Newport is a small, tight-knit city of about 3,500 people tucked between St. Paul Park to the south and Cottage Grove to the east. The town sits close to the St. Croix River bluffs, and a good chunk of its housing stock dates back to mid-20th century construction. That age shows up fast on exterior stucco. Freeze-thaw cycles here are no joke. Newport gets the same brutal Minnesota winters as anywhere in the metro, but the river proximity adds moisture that works into cracks and makes them worse by spring.
The housing in Newport tends toward modest single-family homes and a mix of older commercial strips along Highway 61. Many of those buildings still carry original stucco or patched exteriors that haven't had real attention in decades. The I-494 and Highway 61 corridor nearby brings steady traffic past commercial properties, which means curb appeal matters for business owners in the area. Whether it's a home off Hastings Avenue or a commercial building near the industrial stretches by the river flats, exterior stucco takes a beating and needs someone who knows the material.