From fire to fresh start: Former House of Art lot up for sale in downtown Raleigh
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Downtown 0.11-acre lot at 306 E. Hargett listed for $1.1M after fire.
- Listing targets boutique retail, mixed-use, office or dining on high-traffic corridor.
- Community raised $30,955 via GoFundMe and held benefit events supporting rebuild.
After a fire ripped through a popular downtown Raleigh art venue earlier this year, the existing structure is now being demolished and primed for redevelopment.
Adjacent to Moore Park, the small but strategic .11-acre lot at 306 E. Hargett Street is listed for $1.1 million and set to be cleared.
“Save time and money on demolition, and jump straight into design and development,” teased Marika La Sorsa, a Raleigh-based Realtor with Coldwell Baker, in the listing.
It’s marketed for “boutique retail, mixed-use, office, or dining concept” in one of the city’s most visible corridors. It’s within walking distance of Marbles Kids Museum, Transfer Co. Food Hall and Fayetteville Street.
On Jan. 7, a fire severely damaged the House of Art, a gathering space that the Downtown Raleigh Alliance once described as a “social museum where guests enjoy drinks, events, live music, art and photo opportunities.”
A week later, Eva Marie Torrellas was charged with felony burning of an unoccupied commercial structure, The N&O previously reported.
The cozy, Civil War-era bungalow also had ties to communities beyond art. It formerly housed Mo’s Diner. After the owner, Hamid Mohajer, died in 2010, his wife, Holly Mohajer, renamed the restaurant Holly’s on Hargett.
The location has also been a tiki-themed bar called The Outpost, according to Raleigh Downtown Alliance.
House of Art had occupied the space since 2022.
A GoFundMe campaign started after the fire and raised more than $30,955 from more than 700 donations. The community also rallied together to raise money through events such as a benefit concert held at The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop, a Valentine’s Day event at Durham’s The Fruit and a painting auction through Haven of Knightdale.
In June, House of Art announced on Instagram that it had secured a new location, but the exact address has not yet been disclosed.
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 12:52 PM with the headline "From fire to fresh start: Former House of Art lot up for sale in downtown Raleigh."
