Alabaster’s District 31 is moving forward and expanding its restaurant offerings to include First Watch

ALABASTER, Ala. (WBRC) – Alabaster leaders are trying to finalize the details around a massive new shopping center on Highway 31.

First Watch is the latest addition to the District 31 project. Mayor Scott Brakefield said the breakfast restaurant will fill a void.

“We don’t really have the environment right now where we have a larger breakfast room,” Brakefield shared.

On Thursday evening, the City Council discussed amending the development agreement with District 31. It included some changes to store locations.

Some council members expressed frustration and called for more “tough deadlines” from the developer, fearing the process would be drawn out.

Ultimately, it passed, with city councilors leaving the final decision to the mayor and city manager as a safety net.

Phase one of the project is called The Shoppes at District 31 and includes Cava, Chipotle, Five Guys and more.

Phase two is much larger with around 75 new companies.

Some deals have yet to be announced, with city leaders announcing a “big store” at Thursday’s meeting.

“Obviously we’ve had a lot of inflationary pressure in the last few years,” Brakefield said. “This development has been going on for a long time. It has weathered a number of storms, be it COVID or inflation.”

The mayor added that he is ready to see this project come to fruition.

“We’re excited to see how the earth moves, but we’re really excited for the larger development to come into play,” he said.

The smaller project, the Shoppes at District 31, is scheduled to open next fall.

The District 31 main project is scheduled to open in 2026.

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