In 1897, Alexander Yakovlevich Baryshnikov, a peasant from the Pskov province and a merchant of the 2nd guild, purchased a plot on Nikolaevskaya Street to build an income house. The project was commissioned to the renowned capital architect Vasily Vasilievich Shaub. The house was built in two years, but its appearance only vaguely resembled Shaub's work.

At that time, Vasily Vasilievich was very busy, managing more than a dozen projects simultaneously, some of which were more significant than the merchant house on Nikolaevskaya. Shaub's project was simple and rational: fifteen apartments, ten six-room and five three-room, the first floor occupied by four shops, the second intended for rent, and the third for the owner's family. A spacious courtyard surrounded the rectangular perimeter of the building. The facade was executed in an eclectic style. Construction progressed slowly but strictly according to the project. A year later, Baryshnikov's eldest son, Alexander, who had recently graduated from the Institute of Engineers of Railways, was involved in the work. He was assigned the calculations but decided to propose his changes.

Alexander Alexandrovich, fascinated by new architectural trends, suggested altering the decorative appearance of the building. The eclecticism of the facade was replaced with elements of the Vienna Secession and plant motifs. The decor of the entrances was also redesigned, filled with modern forms. Alexander Alexandrovich created sketches of decorative details himself, which were realized by other craftsmen. He led the project and described it in the magazine 'Architect.' The house became one of the first examples of decadent architecture in the capital.

Alexander Yakovlevich, a merchant of ribbons and lace, was an educated man sensitive to fashion trends, which allowed him to appreciate his son's innovations. Alexander Alexandrovich's first architectural experience became a significant event in his engineering career. He worked in the Administration of Water and Highway Communications and later moved into public service, becoming a deputy in the State Duma. After the revolution, he held positions in the Provisional Government. Despite the zigzags of his biography, he realized few civic projects, among which were a residential complex on Troitskaya Street and the 'House with an Angel' in Pavlovsk.

The house on Nikolaevskaya became a residence for creative people, including a ballet school and the 'Shipovnik' publishing house. The Baryshnikov family lived there until the revolution when they were cramped into two rooms. Alexander Alexandrovich refused to leave the house despite the threat of arrest and passed away in 1924.