By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Two new restaurants are now officially open for business in a recently completed new development next to Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster.

Jimmy Johns and Pizza Hut began serving customers several days ago in the new Alabaster Landing development off U.S. 31 just south of the hospital after the developer, Harbert Realty Services, recently completed the new retail center.

Harbert Realty Services Vice President of Retail Development James Proctor has not yet announced the final tenant for the remaining portion of the retail center.

Harbert development plans call for the retail space to front U.S. 31, while the medical office space will be close to Second Street Northeast. Harbert has not yet begun construction on the office space behind the retail center.

In November 2015, the Alabaster City Council voted unanimously to approve a tax incentive plan valued at $1.125 million over a 10-year period for the Harbert development.

Through the incentives plan, Alabaster will reimburse the developer, Harbert Realty Services Inc., for 60 percent of the city sales tax collected at the development during the first five years the center is open. For the sixth-tenth year the center is open, Alabaster will reimburse Harbert for 40 percent of the city sales tax collected at the development.

Alabaster’s 1-cent sales tax earmarked for schools will not be included in the incentives package, and the developer will still pay property tax, business license fees and other taxes not tied to sales.

The incentives package tops out at $1.125 million or 10 years, whichever comes first.

The city also recently received a more than $360,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation to make sidewalk and landscape improvements along Second Street Northeast from Fifth Avenue Northeast to Seventh Avenue Northeast.

Second Street Northeast runs south of the main Shelby Baptist campus off U.S. 31, and soon will tie in to a new restaurant and office development.