Groton's housing stock is inseparable from its Navy and shipbuilding history. The Naval Submarine Base New London and General Dynamics Electric Boat drove decades of housing construction to house sailors, tradespeople, and shipyard workers, and town planning data shows 68 percent of Groton's housing was built before 1980 (Town of Groton Affordable Housing Plan, 2022). Older sections around City of Groton (Groton Bank), Noank, and Mystic Village include structures dating to the early-to-mid 1800s, while large tracts of mid-century housing went up through the 1950s-70s to accommodate the submarine workforce. That mix, historic waterfront cottages next to mid-century ranch and duplex housing, means abatement needs vary block by block, and a single-family remodel in Poquonnock Bridge can look very different from a renovation in the older housing stock near the base.
What Groton's building stock means for your project
Housing age and type
A 2022 Town of Groton housing plan reports that 68 percent of housing units were built before 1980, with 19 percent built before 1930 and another 26 percent built between 1931 and 1959 (Town of Groton Affordable Housing Plan). Separately, the town's 2021 Housing Market Study puts the median year built at 1973, with 60.6 percent of local housing built before 1980. A 2021 DataHaven equity profile found 55 percent of Groton's 17,981 housing units are single-family and 41 percent multifamily, and it flags that children in homes built before 1960 face higher lead exposure risk (CT DataHaven Groton Equity Profile).
Local context
Groton is shaped by two employers: the Naval Submarine Base New London, established in 1872 and home to the first U.S. submarine fleet, and Electric Boat, which has built submarines on the Thames River since 1911 and delivered 74 diesel submarines during World War II. The historic Groton Bank/Groton Heights district sits above the base, while Noank and Mystic retain 19th-century shipbuilding and fishing village cores split with the town of Stonington. Poquonnock Bridge grew as the town's mid-century commercial and residential corridor along Route 1. Housing near the base and shipyard skews older and denser than the more suburban sections farther from the water.
Work we commonly do in Groton
- Lead paint testing and abatement in pre-1960 duplexes and worker housing near the Submarine Base and Electric Boat
- Asbestos abatement in older commercial and mixed-use buildings in Groton Bank and downtown Mystic ahead of renovation
- Lead and asbestos assessments in mid-century (1950s-70s) single-family homes in Poquonnock Bridge and Long Hill during remodels
Asbestos Abatement
Licensed removal, repair, and encapsulation inside negative-pressure containment, with air clearance before reoccupancy.
Lead Abatement
Lead-safe removal and stabilization of lead-based paint using HEPA filtration and wet methods.
Containment
Engineered enclosures, decontamination chambers, airlocks, and critical barriers built for the specific phase of work.
Hazardous Waste
Leak-tight containment, labeling, manifested transport, and licensed-facility disposal with documentation.
Areas of Groton we cover
City of Groton (Groton Bank), Noank, Mystic, Poquonnock Bridge, Groton Long Point, Old Mystic, Center Groton, Conning Towers-Nautilus Park. ZIP codes: 06340, 06355, 06349.
Groton is roughly a 20 to 25 minute drive southeast of Norwich via Route 12 or I-395/I-95.
Groton questions
Do you serve Groton, Connecticut?
Yes. Groton is inside our regular service area and we work there routinely. Groton is roughly a 20 to 25 minute drive southeast of Norwich via Route 12 or I-395/I-95. Estimates are free and provided in writing.
Does my Groton property need an asbestos inspection before renovation?
If the building is commercial, industrial, institutional, or public, or is a residential structure with five or more units, a licensed asbestos consultant must inspect before renovation or demolition. Single-family and small multi-family projects are not covered by that specific rule, but testing is still strongly advised before disturbing suspect material.
How quickly can you get to a Groton project?
We schedule site visits within a few business days in most cases. Where a project requires DPH notification, the state's ten-day advance notice window is usually the longest item in the schedule, so contact us as early as possible when a closing or construction start date is fixed.
What does a written estimate include?
The materials identified, the containment approach, the disposal path, the clearance testing plan, and a fixed price. We provide it at no charge rather than quoting over the phone, because an accurate number depends on the material and the containment the space requires.
Nearby towns we serve
Not sure what you're dealing with?
Send a photo and the building's approximate age. We'll tell you whether it needs testing, whether it's regulated, and what the next step costs — in writing, at no charge.