The house at 25 Vasenko Street in Chelyabinsk still impresses with its magnificent architecture. At first glance, this early 20th-century palace could belong to a wealthy merchant or nobleman, but in fact, its owner was a reserve private of the Russian army, Dorofey Filippovich Khovanov. This raises the question: how could he afford such a structure? After service, even lower ranks received subsidies and benefits, which Khovanov took advantage of. Additionally, he ran a small business selling timber. However, to build the ancestral home, he still had to take out a loan from the bank.

This eclectic-style palace stood on a foundation of rubble stone, featuring carved doors and gates, as well as a balcony with three windows overlooking it. Dorofey Filippovich successfully blended several architectural styles, and the decorative elements complemented each other harmoniously. Inside, the house amazed with its size: the first floor had 12 rooms with a central hall, and the second had another 14. Unfortunately, Khovanov did not have time to enjoy this splendor. While working on the second floor, he slipped and fell from the scaffolding, sustaining severe lung injuries and fractures. He could not be saved and died in the hospital.

His son completed the house, but he did not possess his father's business acumen and poorly managed the business. Moreover, the loan needed to be repaid, and soon the house was given up due to debts. In 1916, the property was acquired by the partnership 'Lapteev and Manaev' with the aim of gifting it to the city for the establishment of an orphanage for soldiers' orphans who died on the fronts of World War I. However, the authorities did not manage to complete the renovation of the house due to the onset of the revolution. Subsequently, the building passed into the hands of the OGPU, then the NKVD, and now it houses the Chelyabinsk FSB.