The Urals is rich in raw materials, forests, lakes, rivers, peculiar terrain allowing one to build dams, where factories were formed in the 18th century. A qualitatively new approach to the formation of enterprises based on the use of natural resources was given by the uniqueness of the architectural and planning structure of master plans and architectural treatment, which allowed factories to develop into factory towns. Factory towns currently operate and can develop in the future. The availability of the unique historically developed environment of enterprises and factory environment and the presence of the most valuable monuments of industrial architecture on their territory reveal the major potential for the consistent development and establishment of new functional capabilities of such factory towns. Old factory sites can become resource territories of a town with a further reorientation to new functions since production facilities are valuable as territories equipped with energy and transport communications. This allows one to use them in the future to create centers of innovative technologies, a base for scientists, educational and industrial complexes, cultural centers with the formation of industrial architecture museums and the development of metallurgical technologies, industrial parks, logistics, exhibition and shopping centers, to adapt them for municipal sports and entertainment facilities.