The corner building with a fire tower, one of the vertical landmarks of Kyiv’s Old Town, forms part of the Complex of the Government Offices (“Prysutstveni Mistsia”), which occupies a triangular block bounded by Sofiyska Square, Volodymyrska Street, Velyka Zhytomyrska Street, and Volodymyr Passage.

The structure was built according to designs by architects K. Skarzhynskyi, M. Ikonnikov, and I. Shtrom, with the fire tower (kalanchа) designed by M. Ikonnikov. The architectural treatment combines the late Classicist style with elements of the Neo-Renaissance.

Originally, the complex consisted of an L-shaped two-storey main building with a tall corner fire tower, flanked by symmetrical two-storey rectangular wings. In 1870, the wing facing Velyka Zhytomyrska Street was connected to the corner volume, while a brick gateway with three arched entrances stood between the buildings on the Volodymyrska Street side.

In 1914, the main building was extended upward by one storey, and during 1924–1926, the structure underwent a major reconstruction, adapting it to new administrative functions.

Today, the building remains an architectural and historical landmark, notable for its monumental silhouette, refined Classicist proportions, and distinctive fire tower, which continues to serve as a visual accent in the skyline of the Old City.