What do the State Museum of Fine Arts named after Pushkin on Volkhonka and a small building on Shabolovka have in common? They are united by the same creators: a benefactor who organized an almshouse for the nobility in memory of his father, and an architect who built many masterpieces in Moscow.

Yuri Stepanovich Nechaev, a modest archivist and translator who served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suddenly became wealthy in 1880 when he inherited a vast fortune from his uncle, Ivan Sergeevich Maltsev, the owner of glass factories in Gus-Khrustalny. From that moment, he changed his surname to Nechaev-Maltsev and engaged in entrepreneurship and philanthropy. His funds were directed towards the creation of charitable institutions in St. Petersburg, support for the nursing institute, and women's education. In Moscow, he became known for establishing the Museum of Fine Arts named after Emperor Alexander III on Volkhonka. He also wanted to immortalize the names of his relatives: the uncle who bequeathed him the crystal production and his father. In honor of Ivan Sergeevich Maltsev, an almshouse was built in Gus-Khrustalny, and in memory of Stepan Dmitrievich Nechaev, the almshouse on Shabolovka.

Yuri Stepanovich's father, the chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod and a senator, was passionate about history and contributed to the study of Russia's cultural heritage. Thanks to his efforts, a memorial column was erected at Kulikovo Field in honor of the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, and he created a museum at the Polybino estate. In 1900 and 1901, his son organized a noble almshouse named after Stepan Dmitrievich Nechaev.

The architect Roman Klein, who had already worked on Volkhonka and was familiar with Nechaev-Maltsev, was invited to build the building. On Shabolovka, he used the neo-Russian style. Despite the modest facade, the building stands out: a high roof adorned with a lattice, a porch with granite columns, and decorative window moldings make it remarkable.

The final appearance of the complex was formed in 1906 when the church in honor of Archdeacon Stephen, the heavenly patron of Stepan Dmitrievich, was consecrated. The church fit well into the ensemble, its decoration was created at Nechaev-Maltsev's enterprises. The facades are adorned with glazed tiles. The temple had a porch on the north side, where a mosaic icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was preserved. Above the porch rose a bell tower with bells.

After the revolution and World War I, the almshouse did not last long: in 1919 it was turned into a hospital for blinded soldiers, and in 1922 it was officially abolished. The church was closed earlier, and state institutions were placed inside. Today, it houses Rosobrnadzor. The building has survived, although it has lost some details. The church of Archdeacon Stephen also survived but lost its domes and the tier of the bell tower; the mosaic icon remains. Formally, the church is assigned to the 1st City Hospital, but there are no regular services held there.