The building is located in an area with a rich history. Before the 19th century, the famous Red Pond was situated where Yaroslavsky Station now stands, next to which was a manor owned by the first Moscow rulers, grand princes, and tsars. The road from the Moscow Kremlin to Sokolniki, the center of grand princely and royal hunting, passed through Pokrovskaya and Old Basmannaya streets, turning towards Krasnoe Selo. In the 17th century, a watchtower was built as part of the manor, giving its name to the square, which was retained until 1932 when it was changed to Komsomolskaya Square.

In the mid-19th century, Kalanchovskaya Square in Moscow became part of a major engineering project of the Russian Empire. In 1842, Emperor Nicholas I approved the project for the first Russian railway connecting St. Petersburg and Moscow. Kalanchovskaya Square was chosen as the site for the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) Station. Construction continued until 1851 under the guidance of Count P.A. Kleinmichel, with K.A. Ton as the chief architect.

As part of the improvement of Kalanchovskaya Square and the station area, it was decided to build a Customs building. Initially, it was planned to use one of the neighboring buildings, but none were suitable, and the decision was made to construct a new one. The program included creating a complex with ceremonial rooms, service apartments, and a two-tiered basement for goods. The first Customs project was developed in 1845 by architect I.T. Tamansky, but it was not realized.

In 1847, the emperor tasked K.A. Ton with preparing a new project, which was approved in 1848. Construction began in 1850 and was completed in 1853. The possibility of building a similar residential block for symmetry of the square was discussed, but it was not realized.

The Customs building is shaped like an inverted letter "P," with a three-story main body and two side projections. Despite its connection to the station, it differs in details. The St. Petersburg station, designed in the "pseudo-Russian" style by K.A. Ton, is a two-story building with arched windows separated by columns.

The Customs building is executed in the style of late classicism with a rusticated lower tier and the upper floors unified by Corinthian pilasters. K.A. Ton aimed to combine different stages of Moscow's architectural history into a single complex of the station and Customs.

The building is undergoing maintenance repairs.