The Arthur and Annie Gorham House, once located at 114 E. Lenoir Street in the Prince Hall Historic District, now sits on its new site at 420 S. Bloodworth Street thanks to the cooperative efforts of preservationists in Raleigh. Raleigh’s Prince Hall Historic District was established in recent years
to preserve the few historic structures that remain from the once-bustling African American neighborhood of businesses and residences. Constructed prior to 1886, the two-story Triple-A I-House represents the wealth of middle-upper class African American residential architecture that once dominated the blocks around Lenoir Street. It features 2/2 wood windows that run floor-to-ceiling on the first floor, a front door transom, molded box cornices with returns, and diamond attic vents in the gables.
In late 1887, Arthur Lewis Gorham purchased 114 E. Lenoir Street from A.W. Shaffer, a retired Colonel in the Union army. In 1885, Gorham was assigned as “colored city mail carrier No. 1”, the first such position in the city. He would remain in his post until at least 1922, two years before his death. Fast forward to 2016, when the house remained vacant for many years and was threatened with demolition for redevelopment of the site. With the support of the Raleigh Historic Development Commission and Preservation North Carolina, husband-and-wife team Nicole Alvarez and Matt Tomasulo were able to save the Arthur & Annie Gorham House and relocate it six blocks away to a vacant site within the Prince Hall Historic District.
After relocation to its new site, February 2017, the house was meticulously rehabilitated, refinishing and restoring all the original wood windows, siding, floors, and trim; and, it has been transformed into a boutique hotel – affectionately called Guest House Raleigh – now offering visitors a unique experience that blends history with bright, minimalist rooms, a downtown view, and distinctive Raleigh accents. The eight-room house became Raleigh’s first boutique hotel, opening its doors in September 2018. The 1,218-square-foot original portion of the house was lovingly restored and furnished while retaining its historic features. The first floor of the historic house is dedicated to common space and the entire second floor is a two-room guest suite. The original back door now leads into the Guest House’s modern addition providing seven more rooms and a kitchen which was designed by Nicole Alvarez, herself, an architect at Clearscapes, PA, working in collaboration with the firm. Even though the addition is quite modern, Tomasulo and Alvarez have taken care not to lose sight of the historic character of the Gorham house, softening detailing around doors and windows, for example, and choosing simple furnishings. The overall result is a peacefully integrated experience of historic and contemporary spaces.
The goal was always to have the house feel like it had always been at the new location, nestled among other houses relocated to once-vacant lots. Framed as their “love note to Raleigh,” Guest House Raleigh celebrates their love of their hometown, of the history of the house, and of its surrounding neighborhood.
The Board of Directors of Capital Area Preservation, Inc. is pleased to present a 2019 Anthemion Award to Nicole Alvarez; Matt Tomasulo; Clearscapes, PA; The Northgate Group for the Relocation, Rehabilitation & Adaptive Reuse of the Arthur & Annie Gorham House, 420 South Bloodworth Street, Raleigh.