How to check construction quality/workmanship in buildings?

I really like a penthouse for sale at the Langston, a "luxury" condo buidling in Harlem by Gotham Organization, Inc and the Richman Group. But I've read a few complaints about the quality of those developers in general and this building in particular. http://www.thelangston.com I toured the unit & have to admit, the finishings are pretty crappy. But I can put in better finishings. I'm more... [more]

I really like a penthouse for sale at the Langston, a "luxury" condo buidling in Harlem by Gotham Organization, Inc and the Richman Group. But I've read a few complaints about the quality of those developers in general and this building in particular. http://www.thelangston.com I toured the unit & have to admit, the finishings are pretty crappy. But I can put in better finishings. I'm more concerned with structural problems inside like the water pipes or wiring or thin walls. I've heard that because the city subsidized most units in the building---not the penthouses, though---the developer cut corners. Is there any public resource available where I can look up breaks/repairs/leaks inside a buidling. Like maybe the city tracks these sorts of things? Are boards required to report any breakdowns or city violations? Residents have complained about uneven ceiling height, lumpy walls, inoperative electrical outlets, water marks throughout the ceiling and poorly cut bathroom tiles. Here's are a few problems residents have complained about the fewer-than-3-years-old building: http://68bradhurst.blogspot.com/2007/10/cracks-around-building.html http://curbed.com/archives/2007/07/09/arrested_development_cracks_and_holes_at_the_langston.php Shoddy bathroom tiles, even whole bathrooms ... these are things I can rip out & put back right. I can even add soundproofing to cheap thin walls. But stuff inside the walls, or the exterior of the building ... that's something I can't renovate. Call me crazy but I looooove the layout of this penthouse, and anything like it in Lower Manhattan would be way beyond my budget. [less]