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The owner and author of the project for this residency was Francisco Bolonha, an engineer who had studied at the Rio de Janeiro Polytechnic College and constructed many buildings for the capital's Intendancy (Type of governor at that time). Some of the private buildings he designed helped to shape the town's central area. An entrepreneur with diverse activities, Bolonha received the concession of some large scale public buildings, such as the markets and certain kiosks that were common in Downtown Belém, small wooden structures with towers with intricate coverings, that is, made of overlapping blades.

He was familiar with the innovative techniques then used in Europe, and became, over several trips to that continent, a great admirer of Eiffel. His projects use metallic structures, but they are associated to various elements of Eclectic architecture, producing buildings that are typically Bolonha, identified throughout the city as emblems of that time.

The Palacete Bibi Costa, on Joaquim Nabuco Street, built in the early 20th century, heralds the strong verticalization Bolonha would imprint as a mark of his private residence in Governador José Malcher Street. The towers, a distinguishing feature of Bolonha's designs, as well as those of other Eclectic constructors of the time, are present in both cases.

The mansion forms an ensemble with other residences, all of them belonging to Francisco Bolonha, distributed along a narrow, slightly sloped street. These residences, except for his own, are marked by a Neoclassical symmetry and a restrained decoration, and were built for relatives and other friends of the family. The so-called Palacete Bolonha is an authentic "dream castle" a term created by Bossaglia in reference to some of the projects created by the fantasy of Florentine architect Gino Coppedè for the Italian bourgeoisie. During Bolonha's most active period, 1909-1915, Coppedè must have been well known in town, because of his projects for the Basilica of Nazaré and for a municipal palace that, although greatly publicized in images and scale models, was never built. Bolonha's residence was designed to be used by a couple, and is divided into three floors and a belvedere. It features multiple internal divisions and a decoration charged with golden and stucco - the latter by Maranhense Newton de Sá-, decorated tiles, mosaics and diverse copings

Its decoration features reproductions of mosaics from Pompeii, reliefs with GreekRoman themes, Art Nouveau tiles, glass floorings and, on the outside, tiles made of colored slate, with iron finials for the mansard roof with a tower.

On his wide piece of land, Bolonha created a private street (now open to public circulation) along which he distributed the houses belonging to his family; his own house was vertically oriented. The building faces the interior, with no gardens or wide openings: the view and the benefits of ventilation were restricted to the tower. One of the most renowned engineers in town in the early 20th century, Bolonha built for himself a wealthy residence, with abundant decoration and no practicality. It was used as a residence for a few years after its owne's death, in the early 20th century, and later passed to the hands of public power. It was unused for many years, and lost many of its details and decorative elements due to neglect. It is now restored, and houses a care center for the elderly. 

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