Community Profile

City Award sign

The City of Cuba City, Wisconsin

Community Profile and General Information

1) Description and Overview

Cuba City, Wisconsin (Established 1875) has a population of 2,138 (2020 census) an increase of 2.49% over the previous census data. The City has long been a bedroom community serving the two burgeoning economies of Platteville, WI and Dubuque, IA. Cuba City also has a thriving business park and a vibrant downtown which has now twice been recognized for its downtown revitalization by Wisconsin’s Main Street program (2017 and 2021) and more recently by Wisconsin Rural Partners with its Top Rural Initiative of 2021. There is virtually no commercial space available downtown, very few residential options and no empty buildings in the Kaster-McClain Business Park. There have been two recently completed expansion projects in the Business Park and two new businesses have opened new facilities there this spring. A new 18-unit apartment building was opened in 2021. Over 40 new businesses have located in Cuba City in recent years.

 

Cuba City ranked well in the upper ranks on the recent AARP Livability Index.

 

Cuba City boasts an outstanding school system which operates at a level “significantly exceeding expectations” and is rated among the top 10% in the State academically. The Cuba City school system has a very positive reputation for athletic accomplishments as well. In addition to its well-known success on the basketball courts under 1,000 game winning coach, Jerry Petitgoue, the Cubans recently won State in baseball.

 

Other notable amenities include high speed fiber optic access city-wide, a long-established supermarket, a pharmacy, medical and dental offices and a well-regarded public safety record.

 

Located on State Highway 80, Cuba City’s Main Street sees 5,200 vehicles on a daily basis. The City is 10 minutes from Platteville, 12 minutes to Galena, IL and 18 minutes to Dubuque, IA.

 

 

Cuba City is now completing the infrastructure for the new Sunset Ridge subdivision on the City’s southwest side.

 

Tourism is an industry which is showing promise for further growth in Cuba City. The City is known as                                   the “City of Presidents” for its long running Bi-Centennial celebration featuring

Presidential Shields adorning Main Street’s retro-style LED lampposts. The City of Cuba City and its partners have been working on a regional approach toward tourism marketing that is already bringing significant benefits to Cuba City. This includes the “Driftless” branding that is taking effect across the four-state area that comprises the Driftless Region. The Presidential theme and the City’s famous “Antique Avenue” are viewed as tourist draws. The five antique stores boast over 35,000 square feet of collectibles from architectural salvage and collectibles to primitives and farmhouse décor. The goal is to attract more of Galena and Dubuque’s 2.5 million combined annual tourists to Cuba City and there is strong evidence that these efforts are working.

 

The City has had a history of highly progressive leadership throughout the years. The establishment of the Business Park, the downtown façade program, along with the hiring of an Economic Development Director; are all evidence of this forward thinking. Those efforts have all shown positive results for the City of Presidents. The City recently completed its most recent Comprehensive Plan Update as well as two housing studies.

 

Further evidence of the City’s leadership and its positive impact is Cuba City’s recent selection to represent the State of Wisconsin at the 2019 AARP Rural Livability Conference that was held in Portland, Maine. The city has a very active public relations program and sees very positive coverage from all regional media. Since then, the City’s Economic Development Director has spoken at several conferences on Placemaking and Quality of Life.

 

The City’s Business Park was recently very highly rated for its “shovel ready” status by Ady Advantage of Madison, Wisconsin. Much of the Business Park includes streets, curbs and gutters with easy access to water and sewers. All relevant documentation is currently up to date including wetland delineations and ALTA surveys. Cuba City recently launched TIF District #4 which includes the Business Park.

 

All departments, including the Public Works Department and all of the Utilities for the City of Cuba City, have made significant strides forward in the overall appearance and efficiencies of the City of Cuba City. This includes but is not limited to several street reconstruction and water and sewer main upgrades. The Public Works Departments works in conjunction with the Utility Departments to plan and implement infrastructure projects that keep the City's needs met for current and future generations. These efforts are a combination of planning and financing with direct input from the Common Council and all departments. In 2017 the City of Cuba City planned, designed and financed the construction of a new City shop. This structure houses the Public Works Department, Electric Department, and Water Department's offices and equipment and materials. The Police Department's vehicles are also stored at this facility. The planning and future needs assessment for this facility has guaranteed the City's needs are met currently and will be in the future. Some of the recent efficiency improvements include new LED lighting on the Main Street; these upgrades are also visual improvements which have helped enhance the revitalization of the downtown district. LED replacement of all lighting in the City of Cuba City was recently completed.

The City of Cuba City owns and operates its own electric utility. The Utility is a founding member of the WPPI, a joint action agency formed for like minded electric utilities to consolidate their buying power. This relationship with WPPI enables the Cuba City Electric Utility to buy electricity and materials at a negotiated rate. This ability allows the City of Cuba City to offer competitive rates to our many businesses and residents. WPPI and the Cuba City Electric Utility are very community minded entities; this creates a very positive relationship between the Utility and the citizens of Cuba City.

Cuba City has begun a process to engage young people in its planning process. Early in 2019, two high school juniors were added to the City’s Downtown Task Force. These students then surveyed 218 fellow students to determine what their classmates valued about the City, what they would like to see in Cuba City, and what it would take to have them make their future home in the City of Presidents. The survey is available on the City website and provided valuable insight for the recent, award-winning Presidential Plaza project.

2) Economy

Cuba City has a rich agricultural history and remains home to several flourishing agricultural firms. It also remains a bedroom community serving Platteville and Dubuque. The City’s commercial businesses are healthy, as is its large plastic injection molder, AY McDonald Plastic Molding, which recently underwent its third expansion. As mentioned earlier, tourism is seen as an area for future growth, building on the City’s proximity to Galena.

3) Education and Health Care

The Cuba City School System’s new leadership has brought highly positive impact in a relatively short time period. In addition to the school’s outstanding academic performance, it is also winning in terms of open enrollment. The schools are currently undergoing a goal setting process, aimed at continuing its already impressive ratings over the past few years. The schools recently completed a significant expansion.

The University of Wisconsin at Platteville is growing, and its Engineering School is well respected. Cuba City has partnered with the UW-P Senior Design program on several recent projects including the Plaza Project. At the same time, Southwest Tech, in nearby Fennimore, has achieved a national ranking of number thirteen from Forbes Magazine, and is the top ranked two-year college in the State of Wisconsin.

Southwest Health is a renowned and rapidly growing medical facility based in Platteville, with a long-established presence in Cuba City. They recently opened the brand-new Cuba City Clinic on the south end of town.