New London is a seaport city that’s faced many challenges over its nearly 400-year history. During the American Revolutionary War, British troops led by Benedict Arnold raided and burned most of New London. In the 19th century, the city sprang back as one of the busiest whaling ports in the world. But halfway through the 20th century, questionable decisions hindered the city’s growth.
“When the Gold Star Memorial Bridge was constructed in the 1940s, it wiped out a whole Polish neighborhood on Crystal Avenue,” says Marilyn Lusher, a broker associate with Re/Max Legends who grew up in the city. “HUD housing and later an apartment complex were put in its place, with some of the cheapest, worst living conditions.”
Lusher grew up on East Avenue next to Fort Trumbull, the historic fort raided by the British in 1781. In the early 2000s, the city had planned to create a new Pfizer campus around the fort, and Lusher’s parents were forced to sell their home, while others had their homes seized by eminent domain. A legal battle ensued, and the United States Supreme Court upheld the seizures in Kelo v. City of New London. “After all that, the land was never developed,” she says. “A new community center is being built today, but the land sat unused for almost two decades.”
Home to several military installations, including the United States Coast Guard Academy and Coast Guard Station New London, the city and its proponents remain optimistic. “Once a Whaler, always a Whaler,” Lusher says, speaking of her New London High School mascot. “The city is only 7 square miles, but it’s diverse, a sanctuary city. Bad decisions aside, the people here want the city to succeed.”
Revitalizing New London’s downtown and waterfront
Since 1960, the city’s population has fallen by nearly 10,000. Half of that figure has been recouped over the last 25 years thanks to successful housing developments near downtown and the waterfront. The Docks, for example, is a new luxury apartment community steps away from the Thames River and a short drive from New London’s largest employers, including Electric Boat, Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, Connecticut College, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Similarly, The Beamis a new apartment building with riverside views minutes from Fort Trumbull State Park and the cafes, restaurants, bars and nightlife of Bank Street. The city has also approved plans to add 173 new condos to the existing Shaw’s Landing complex, which is even closer to the Bank Street commercial area. The new $40 million community center sits on land at the center of the U.S. Supreme Court eminent domain case and is less than a mile from all three housing developments.
The State of Connecticut has also invested $310 million to redevelop the State Pier Terminal in the Port of New London for offshore wind development. “Pier improvements started a little over a year ago and will provide the infrastructure for industrial wind farm activity for decades to come,” says Realtor and broker-owner of Garden Realty Greg Hanner, who has been selling homes in the New London area for 35 years. The offshore wind project has created more than 75 jobs, a number that is expected to double. The National Coast Guard Museum is also under construction on the city’s waterfront. The new 80,000-square-foot facility will feature river views and will be completed in 2026.
Downtown shops, restaurants and art galleries
People who enjoy antiques, artisan gifts and boutique shops will love Downtown New London. From tattoo parlors and record shops to bookstores and custom-made clothing, shoppers will discover things they can’t find anywhere else. That goes for restaurants and bars, too. Bank Street is loaded with hip establishments like Blue Duck Bar and Kitchen, which offers a back patio with views of the Thames River. Tony D’s Italian Restaurant at the corner of Huntington and Broad has been a New London favorite since it opened in 1999. Upstairs from Tony’s, Fiddleheads Food Co-op is an organic, natural foods market owned by some 4,000 local members. The Garde Arts Center is a historic movie palace that still shows films and hosts plays, symphony orchestras and top musical acts. Downtown also offers several art galleries, including Hygienic Art, which is housed in a historic building saved from demolition by its community of artists.
Transportation and health care resources in New London
Southeast Area Transit (SEAT) buses run throughout the city and carry passengers to the neighboring towns of Groton and Norwich. Interstate 95 comes through New London and takes drivers to New York, 125 miles west; to Providence, 60 miles east; and to Boston, 105 miles northeast. At New London’s Union Station, travelers can board Amtrak Northeast Regional trains or Shore Line East commuter trains. Ferries leave for Long Island, Block Island and Fishers Island from landings along Water Street. Air travelers can choose between Bradley International Airport in Hartford, 60 miles north, or Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, 52 miles east in Providence.
Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in the Willetts neighborhood is a 308-bed, acute and general care medical center that offers the region’s only inpatient rehab and Neonatal Intensive Care units. It’s also been recognized for its cardiac rehabilitation program.
Vintage homes and newer condos with waterfront views
Homes in New London range from one-bedroom condos to five-bedroom single-family houses, and the city’s median home price of $275,000 is well below the national median of $550,000. “New London has the highest tax rate in the area, which often results in a lower price point,” Hanner says. “Though home sales are slightly down from last year, buyers are closing on them 36% faster, and the median home price is up 15%.”
A few historic Colonials, including the William Coit House that survived the burning of New London in 1781, are reminders of the city’s resiliency. They can be found in historic areas like Downtown New London, Coit and Williams. Homes built around 1900, often colonial-styles with two or three stories, are strewn throughout the city, from Riverside Park to the beginnings of South New London. Many have been converted into multi-family homes with two or three units. Craftsman-style bungalows, Cape Cods, and ranch- and colonial-style houses built after 1925 are also part of the city’s landscape. Most come with garages and offer off-street parking.
New London also offers several condominium complexes along its majestic waterfront. Shaw’s Landing and Harbor Towers were developed in 2005 and 2010, respectively, on Bank Street within walking distance of downtown restaurants and shops. Harbor House and Harbor Club were built along the river next to the marinas in South New London in the early 1960s. Buyers will also find an enclave of condominiums west of Ocean Avenue in South New London.
New London magnet schools and colleges
The New London School District receives a C-plus from Niche and serves over 3,000 students with a preschool, three K-5 elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. All city schools have a magnet or multi-magnet focus, such as visual and performing arts or STEM.
Connecticut College enrolls around 1,700 undergraduate students on the city’s north side, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy next to it ranks among the nation’s most prestigious learning institutions. Over half of the student body at Michell College in South New London are first-generation college students.
Waterfront parks, marinas and beaches
The Thames River and Long Island Sound play significant roles in New London recreation. Riverside Park bordering the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the Riverside neighborhood is a beautiful 18-acre wooded green space with a basketball court, a playground and walking paths. New London’s Waterfront Park runs along the river past public piers. It and Fort Trumbull State Park serve as sites for the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival in September.
South of the fort, recreational boaters will find marinas like Ferry Slip, Burr’s and the Thames Yacht Club. Private beaches follow, and beach rights are sold along with the homes in the neighborhood. Ocean Beach Park on the city’s southernmost point was named one of Travel and Leisure’s top 25 U.S. beaches. Here, parkgoers can enjoy a half-mile-long stretch of soft sand, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, volleyball courts, waterslides, miniature golf and concessions.
Other city parks, like Caulkins Park in Willetts, are filled with soccer and baseball fields, playgrounds, and tennis and basketball courts. Surrounded by grand historic homes, the parks in Williams feature benches, walking paths and classic monuments to war heroes.
New London crime and climate numbers
According to FBI crime data, violent and property crimes in New London have been declining since 2021 after plateauing in 2020 during the pandemic. The Connecticut State Police’s annual reporting confirms this drop with crime numbers falling by 25% over the last few years, from 1,224 violent and property crimes to 920 incidents.
New London has a humid coastal climate, with summer temperatures in the low 70s to mid-80s and winter temperatures as low as 0 degrees with significant snowfall. Spring and fall are moderate seasons, with temperatures in the high 40s to low 60s.
Marilyn is a lifelong resident of New London County. She was raised in New London and has resided in Waterford since 1987. She is a married mother of two daughters and the grandmother to five grandchildren. She volunteers in her free time as a Director of the Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors, the state association CTR, and the National Association of Realtors Major Investor Council. Civically, Marilyn is the Chairperson of the Board of Assessment Appeals in Waterford.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
