New London's housing is old by any Connecticut standard. The city's whaling-era wealth built Whale Oil Row, four Greek Revival houses on Huntington Street constructed 1835-1845 for whaling merchants, and downtown still holds 18th- and 19th-century buildings along the Heritage Trail. City housing data shows a majority of owner-occupied units were built before 1959, and 87 percent of both owner and renter units citywide were built before 1980 (New London Affordable Housing Plan, 2022). That combination of age and a high rental share makes lead paint the dominant concern in New London, particularly in pre-1950 multi-family buildings that make up much of downtown and the near neighborhoods. Much of that stock is also renter-occupied, which raises the frequency of tenant turnover and the practical need for lead-safe work practices.
What New London's building stock means for your project
Housing age and type
New London's 2022 Affordable Housing Plan reports that 74 percent of owner-occupied units were built before 1959 and 84 percent before 1980; for rental units, 85 percent were built before 1980 and 56 percent before 1960. A separate city housing profile put the figure at 87 percent of both owner and renter units built before 1980, with about 90 percent of all occupied units built before lead paint was banned in 1978. A 2021 DataHaven profile found New London's 12,208 housing units are 34 percent single-family and 66 percent multifamily, one of the highest rental/multifamily shares in the region.
Local context
New London was the world's second-largest whaling port by the mid-1800s, and that wealth produced Whale Oil Row and the dense grid of Greek Revival and Victorian buildings that make up the city's Heritage Trail. Downtown's commercial blocks, many now converted to apartments above storefronts, date largely to the 19th century. The city's neighborhoods, including Fort Trumbull, Shaw's Cove, the Hempstead and Post Hill areas, and the blocks around Bank Street, contain some of the oldest continuously occupied multi-family housing in New London County. The 1990s Fort Trumbull redevelopment and disputes are part of the city's more recent planning history.
Work we commonly do in New London
- Lead paint risk assessment and abatement in pre-1900 multi-family conversions near downtown and Bank Street
- Asbestos survey ahead of renovation in 19th-century commercial buildings converted to mixed residential use
- Turnover-driven lead hazard reduction in rental housing across Fort Trumbull, Shaw's Cove, and the Hempstead/Post Hill areas
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 New London we cover
Downtown/Bank Street, Fort Trumbull, Shaw's Cove, Hempstead, Ocean Beach, Waterfront/Winthrop, Colman Street. ZIP codes: 06320.
New London is about a 20 to 25 minute drive south of Norwich via Route 32 or I-395 to I-95.
New London questions
Do you serve New London, Connecticut?
Yes. New London is inside our regular service area and we work there routinely. New London is about a 20 to 25 minute drive south of Norwich via Route 32 or I-395 to I-95. Estimates are free and provided in writing.
Does my New London 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 New London 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.