The North Loop building that houses acclaimed restaurant Spoon and Stable is about to get a serious lifestyle upgrade upstairs. Developer Schafer Richardson is converting the upper floors into 42 apartments, with construction starting this week and plans to preserve the building's original wood structure while tucking in a basement speakeasy.
Conversion details
According to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Schafer Richardson plans to turn the former office space above the restaurant into 42 units and begin construction in the coming days. The reporting notes that the adaptive reuse plan leans hard into historic preservation, keeping the original wood framing in place, and that the design includes space for a basement speakeasy intended to complement the neighborhood's already busy hospitality scene.
Developer behind the project
According to Schafer Richardson, the firm has a long track record of conversions and mixed-use projects in the North Loop and highlights several recent historic redevelopments in its news feed. The company says it provides in house construction and property management, which it argues helps keep preservation focused adaptive reuse projects on track from planning through operations.
Ground floor tenant and the building
Spoon and Stable occupies the building's ground floor and has anchored the block with its restored carriage house space. The restaurant's site notes its North First Street address and history, and reporting makes clear that the current conversion work is confined to the upper floors rather than the restaurant footprint.
Neighborhood context
The North Loop has long been a proving ground for warehouse to housing conversions and restaurant driven redevelopment, a pattern the neighborhood association has documented as the area shifted from industrial yards to a dense mix of retail, offices, and apartments. The North Loop Neighborhood Association points to past projects that restored historic fabric while layering in new uses, and this plan follows that familiar playbook. For neighbors, keeping the original woodwork and adding a smaller hospitality element such as a speakeasy may read as a compromise that helps preserve neighborhood character.
What to watch
Details on unit mix, pricing, and a full construction timeline beyond the start of work have not yet been released. Expect further updates on the developer's news page and in city permitting records as the project advances. We will track filings and developer announcements for leasing and opening dates and report them when they are available.
