Furthering eastern Connecticut’s status as a revived economic powerhouse, Pfizer this week announced plans for a $650 million manufacturing technology center in Groton.

The project comes as U.S. Boat’s extraordinary growth adds thousands of jobs along the coastline and Uline prepares for a Nov. 14 hiring fair at its new 1.2-million-square-foot New England distribution center in Plainfield.

Meanwhile Amazon and Costco are both trying to get permission for mega-warehouses in the region, too, and huge new apartment complexes are being constructed or proposed from Norwich to Waterford.

“So much is coming together all at once. New London is the prime example: It was in decline for 40 or 50 years, but over the last five years it’s amazing what development has occurred,” said Tony Sheridan, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.

“And that has a ripple effect through the region,” Sheridan told The Courant on Friday. “Our challenge now is how we handle all the development.”

Pfizer and state officials this week announced the newest project: A 220,000-square-foot facility to produce pharmaceutical ingredients and drug products for Pfizer-sponsored clinical trials. The company will be consolidating staff from other buildings and sections of its 175-acre Groton campus after the center opens; construction is scheduled to start in the spring and wrap up by mid-2031.

State and federal officials anticipate a five-year stretch of new construction jobs, but said the chief benefit is that the pharmaceutical giant is stepping up its commitment to Connecticut.

“Pfizer could have built this anywhere in the world, and it chose Groton,” said state Senate President Bob Duff. “This $650 million investment is a bet on Connecticut: on our workforce, our research base, and the decades of work that made southeastern Connecticut a home for science.”

On Friday, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney posted on Facebook “This is a smart move by Pfizer leadership and welcome news for Connecticut.”

Courtney called the decision a sign of the value of Pfizer’s skilled and experienced workforce in southeastern Connecticut, saying “Their diligent work to bring a successful COVID vaccine to the world saved millions of lives at home and abroad.”

Pfizer has about 4,000 scientists, lab staff and support workers at its Groton research and development center; it is one of the region’s biggest and best-paying employers.

“This investment ensures that Groton will remain at the forefront of scientific discovery and advanced manufacturing for decades to come,” said state Rep. Aundre Bumgardner, whose district covers parts of Groton and New London.

Sixteen years ago, Pfizer moved out of a large, modern research and development center in New London; Electric Boat bought it for an expansion of its submarine manufacturing complex. The entire region was in economic peril as the military considered shutting down the Groton sub base and scaling back orders at Electric Boat; ultimately state and local leaders successfully made a case to keep it open.

“We were on the list to be closed. That would have had an enormous negative impact on our region,” Sheridan said. “Now the sub base is busier than ever, there are 10,000 civilian and military workers there on a daily basis.

“Electric Boat is now building more submarines than ever. There’s major new employment that will be there for 25 to 30 years. They have about 27,000 people between New London, coastal Rhode Island and now Waterford, and they’re adding 8,000 this year,” he said.

The company broke ground in August on a $255 million project to convert the Crystal Mall into a high-tech training center for thousands of welders, shipbuilders and other new hires.

The fast-paced business and industrial growth east of the Connecticut River has led to major apartment complexes appearing in Norwich, New London, Waterford and elsewhere.

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