NEW LONDON, Conn. (WTNH)– In recent years we’ve seen more and more about how people are turning shipping containers into homes and businesses. Well if you’ve taken a walk along New London’s waterfront recently you may have noticed a new use for them.

There is a bit of construction going on at the Custom House Pier in downtown New London and the shipping containers placed there aren’t for storage. They make up the new portable waterfront restaurant being built there.

“Added the plumbing, added electricity, we’re working on hooking that up now,” explained project manager Cate Forte.

This concept of transforming shipping containers into homes and businesses makes for some weather resistant venues.

“Well I hope so. We’ll see later today,” said Forte. “They’re very very strong.”

The idea is to have this outdoor eatery open 180 days between April and October. It can be taken away in the off season and returned in the spring.

“So next year easily enough it’s essentially just plugging back in,” said Forte.

Each building is made up of six shipping containers.

“The width of the entire kitchen is two shipping containers,” explained Forte.

One building contains a kitchen and the other a bar with all the seating outside.

Developer Frank Maratta who owns Sunset Ribs in Waterford and The Pavilion in Old Lyme is now bringing this City Dock Restaurant/Oyster Bar billed as an upscale type of takeout shack to New London’s waterfront. 

“We are a seafood forward restaurant with some other American cuisine as in brisket, fish tacos,” said Forte.

The restaurant is expected to open at the end of May.  Along with all the outdoor tables and seating on the pier there will be seating all along the outside of the bar area. 

They also plan to erect a tent between the two buildings which may help in case of any wet weather.