Photo courtesy of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty

William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty has opened a new office in Niantic, expanding the company’s foothold in New London County and along the Shoreline.

The brokerage joins the firm’s Old Lyme brokerage to become its second New London-area location.

The Niantic brokerage manager will be Heather Gagnon, who also serves as the manager for the company’s Old Lyme brokerage. Gagnon was recently named William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty’s Manager of the Year, chosen for the honor from among 17 managers company-wide. The company said Gagnon significantly increased the Old Lyme office’s production levels in 2020 by attracting some of the region’s highest producing agents by dollar volume.

The new Niantic office at 24 Pennsylvania Ave. is opening with a sales force comprising 21 sales associates including Stacey Wyeth, Deb Fountain, Leslie Timmons, Beth Brucker, Maris LeBlanc, Dave Thomas, Patty Heenan and Bonnie Nault.

A grand opening event will be held June 23 with East Lyme First Selectman Mark Nickerson as a special guest.

“We are excited to grow our presence in this highly sought-after market region by establishing a key office location in one of New London County’s premier destinations,” company President and CEO Paul Breunich said in a statement. “In addition, we are launching with a fantastic team of sales professionals in place, each with deep knowledge and extensive experience on the Connecticut Shoreline.”

The New London area has been one of the hot spots in the state’s residential real estate market in recent years, fueled in part by the health of the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos and the strength of Groton’s Electric Boat submarine-building shipyard.