The 18th and 19th centuries are periods evidencing very important devemopments in the Balkans. In the 18th century the long intervals of peace bring as an immediate effect the investment of European capitals in the East. By the end of the 18th century Thessaloniki becomes a large commercial storehouse of central Europe and an important industrial Centre. However, the old industrial buildings are demolished in the last years, victims of technical progress, just as in the rest of Europe. The consideration of the possibilities for the conservation and utilization of old constructions – e.g.steam-engines of past times- could become part of the recording and evaluation of the industrial monuments of Thessaloniki. The transformation of old factories into Centres for creative occupations,museums, technical and other and into libraries (mainly buildings adjacent to densly populated areas), along with the reopening of some of them in the form of handicraft workshops could save important works of the industrial history of Thessaloniki and endow the western part of the city with a new quality of life.