Throughout its history, the city of Zagreb has been the center of many industries. Over time, under the influence of various factors, many industries have collapsed, which has resulted in a large number of abandoned and derailed former factory buildings. The practice of European countries goes towards renovating such spaces in order to improve the quality of life of its residents. Such renovations must be carried out in accordance with the rules of the conservation profession. Former Zagreb factories have great potential for renovation by both the state and private investors. However, the implementation of the plans is non-existent or extremely slow, so many spaces are unsafe and, as time passes, they are a growing problem and an increasing danger for citizens, and investment in such spaces is becoming more expensive. This development is a consequence of the administration's sluggishness, since there were many interested investors and organized tenders. Only a few examples of reconstruction can show us how Croatia implements projects and provides a comparison with its European neighbors, many of which we can learn from. The paper will focus on an overview of the current state of industrial heritage, their development potential as well as comparison with other European countries.