In many cities of Russia, pre-revolutionary architectural monuments have been preserved, but their condition often leaves much to be desired. One such example is the apartment house of merchant Andrei Dukhai in Chita. Little is known about the merchant: he was born in the Austrian Empire, then moved to Russia and went to Siberia in search of work. In the late 19th century, Dukhai settled in Chita and started his business, trading cosmetics, colognes, gramophones, and women's jewelry.

In 1897, he decided to expand his business and purchased a plot on Nerchinskaya Street for the construction of an apartment house. The project for the complex of four stone buildings, designed to look like one, was developed by the chief architect of Chita, Fyodor Ponomaryov. The facades were faced with red brick, and the second-floor windows were adorned with plaster patterns and painted in light tones. The resulting building resembled a noble estate more than an apartment house. On the first floor was Dukhai's main store, 'Slavic Goods,' while the other premises were rented out. There were a dental office, a Mutual Credit Society, a notary's office, and a Commercial Assembly. Later, the property passed to the merchant's heirs, Georgy and Vladimir.

After the defeat of the White movement, the Dukhai brothers emigrated to Harbin, and their further fate is unknown. In the 1920s, the house came under the management of the local GPU branch. Until 2004, the Central ROVD of Chita was located here. On November 19, a strong fire broke out in the building, starting on the second floor and spreading quickly. At that moment, 25 people were inside: most managed to evacuate, while some jumped out of the windows. Two police officers sustained serious injuries. The fire was extinguished after eight hours. According to the official version, the cause was a short circuit, but law enforcement officials suspect arson. As a result, the house was virtually destroyed, and nothing remains of its former beauty.