Firefighters were called to the blaze at Antonio Hall about 7.30pm on Thursday. It is understood the fire was in the back kitchen.
Riccarton Rd was cordoned off between Ilam and Clyde Rds but is now open.
The hall, which was built from about 1904, has been targeted by arsonists twice over the past few years.
It was last damaged in November 2021 by a suspicious fire.
Fire and Emergency NZ said Thursday's blaze took about an hour to contain.
Antonio Hall was first built for a successful grocery merchant before the site was purchased by the Catholic Church in 1946 as a place to educate young men entering the priesthood.
The church added several structures to the original building - including a chapel and accommodation.
It was later used as a private hostel for students at Canterbury University and then sold to a family who gave it its current name.
The site was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake and fell into disrepair despite the community's efforts to restore it.
