Source: https://www.nytimes.com/, April 15, 2022
By: Stefanos Chen

Hero, a new 22-story condominium building in Long Island City, Queens, promised luxury: tall ceilings, high-end appliances and Spanish oak cabinetry in every apartment. Amenities would include a yoga studio, a gym, a pet spa, a roof deck “sky lounge” and a Zen garden.

But since it opened in spring 2020, the gym has been closed for repairs for months because of two major leaks, several apartments do not have working bathroom exhaust fans, and common areas that appeared in renderings as lavishly furnished lounges remain unfinished. On a recent visit, both resident elevators were out of service, forcing some tenants to climb more than 20 stories. The Zen garden — a meditative space near the entrance with lush trees, shrubs and sand — was unplanted and strewn with weeds, safety cones and trash bags. Read more.