Plans for a new Alabaster city center off Alabama 119 are still in the works, but are on hold until the nation’s economy rebounds, according to Alabaster Mayor David Frings.

The city center would include a new City Hall, other municipal buildings and room for business development. The center likely will be built off Alabama 119 South on land the city currently owns.

Though the project was originally put on hold in 2008, Alabaster officials still plan to move forward with building it once the economy recovers.

“The project is currently on hold,” Frings said. “This is not a good time to borrow money.”

Though the city still needs the new municipal buildings to replace its dated current City Hall and police station, the current economy would make it difficult to fill the development’s business parcels, the mayor said.

“We still need the city buildings, but we will wait a while longer,” Frings said, noting the city has not yet estimated a total price on the project. “The project also had a private developer portion, and it would be difficult to find one that wanted to invest in a new project during this economy.”

Alabaster officials have been considering the new city center for more than five years, and have included it city comprehensive plans. If constructed, the center would serve as the heart of “downtown Alabaster,” city leaders have said.