On October 12, 1910, the Penza City Duma allocated a plot of land measuring 472 square fathoms on the Line of Official Places, next to the state chamber, for the construction of a House named after V. G. Belinsky. This building was planned to house the public library named after M. Yu. Lermontov, the public reading library named after V. G. Belinsky, a museum, and an auditorium for 1,000 seats.

On May 31, 1911, on the centenary of V. G. Belinsky's birth, the Duma approved the project developed by the Bagrakov architects. The next day, the plot allocated for the construction of the House named after V. G. Belinsky was consecrated.

However, construction only began in the summer of 1914, and due to a lack of funds, it was decided to limit the construction to just the western part of the building, which was roughly completed by 1915. The facade of the building changed: from classical strictness it transitioned to a more concise style with elements of modernism. The interior finishing, heating installation, and library equipment were postponed until 1916.

The M. Yu. Lermontov Library opened in the new building only on February 20, 1928, but the original project, designed for gradual implementation, was never fully realized.

Only in 1961 was the building expanded along Lermontov Street to Kirov Street.