By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Alabaster City Council could vote during its July 2 meeting to begin work on a new city hall and administration building near the Alabaster Senior Center.

Alabaster officials recently began accepting bids for the project, which includes constructing a two-story, 19,853-square-foot building on the city-owned old Siluria mill site to house the city’s administrative offices, city court and other municipal departments.

After opening and reviewing the bids on June 21, the City Council will discuss the issue during an upcoming work session before likely voting on the matter during its July 2 meeting, said Alabaster City Administrator George Henry.

About nine contractors attended a recent mandatory pre-bid conference, which was required for all companies bidding on the project.

The new City Hall would consolidate offices currently spread out over three buildings. If the new City Hall is built, the Alabaster Police Department likely will receive all space at the current City Hall off U.S. 31, city officials said previously.

The new City Hall would include a courtroom, a city office suite and 82 new parking spaces. The building’s second floor would be used for storage, and could accommodate future growth, Henry said.

If the council votes to award a bid for the project during its July 2 meeting, construction on the new building likely would begin “within weeks,” Henry said. It likely will take crews nine-10 months to complete the project, he said.