Cupey, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| Barrio of Cupey | |
|---|---|
 Location of Cupey shown in yellow. | |
| Country |
 United States |
| Territory |
 Puerto Rico |
| Municipality | San Juan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.55 sq mi (19.55 km2) |
| • Land | 7.49 sq mi (19.40 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 36,659 |
| • Density | 4,897.6/sq mi (1,890.97/km2) |
| 2000 census | |
Cupey is the largest barrio in the municipality of San Juan, and the third most populous with 36,659 inhabitants according to Census 2000. The territorial land area of Cupey is 7.49 square miles (19.40 km²). It is bound by the municipality of Caguas to the South, by the municipality of Trujillo Alto to the East, by the barrios of Caimito and Monacillo to the West, and by the barrios of El Cinco and Sabana Llana Sur to the North. Between 1990 and 2000 Cupey experienced a 17.98% in population growth making it the biggest population gainer of any barrio in San Juan.
Two of Puerto Rico's largest universities, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico's Metropolitan Campus, and Metropolitan University, a unit of the Ana G. Méndez University System, are located in Cupey.
History
The ward of Cupey was a former ward of the disappeared town of Rio Piedras, and was divided by the wards of Cupey Alto (Upper Cupey) and Cupey Bajo (Lower Cupey). In 1956, the Puerto Rico Legislature integated the town of Rio Piedras to the town of San Juan. Today, Cupey is the biggest ward in San Juan in territorial terms. Cupey is a neighborhood, not a barrio. Barrio is when the area has a high poverty level, and Cupey is, actually, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of San Juan.
Geography
The Cupey ward is 7.49 square miles (19.40 km²). Its bound to the north by the San Juan wards of El Cinco along State Road PR-176, and by Sabana Llana Sur in the Venus Gardens neighborhood. Form the south is bound by the town of Caguas starting in the intersection of state roads PR-176 and PR-175. From the east is bound by the town of Trujillo Alto along state road PR-199. From the west is bound by the San Juan wards of Caimito, starting at the intersection of state road PR-199 and state highway PR-52, and by Monacillo starting in the intersection of state
San Juan's only lake, Lago Las Curías, is located in Cupey. It was originally dammed in 1946 by the Municipal Government of San Juan to provide potable water to the cities of Río Piedras and San Juan, later transferred to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and is currently owned by the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewer Authority (PRASA). The earthen dam is approximately 75 feet high and 800 feet long and its design capacity is 1,120 acres-feet.[1]
Notable residents
Several notable Puerto Ricans have lived in Cupey:
• Cheo Feliciano, deceased salsa legend • Rafael Hernández, deceased composer and musician • Lolita Lebrón, deceased Puerto Rico Nationalist leader • Kenneth McClintock, Secretary of State and Senate President • Thomas Rivera Schatz, Senate President • Jorge Santini, Mayor of San Juan
References
Coordinates: 18°20′46″N 66°02′55″W / 18.34611°N 66.04861°W