General Dynamics Electric Boat has purchased the Crystal Mall in Waterford.

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

General Dynamics Electric Boat has purchased Waterford’s Crystal Mall, months after buying the mall’s former Macy’s store. The deal marks another major step in the company’s regional expansion.

The purchase from Great Neck, N.Y.-based Namdar comes as the Groton-based defense contractor Electric Boat ramps up work on Columbia- and Virginia-class submarines for the U.S. Navy. The sale price was not released.

The company said in a news release that the move will help it “expand its engineering, training and software development work in support of Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine production.” Between 4,000 and 5,000 employees will work at the new site, according to Electric Boat.

“This space in Waterford offers us a unique opportunity in an attractive location to consolidate support functions and focus our waterfront footprint on efficiently delivering the submarines our nation needs,” said Mark Rayha, president of General Dynamics Electric Boat.

The company said it will “refurbish the location to provide space for a range of functions related to its submarine production.” Workers are expected to begin using the site “by the middle of 2027 at the earliest.”

Gov. Ned Lamont praised the move, saying in a news release that, “Today’s announcement further solidifies this company’s presence in Connecticut, cementing their future in our great state.”