By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster new home building market saw a strong April, and is steadily catching up to its 2017 numbers, according to data recently released by the Alabaster Fire Department’s Planning and Safety Division.

Alabaster City Council members reviewed the department’s year-to-date numbers through the end of April during their May 29 meeting, and the numbers revealed an upward trend when compared with the first few months of this year.

In April, the city issued six new home building permits for projects valued at a total of about $1.6 million, bringing the year-to-date total at the end of April to 18 new home building permits for projects valued at a total of about $5.3 million.

In comparison, the city had issued a total of 26 new home building permits through the first four months of 2017 for projects valued at a total of about $6.9 million, which means the current margin between the two years is closer than it was a month ago.

The number of residential addition and remodel permits also is closing the gap on last year’s numbers.

At the end of April, the city had issued 79 residential addition and remodel permits for projects valued at a total of about $1 million, compared to 90 such permits for projects valued at a total of about $1.6 million during the same time period.

The city’s number of new commercial buildings is still lagging behind last year’s numbers.

Through the end of April, the city had issued a total of two new commercial building permits for projects valued at a total of about $1.6 million, compared to seven such permits for projects valued at a total of about $2.8 million during the first four months of 2017.

While the number of commercial addition and remodel permits was down compared to last year, the value of those projects was up significantly.

At the end of April, the city had issued 15 commercial addition or remodel permits for projects valued at a total of about $3.8 million, compared to 18 permits for projects valued at a total of about $1.3 million during the first four months of 2017.