The buildings were constructed in the 1920s as an extension of the FN factories. They were primarily used for vehicle and engine production. These large workshops produced engines for aircraft, cars, and motorcycles, among other things, illustrating FN's diversification beyond the traditional arms sector. The complex, designed with large concrete halls and industrial architecture, had to be robust and functional for heavy-duty production activities. In the 1980s, most activities moved to more modern facilities, including the Hauts-Sarts industrial zone, causing these buildings to lose their original purpose.

In the early 1990s, FN sold the site to a real estate company, which intended to develop a small and medium-sized enterprise zone. The site was only partially utilized, and large sections remained vacant. Starting in the 2010s, plans were developed to completely redevelop the area into an eco-neighborhood with housing, commercial spaces, and community facilities such as a hotel, daycare center, and cultural center. However, the real estate project was halted after the owner went bankrupt in 2018. The construction site remained unfinished, and the site evolved into a derelict industrial zone, characterized by dilapidation, illegal waste dumping, and squatters, leading to complaints from local residents.

In 2025, FN Herstal announced an investment of approximately €100 million to redevelop part of the former site into a new munitions production facility, in collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Defence. This will restore the historic industrial zone to its role in the defense industry.