Kaunas County Board, Office of the Governor of Kaunas City and County, Chief of Police of Kaunas City and County and the Department of State Security established their offices in one of the largest administrative buildings of the interwar Lithuania. The basement accommodated institutional archives, apartments of couriers, boiler-house and other rooms. A two-storey garage with apartments for drivers and a printing-house were built in the yard. "During the Soviet period, the building served as the seat of the KGB."
As it pertains to a significant object of public importance, architectural solutions had to create the impression of solidity and representation. The base and stairs of natural sombre granite, the black polished labradorite portals and the pilasters of dark artificial granite contrasting with light granite façades, and a solid two-tier cornice shaped an object which stood out from the surrounding context for both modern clear geometrical forms and luxury. Based on archival data, we may presume that the object was to render an even greater representative effect from the side of Laisvės avenue by building "large stairs in place of a pavement". In fact, the Construction Commission of Kaunas City Municipality did not agree with such construction of stairs by noting that "such a pavement occupation is not compatible with the layout of Laisvės avenue".
The structure of the building also manifested modernity and innovation (designers J. Šalkauskas and A. Rozenbliumas) - even though the building was built of bricks, "a supporting reinforced concrete framework was designed in the centre of the chief walls of two wings. Iron columns were built in important spots of the exterior walls". In fact, the use of the reinforced concrete structure considerably increased the price of the building, whereas the layout structure of the object was rather commonplace - rooms and other premises were arranged in line with the corridor system.
Vaidas Petrulis