Photo: Blasting sand at Marina City

Wearing protective clothing, a worker for Quality Restorations, Inc., uses an air compressor to smooth exposed rebar on the edge of a balcony on Marina City’s west tower Monday afternoon. New concrete will then be applied.

Although the process is often called “sandblasting,” it may not necessarily involve sand, but any abrasive grain.

Over the next year, workers will repair minor problem areas in the exterior concrete of balconies on 44 residential floors in the two towers. Large semi-circular balconies, each approximately 10 feet by 18 feet, give the residential towers at Marina City their distinctive appearance.

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(Below) Freshly sandblasted, these steel bars that reinforce balcony concrete will be sealed with epoxy and covered with a special adhesive-added concrete.