Concrete Contractors in International District, NM

The International District is a 3.9-square-mile area in southeast and northeast Albuquerque, bounded by San Mateo, Lomas, Wyoming and Gibson Boulevards, with Central Avenue running through the middle. For concrete contractors, the key fact is that much of its concrete was poured in one fast wave. Before World War II the area was mostly empty, apart from the small community of La Mesa and scattered homesteads. Then Albuquerque's population jumped from about 35,000 in 1940 to 201,189 in 1960, and neighborhoods like this one were built out quickly.

What 60-year-old concrete looks like

Most of the driveways, walks and slabs in the district are now somewhere around sixty to eighty years old, or replacements of those originals. Concrete from that era was often poured fast and without steel. After decades of sun, freeze-thaw and storm water, we usually find:

• Driveways broken into pieces, with sections at different heights
• Surface scaling, where the top layer has flaked off and exposed the stone
• Front walks that dip at joints or near trees
• Back slabs that slope toward the house after the ground under them settled

In some cases repair is enough. In many, replacement is the better value. We explain which and why.

Dense living, practical concrete

Wikipedia counted 29,796 residents in the district in 2010, about 7,700 people per square mile, one of the densest parts of the city. Apartments and older motels were a landing place for newcomers and immigrants, including refugees from Southeast Asia and later Central America. For homeowners and small property owners, the concrete jobs that matter most are practical:

Parking pads. Extra off-street parking for a household with more cars than the original driveway can hold.

Walks and entries. Safe, level paths for tenants and families.

Small patios. A clean, usable outdoor space behind a house or small apartment building.

Repairs. Panel replacement and crack sealing to extend the life of what is there.

Get a Free Estimate

Route 66 frontage

Central Avenue became part of U.S. Route 66 in 1937, and a strip of motels, diners and service stations grew up along it. The Tewa Lodge on Central is on the National Register. Many Central Avenue properties have aging lots, walks and entries that see heavy use. We pour and repair walks, entries and small parking areas for owners along the corridor, and we schedule the work to keep businesses open where we can.

The State Fairgrounds neighbor

The New Mexico State Fairgrounds were built here in 1938, and the area around them grew up after. Event traffic and parking on surrounding streets can affect when a concrete truck can get in. We plan pour dates around big events and keep access clear for neighbors.

Drainage on older lots

Monsoon storms drop a lot of water in a short time. On many older lots, the grade has shifted over the years and now pushes water toward houses and garages. When we replace a slab, we reset the slope so it carries water away. That one change often does more to protect the house than anything else we do.

Inside city limits

The district's boundaries come from the City of Albuquerque's own Sector Development Plan, which draws it as the 3.9 square miles between San Mateo, Lomas, Wyoming and Gibson. That puts work at the street, such as a new curb cut for a parking pad or a public sidewalk panel, under the city's rules. We check those requirements before scheduling, and on the estimate we list street work separately from the private slab so you can see what each part costs.