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E. Michigan Ave., BBRPCI, 1986

Here is a BBRPCI (BBR Progressive Concrete, Inc.) stamp from 1986. It’s in front of Liberty Christian Church, which is on the north side of East Michigan Avenue between Magnolia and Hayford. The stamp is nothing special but I was a little curious about the church.

The city’s property database claims the various buildings that make up the church were all built in 2011. This is plainly not true, and I’m not sure why it says that. Fortunately, I discovered that the church is up for sale and the real estate listing states that it was built in 1927 for the Olivet Baptist Church. It also contains some obnoxious hype about neighborhood gentrification along with suggestions about converting it into a nightclub or apartments or something. Gross. Anyway, 1927 certainly matches the central core of the church’s architecture but other elements look midcentury to me.

Breeze block in front of the church looking pretty. The stamp is lower center.

I don’t know when Olivet Baptist moved out. They were still there at least as late as 1983, as I can find them referenced in a Lansing State Journal church directory then. Liberty has been there as long as I can remember and based on Google street view, at least by 2007. I would like to do more research into this, but I lack the emotional energy for more research tonight, so I will leave that for another time.

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Bensch St., DPW, 1980

I went further afield than usual in search of Christmas lights and ended up walking past the freeway into the Potter-Walsh neighborhood. This is an ordinary 1980s DPW stamp on the east side of Bensch Street between Walsh and Perkins.

I chose this one mainly so I could treat you to some more lights in honor of the holiday. Happy new year from Capital City Sidewalks! I hope you find this one better than the last. And if somehow 2020 was a good year for you, I still hope 2021 is even better yet.

The featured stamp is in front of this very festive yard.
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N. Clemens Ave., Barnhart & Sons, 1986

There are quite a few Barnhart & Sons stamps in the neighborhoods north of Michigan. In fact, I could have sworn I had done one before and was surprised to discover otherwise. This one is on the east side of North Clemens Avenue just south of the corner of Vine.

There is currently a Barnhart and Son (singular) Construction based in Holt. I would guess that is the descendent of the 1980s Barnhart & Sons, but if so, they have changed their line of work a bit. They currently do excavation and sewer work.

I photographed this one mainly as an excuse to demonstrate how splendidly lit the neighborhood has been this season – even more than past years, I dare say. This is the house with the featured stamp (and one or two other Barnhart stamps too, but my hands were getting cold).

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E. Erie St. [Albion], Miller’s Cement, 1988

My last night walking in Albion for a while and I stuck close to the same blocks as the last couple of nights. Again I saw very few stamps. There are virtually none on the side streets. There are more on Erie, almost approaching a normal number of them, except that they are all from the same contractor, Miller’s Cement of Jackson.

Apparently Miller’s is (or was) a rare company who takes enough pride in their work to stamp sidewalks even when there is (I assume) no oridnance compelling it.

Looking east on East Erie toward Darrow and the railroad tracks beyond. There are several Miller’s Cement stamps along this stretch of Erie.
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Darrow/E. Erie Sts. [Albion], Miller’s Cement, 1988

This was the first day since I started keeping this blog that I wasn’t able to take a walk in Lansing and record at least one stamp. That’s because I spent the day in Albion with family. I walked in the quite cold night to look at Christmas lights on the campus of Albion College, and decided to record a stamp from Albion as a diversion and to keep up my streak.

The first thing I noticed was how rare stamps are in Albion compared with Lansing. In Lansing there will be probably three or four in front of every city lot. In Albion, I walked almost the entire length of the east side of Darrow Street without finding a single one. I presume that means Albion does not have an ordinance mandating them. I finally found this one alongside the very set-back house on East Erie Street, at the northern extent of Darrow. Unfortunately, at least under camera flash, it is illegible.

The less legible stamp, on the northern end of the east side of Darrow Street.

Fortunately, I turned the corner onto Erie and there was a similar one, probably the other half of a pair, that was readable enough. The date is a little questionable but I will stand by 1988. The company, Miller’s Cement in Jackson, is one I have not seen in Lansing, and no longer seems to be in business.

The probably paired stamp on Erie.
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Jerome St., Ayala’s Concrete, 1981

This stamp is on the curb cut leading from Jerome Street across Marshall, on the northwest corner of the intersection. The date is a little unclear but I believe it is 1981. I can find a record for Ayala’s Concrete and Excavating at OpenCorporates, according to which it was located on Bedford Road in Lansing. It was incorporated in 1979 and dissolved in 1992.

I took a photo for you diagonally across the intersection so you could get a glimpse of the Christmas lights on the mansion on Jerome I have mentioned before.

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Custer Ave., BWL, 1981

This one is on the east side of Custer Avenue, alongside the house on the corner that faces Jerome. BWL stamps usually have BWL in the lower left corner and the year in the lower right. Someone got creative this time. The two stamps are on either end of the slab, facing opposite directions.

Looking south on Custer.
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E. Michigan Ave., BBRPCI, 1986

This nice, sharp BBRPCI (BBR Progressive Concrete Inc.) stamp is on the south side of East Michigan Avenue just east of Fairview.

This corner has been a vacant lot for so long (that For Lease sign has been there since at least 2011, per Google Street View) that I had to jog my memory about what used to be there. It was two buildings, one of them an old house and the other a low-slung, dismal commercial building which most recently was the home base of Shaggin’ Wagon Taxi. Recently it has been the temporary quarters of the Allen Farmers Market during construction on the Allen Neighborhood Center.

Looking east on East Michigan toward the vacant lot’s neighbor, Hotwater Works.

Searching the Lansing State Journal, I turned up perhaps the most unusual business to have occupied the address. In March 1993, a late-night music venue called The Ibex Sings opened. In May 1993 it closed with a farewell party.

They say if you put your ear to the gravel you can still hear a punk show.

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S. Magnolia Ave., Able, 1986

This Able variation is on the west side of South Magnolia Avenue just south of Prospect. Their name at the time had a more generalist sound to it, versus the current moniker of “Able Concrete.”

The southern stamp, which is the one I found first.

I know now to look for a paired stamp and I found one a little way north, but both were facing in the same direction. Usually the paired stamp is facing the opposite way.

The northern stamp.

This got me wondering. Cantu & Sons has the greatest representation on the east side, hands down. But who covers the greatest span of time? I have found an Able stamp as recent as 2004 and now as early as 1986.

Looking south on Magnolia. The southern of the two stamps is visible.

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S. Magnolia Ave., DPW, 1986

This DPW variation can be found on the west side of South Magnolia Avenue a short distance south of Michigan Avenue. It is alongside the Hot Water Works hot tub dealer.

No “Lansing” this time, just DPW. I like the design. I always think outlined stamps look smart. I still hope to narrow down when they quit using DPW (or DPS?) and switched to the undated O&M stamps.

Looking south on South Magnolia.