From 1906 to 1908, on 2nd Meshchanskaya Street, now Gilyarovskogo Street, at addresses 57 and 65, "houses of affordable apartments for poor people, both single and families" were built according to the designs of architects I.I. Rerberg and M.M. Peretyatkovich. Architect T.Ya. Bardt was responsible for the direct implementation of the project. In May 1909, two residential complexes were simultaneously occupied: one for families and the other for singles. They contained 183 and 1152 apartments respectively. The complexes were named "Red Diamond" and "Free Citizen."

These buildings were functionally and stylistically connected. The "houses of affordable apartments" included a bathhouse, library, laundry, grocery store, and dining room. A free shower operated in the summer. The rent in the "Free Citizen" was 1 ruble and 25 kopecks per week, which was below the average daily wage of a Moscow worker at that time.

In the family house, in addition to common amenities, there was a kindergarten and nursery. Each floor had four kitchens with hot and cold water. Each family had its own table and section in the pantry. Electricity was supplied until 11 PM.

Both complexes, designed in the Art Nouveau style, included neo-Gothic elements as envisioned by I.I. Rerberg: walls with gables, decorative turrets, and windows reminiscent of machicolations. Major repairs of building No. 57 were carried out in 1971-72, and building No. 65 in 1966 and 1984. In the early 2000s, the buildings were returned to their original color scheme of the facades.

Today, building No. 57 houses the Central Union of Consumer Societies of the Russian Federation (Tsentrosouz), while building No. 65 is home to the scientific research institute of natural and synthetic diamonds and tools (VNIIALMAZ).