The property that was once home to Geauga Lake amusement park is finally getting some new life.

Bulldozers are preparing to dig up tons of concrete left behind from rides that used to be buzzing along Route 43 in Portage County.

New apartments, retailers including Menards, and some mixed use space will make up the Geauga Lake District's 337 acre site.

The overall design will also pay homage to the property's past.

"You'll see it show up in signage, you'll see it show up in landscaping and you'll see it show up in some of the lakeside amenities like a trail system," Chris Salata said, chief operating officer of Industrial Commercial Properties in Solon, Ohio.

Salata tells 21 News there will likely be monuments along the side of the lake that commemorate some of the old rides at the former amusement park.

"A new road that we're going to be constructing is called Big Dipper Road," he said.

The overall investment is expected to be close to $100 million on the property that's located where Aurora and Bainbridge Township border each other.

Salata, a Cardinal Mooney grad, has roots in the valley. His father grew up in the region and he has plans to bring new economic development to the area.

He says Industrial Commercial Properties has land contracts to build a new business park in North Lima. Salata hinted that an announcement will come soon for the investment that could carry a $30 to $50 million price tag.

ICP most recently took the former K-Mart distribution center in Warren, a 1.4 million square foot facility. Now the building only has 180,000 square feet left for tenants.

The Geauga Lake District is situated within a growing commercial corridor in Portage County. Bainbridge Township's zoning inspector says Meijer is also looking at possibly building on the site and has issued a proposal.

ICP most recently closed on a sale of 18 acres along the lake's edge with a multi-family developer Vision Development. The Columbus-based developer has plans to build 338 apartment-homes beginning in 2022.

"They're going to be constructing about 338 apartment homes that will have a really cool set of amenities that will sit on the lakeside," Salata said.

Additional 55 and older, single family luxury homes are also part of the concept for property north of the apartments.

"You're going to have a lot of good synergy there between the retail and the multi-family, and hopefully the entertainment," Salata said.

The retailers are expected to begin construction in 2023.

Salata says the focus right now is on readying the land. Foundations of some of the old Geauga Lake rides are pretty substantial.