By next year, New London will have more than 300 new apartments, including affordable and supportive housing.
Gov. Ned Lamont toured several construction sites across New London, discussing and reviewing plans to build new apartment complexes.
The city’s increase in housing supply follows Groton-based submarine manufacturer General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) announcing plans to hire 5,000 employees annually in the coming years.
“We haven't built a darn thing in 35 years,” Lamont said. “I think we have a lot of catching up to do. There's real demand. People want to be here. We’ve got the wind to our back. New London has the wind to our back. If you're a sailor, take advantage of that.”
One of the new apartment complexes toured by Lamont, called The Beam, has about 200 units, with 30 rented, The Beam’s leasing specialist Brandy Williams said. Most of the apartments were rented without the renter having visited the apartment.
The first half of the building opened in December, with plans to open the second half in May. Developers expect the apartments to be fully rented during the summer.
A smaller apartment complex on Bayonet Street is funded by the state Department of Housing and developed in part by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority.
The Bayonet Street development will be done in two phases. The first phase will be 28 units, six of which are reserved for people with intellectual disabilities and autism.
Lamont hopes to expand housing development toward expanding housing in other Connecticut towns.
“We go where there's demand and you got a mayor that says, ‘I want to develop my downtown and make it happen.’ I'm finding this all over the state, a lot of demand for housing,” Lamont said. “I’d like to think along Shoreline East, maybe a little more housing along the rail stations, there would make a big difference.”
