Jane Edwards 
General Dynamics Electric Boat has acquired the Crystal Mall in Waterford, Connecticut, as part of its ongoing efforts to accelerate the production of Columbia- and Virginia-class submarines for the U.S. Navy.
The Crystal Mall acquisition follows Electric Boat’s purchase of the former Macy’s location in Waterford in June in support of its strategy to expand infrastructure and advance submarine production, the company said Thursday.
“We are delighted to announce our further expansion in Southeastern Connecticut,” Mark Rayha, president of GDEB, said.
“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,” Rayha added.
Supporting GDEB’s Engineering, Software Development Work
The General Dynamics subsidiary plans to refurbish the Crystal Mall property to accommodate engineering, training, software development and other functions tied to its submarine production.
The site includes 542,000 square feet of space on a 42-acre plot and is approximately 5.5 miles from Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. Between 4,000 and 5,000 employees are expected to work at the new facility.
Electric Boat anticipates that employees could start working at the Waterford location by mid-2027.
According to GDEB, the Connecticut Department of Economic Community Development is assisting with the transition of the property from retail to an engineering and design hub.
