Is Groton Takin' Care of Business?

Town Manager Mark Oefinger took the opportunity to talk to local business owners about recent development, new business and industry on Groton, or the lack thereof.

Oefinger spoke during the State of Groton event presented by the Chamber of Commerce Eastern Connecticut event.

Oefinger first pointed to his support and praise of developers that have come to Groton to build industrial parks. And it was a very, very short list. Besides the Airport Business Park, which he added “was completely undeveloped 10 years ago, is now built out,” there’s just one.

“For whatever reasons, we don’t have a lot of those individuals …it’s just not a Groton phenomena,” he said, adding that the lack of public utilities in areas like Flanders Road are an impediment to new industry. “Very few companies (have come) to southeastern Connecticut, at least in the 30 years I’ve been around.”

But there is one developer he heaped praise upon.

“The person who has done an unbelievable job in my opinion is Tim Tylaska,” Oefinger said. Tylaska owns the Mystic Business Park at 800 Flanders Road in Mystic.

“He’s been developing it for over 10 years. Take a drive there, you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” Oefinger said. Taylaska has eight modest buildings housing 60 business tenants, Oefinger said.

“He has no public water, no public sewer but this individual has put his heart and soul into this the last 10 years and he’s been hugely successful. Just imagine how successful he and others would be if we had utilities up in this area.”

Oefinger piggybacked on an earlier speech given by Groton Mayor Heather Somers wherein she said she hoped voters will bless a referendum come November that would see water and sewer extended beyond I95 on Flanders Road.

“Tim is one of  the main ingredients in my opinion we’ve been lacking: an entrepreneur that is willing to play the role: buy the land, get something approved, build the building, marketing the building and putting the deal together,” Oefinger said.

And speaking of business entrepreneurs, Oefinger heralded the new businesses downtown Mystic and shared updates about longtime businesses that have expanded.

“Despite some vacancies, and there’s always vacancies at the beginning of the season, some many argue there’s more now than there has been, but there are good things that have happened downtown,” he said, including the opening of the Spice and Tea Exchange and the Green Elephant. He said Harp & Hound “has expanded with a full kitchen and the Salty Dog Barber and Shave too has expanded, Oefinger said adding that restaurant including Pizzetta and the Oyster Club have included additional outdoor seating: “Certainly our restaurants seem to be thriving.”

Oefinger also spoke about the Noank Community market, which he described as “a very important addition to the Noank community,” and the indoor dining area added to longtime Noank fixture Ford’s Lobsters. He also said a bakery is planned for the location next to Noank package store.

Editor's Note: Oefinger shared similar remarks at the Groton Business Association of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce held our Annual Groton Business Update on May 16.