Extensive repair work needed to balconies

14-Mar-08 – Recent inspections have revealed significant maintenance issues with balconies at Marina City that will need to be repaired – starting this year – at a cost of more than $2 million over the next three years.

At a meeting Thursday of the Buildings & Grounds Committee, chairman Robert Abel said a report received from inspectors in December showed that railings are the biggest concern. There was significant rusting and deterioration of railing posts. 150 were considered unsafe and repaired on the spot.

It’s estimated that about 1,000 railing posts need to be replaced. Each balcony has seven posts. While one weak post is not considered critical, three adjacent posts are. The cost of post replacement would be $175,000.

(Left) A balcony on the 27th floor of the east tower shows signs of wear.

Residential property manager David Gantt says a special assessment will not be needed. With about $2 million left over at the end of 2008, the rest of the work would be done over the following two years.

That would include spending $302,000 each of the two years on concrete restoration, applying a waterproof membrane on top of the concrete slab at a cost of $300,000, and $312,000 to replace balcony dividers with black-coated aluminum.

That would leave about $1,086,000 plus another $670,000 in additional reserves estimated for the end of 2009, for about $1,756,000 in reserves going into 2010.

Another $914,000 would be spent on balcony repair in 2010 – but with another $670,000 added to reserve funds, Gantt figures the condominium association will end 2010 with about $1.5 million left over.

In 2011, work would switch to the second tower and by 2013, the corridors. Future work being considered includes painting residential doors different colors, which may have been the style at Marina City in the 1960s. Another concern, though less urgent, was sealants between balconies and windows.

Repair work would be done to the balconies for three months at a time, two times per year in late fall and early spring. Balconies could be unavailable to residents for two weeks.

In December, balconies were extensively inspected by crews working from “swing stage” suspension scaffolds. The scaffolds would be used again for the actual repair work, although dividers would have to be brought through the apartment and assembled on the balcony. The scaffolds could also be used for the next required inspection, reducing its cost.

Bids from outside vendors are currently being collected and will be presented to the MTCA board of directors at its next meeting.