By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The number of new homes built so far this year in Alabaster is on par with last year’s numbers, while the value of the homes has slightly increased, according to numbers recently released by the Alabaster Fire Department’s Planning and Safety Division.

Through the first three months of this year, the city had issued a total of 20 new home building permits for homes valued at a total of nearly $5.6 million. By comparison, the city had issued 21 new home building permits through the first three months of 2016 for homes valued at a total of about $5.2 million.

Alabaster’s number of residential addition and remodel permits are up significantly this year compared to last year.

At the end of March, the city had issued a total of 59 residential addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of about $1.1 million. Through the first three months of last year, the Planning and Safety Division had issued a total of 45 such permits for projects valued at a total of $841,584.

In the commercial sector, the city’s number of new buildings is the same this year as it was last year, but the valuation is significantly lower. At the end of March, the city had issued a total of three new commercial buildings for projects valued at a total of about $1.9 million.

At the end of March 2016, the city had also issued three new commercial building permits, but last year’s projects were valued at a total of about $4.2 million.

The commercial addition and remodel sector is up significantly from last year.

At the end of March, the Planning and Safety Division had issued a total of 17 commercial addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of $1.3 million. During the same time period last year, the city had issued a total of 16 commercial addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of $28,081.