Alabaster explores potential mixed-use development at Warrior Square

By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The city of Alabaster is currently exploring a potential project at Warrior Square on the corner of Highway 119 and Thompson Road that would be adjacent to the planned Alabaster Civic Complex.

Alabaster currently plans to construct its future civic complex off of Thompson Road where the Alabaster City Schools Central Office is currently located. Once the new ACS Central Office is constructed near Thompson High School, the city of Alabaster will demolish the previous location and begin work on the new civic complex. The complex will feature multiple long-awaited amenities, including a new library, recreation center, multiple gymnasiums, water features and a commercial area.

The city possesses property consisting of plus or minus four acres that lies adjacent to the civic complex development at the corner of Hwy 119 and Thompson Road that has been purposefully set aside for a potential mixed-use space.

“This is going to be a key, critical corner,” City Administrator Brian Binzer said. “We intentionally left it to develop privately, so to speak, because we wanted something really cool to add to our rec center and library that’s not a typical commercial (space), something that’s unique. We’ve given them (the developer) that direction too. We really want to see restaurants there that would really compliment what we’re doing and other types of mixed uses.”

During an Alabaster City Council meeting on Monday, July 22, the Council approved two resolutions in regards to the property.

The city approved a resolution for a Memorandum of Understanding and collaborative relationship with Ironwood Construction and Development, LLC for the potential Warrior Square development.

Ironwood Construction and Development was interested in the site and in the potential of a mixed-use development. The MOU provides the developer with 90 days of exclusivity in which the city will not enter into agreements with any other developers or buyers for the site.

“This gives them a little bit of time that they can put everything together, see if it’s worth their while and it also gives the city time to make sure the plan they’re putting together is the right plan and is going to fit and complement our site,” Binzer said.

The city also approved a resolution authorizing an agreement with CMH Architects for a master plan site development at Hwy 119 and Thompson Road in an amount not to exceed $11,500.

CMH Architects is already handling site plans for the rec center and new library and the approved agreement allows the organization to provide Ironwood Construction and Development with suggested plans for development at Warrior Square.

“The city is entering an agreement with CMH Architects who will then draw up sketches and drawings and some what-if scenarios for the master plan of the site,” Binzer said, “We’ll have some idea of what it would look like, how it would complement our library and rec center. There would be parking and buildings and all those things.”

The city is currently not bound to any one developer or plan for the final use of the property and may change its approach in the future based upon the results of the master plan and the developer’s findings.

“We’re just going to see if all the pieces fit together for both us and the developer,” Binzer said. “If it doesn’t, then we at least have a lot of information on the property and then we can go to other developers and see what they can have to offer.”

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