The future of industry in Ironton will be on display Wednesday as citizens can get a peek inside the undeveloped South Ironton Industrial Park.

The Ironton Industrial and Commercial Development Committee will host a public meeting on the property to allow visitors to walk or drive through the park and look at photographs and plans for development, Mayor Bob Cleary said.

"I think it is an exciting opportunity to show off something important to our future," Committee Chairman Brent Pyles said.

Councilmen John Elam and Bob Isaac also serve on the committee.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Visitors should use the Lorain Street entrance across from Liebert's loading docks, Cleary said.

The city received state grants to purchase the $375,000, 40-acre site, formerly Allied Signal,

located at Third and Lorain streets.

City officials worked for more than three years to purchase the property.

"This is a great opportunity for the citizens of Ironton to view it from the inside," Cleary said. "Everyone has driven by it, but you don't realize the size until you are inside the park."

Cleary said negotiations are almost completed with the Ohio Department of Transportation. ODOT has agreed to purchase 8.5 acres and move its garages to the site.

Eventually, the industrial park could accommodate more than 1,200 jobs if developed properly, Cleary said.

Currently, there is a brand new, 5,000 square-foot building on the property.

The first phase of construction within the park will be constructing a road to connecting Lorain and Third streets.

Potential businesses have shown interest in the property during the last few years, but the city could not move forward until they officially owned it, Cleary said.