have a soup and sandwich, enjoy ice cream and visit adjoining shops within the complex. And that doesn’t include a spacious community room or the outdoors courtyard in the center of the place.

There’s a large sit-down dining area for Cassano’s Pizza & Subs — larger than what one normally sees at a Cassano’s. The nine booths and 20 tables can seat about 100 people, where they can watch big-screen TVs.

Vic Cassano has already seen the space and “loves it,” said Reinsmith.

Reinsmith and the other local franchisee, Ernie Blankenship, have a full Cassano’s franchise with some liberty to offer some other things they wanted to be able to have such as light sandwiches, soups and salads in addition to Cassano’s menu items. The official name is the Buckeye Livery Co. Cafe featuring Cassano’s Pizza. Buckeye Livery is the actual name of the old livery stable.

The well-lit ice cream parlor is expected to feature 16 flavors of Hershey’s ice cream.

The community room can accommodate about 95 people for meetings and events. People are already asking to use it, Reinsmith said Wednesday.

The courtyard, to be dotted by tables with umbrellas, is expected to be a popular spot, and have music piped in.

Reinsmith is working on getting a liquor permit at Cassano’s.

Reinsmith, Blankenship and Bill Marine closed on the property in spring 2008, a few weeks before DHL made its announcement it was restructuring its U.S. business which meant a massive job loss at the Wilmington Air Park.

The target date to open the Cassano’s is March 23. All told, the complex is projected to generate 25 to 30 full- and part-time jobs.

There is ample parking in the adjacent lot at the corner of Locust and Mulberry streets.

If the pizza shop and ice cream parlor and community room and courtyard and shops draw people, the downtown as a whole can only benefit, said Reinsmith.

“If you get people downtown, that’s half the battle,” he said.