Kazlıçeşme was assigned for slaughterhouse, tannery and chandlery by a decret of Ottoman sultan Mehmed the Conqueror (reigned 1444–46 and 1451–81) soon after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

[3][5] After all the leather industry left Kazlıçeşme, the old factory buildings were demolished, and the area became a big public space, which is used today for political and social activity rallies.

The railway station of Kazlıçeşme, which served the Sirkeci-Halkalı commuter rail line was taken out of service on March 1, 2013 in the frame of improvement works for the Marmaray project.

[13] With the opening of Marmaray's first stage on October 29, 2013, Kazlıçeşme railway station became the provisory western terminus of the line, which starts at Ayrılıkçeşmesi on the Asiatic part of Istanbul and crosses the Bosphorus undersea.

Established in 1999, the Port of Zeytinburnu (aka Zeyport) has five piers with a total of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) long quay, and is able to serve ten vessels up to 3,900 gross tonnage each simultaneously.