&8220;If someone said meet me in downtown Alabaster where would you go?&8221;

Alabaster City Administrator Tony Rivera posed the question during a joint meeting of the Alabaster Planning and Zoning Board and City Council on Monday night.

He pointed out that the city had no town identity.

Rivera was joined by personnel from the county&8217;s Department of Developmental Services to pitch the idea of a town center.

Senior Planner James Ponseti said a town center could connect to property already purchased by the city for a new city hall.

He suggested that the land purchased be used for a compact neighborhood with one of the city&8217;s buildings.

The city purchased 111 acres from Maurice Rogers for about $2 million to be used as a new city hall. The property is located off Old Highway 31 across the mountain from Burger King.

Councilmember Tommy Ryals said the land has been appraised for $4 million.

Ponseti pointed out the area of Highway 31, Highway 119, the old Winn Dixie and Bruno&8217;s shopping centers, the road dividing them and a church in the area would make a town center.

His concept included the location of city buildings in that area and suggested a signature multi-story building that could give the city the space it needed.

The road dividing the shopping centers (railroad tracks at the top and converging traffic lanes at the bottom near Bruno&8217;s) would be capped at both ends by roundabouts.

He explained that church expansion in the area could also result in a Christian center. And he said the area could contain shops and restaurants taking advantage of green space.

While Rivera said he did not buy into the concept presented by Ponseti, he agreed residents would want to be a part of the town center.

Ryals said the city had already spent six years working on its new town center, that none of the ideas presented were new and that he had no intention of abandoning what the city had already begun.

He said he liked the idea of bringing shopping centers &8220;up to date&8221; and with an &8220;open mind,&8221; he believed both plans could work.

Mayor David Frings encouraged the city to look at existing businesses.

Ponseti said: &8220;We just saw this as an opportunity and reached out to the city.&8221;

City Planner Harry Still also presented a mountain overlay district update to preserve water quality, conservation and scenic values associated with mountains of the city