Murder In Union Square

A man allegedly went on a rampage in Union Square on September 4 and left a complete stranger dead in the process.

Police said that the attack may have been a hate crime.

Friends of Jeffrey Babbitt, 62, were shocked to hear about the random act of violence that left the gentle, retired train conductor in a coma, CBS 2′s Dave Carlin reported on Friday.

“I don’t believe that. I don’t know why that happened. He is very nice,” Igor Sapozhnikov said.

Babbitt was minding his own business as he walked through the crowd near the chess boards in Union Square when a man made a hateful announcement and began his rampage, witnesses said. “He said ‘the next white person who walks by I’m going to [expletive],’” one woman said. “His fist went in and the man’s head bobbed and he hit the ground and you could hear his skull hitting the ground.”

The man continued his rampage before demanding to see police officers.

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  • Coronavirus Update from AKAM

    As per the Governor’s Executive Order issued April 15, everyone is required to wear face covering in the form of a mask, scarf, or other reliable protection of the nose and mouth while in public.  Also, every building occupant is to wear face covering while you are within any common area of the building including hallways, stairwells, elevator, lobby, laundry room, etc.

    Most shareholders/owners are signed up for online payment of maintenance/common charges.  We strongly encourage those who are not already signed up to please contact your AKAM Management Executive for additional information.

    Below are a few other reminders and best practices (as applicable to your building):

    • Continue notifying your AKAM Mgt. Executive should anyone in your household test positive
    • Essential repairs within apartments/units will be made in accordance to COVID-19 protocols
    • We will advise when restrictions on renovations are lifted
    • Be mindful of noise emanating from your apartment/unit to avoid disturbance to your neighbors
    • Be aware of potential impostors/scams looking to gain access into your apartment/unit
    • Continue practicing social distancing everywhere

    Please see the following COVID-19 related links you may find helpful:

    CDC.gov – COVID-19 Updates and Best Practices / NYC.Gov – COVID-19 Updates and Best Practices

    As the New York Pause period now extends through May 15, 2020, we have listed various types of stay-at-home things to do which may interest you:

    • The New York Philharmonic has launched “NY Phil Plays On”. It is a new free digital portal streaming 150 hours of free performances online.  Go to www.nyphil.org/playson to watch.
    • Nowadays is streaming virtual DJ sets every night live from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM.  Go to www.nowadays.nyc/stream for disco beats, tutorials and deep-listening sessions.
    • The New York Public Library is offering more than 30,000 free titles available to download on their app SimplyE.  You need to be a New York City resident with a library card which you can apply for on SimplyE.  Go to www.nypl.org.com for details.
    • The Tribeca Film Festival will be releasing 15 free VR films starting on April 17th.  They will be available on Oculus Quest and Oculus Go headsets.  Go to www.tribecafilm.com for details.
    • The Metropolitan Opera is offering free online performances.  Every day a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is released. Go to www.metopera.org to watch.
    • The Children’s Museum of the Arts is offering a free online series. These free interactive sessions take place over Zoom and invite children of all ages to participate in sing-a-longs, create their own artwork and explore creative movement. Go to www.cmany.org for more information.
    • BroadwayHD is currently offering a free seven-day trial. You can enjoy Broadway classics like “Cats”, “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music”. Go to www.brodawayhd.com to register.
    • Headspace is offering free sleep, meditation, and movement exercises. Visit www.headspace.com/ny for details.
    • Taste Buds is hosting free online cooking classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:00PM using basic pantry supplies you likely have in the house. The classes are for adults and kids to cook together. Go to www.tastebudskitchen/cooking-club to enroll.
    • Visit Timeout NYC – At home entertainment / City Guide NY – At home entertainment for updates!

    Please join us in continuing to thank all building staff members for their continued hard-work and dedication.  We would also like to thank all building volunteers, including members of the Board, for their valuable time and input.

  • Latest New School Construction Update

    Next week (August 20 to August 24), Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation on upper floors will continue and lower levels will continue on 13th st. with the aid of a small crane. The crane will remain on 13th st. for the purpose of curtain wall installation.

    The following week (August 27 to August 31) Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation will continue on all floors. Work on 13th st should be complete by the end of this week and will be moved to 5th ave. to continue wrapping the building.

    This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, August 25th for superstructure related activities and curtain wall installation between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. The crane on 13th st. will not be used during the weekend. Con Ed is on site working on the building but is not in any of the streets.

    Additionally over the holiday weekend the site will be open on Saturday, September 1st but will be closed on Monday, the 3rd.

  • Comestics Galore

    The Real Deal reports:

    Beauty brand NYX Cosmetics signed a lease for a new store on Union Square West, a 2,800-square-foot space on the ground floor of Brause Realty’s 75,000-square-foot commercial building at 41 Union Square West, at the corner of East 17th Street. The lease was signed earlier this month. It’s where Starbucks was before it moved.

    The youth-focused chain chose a location close to New York University and nestled among a concentration of cosmetics stores ringing Union Square, including Fresh, Bluemercury and Sephora, each within a block of the new location. On the south side of Union Square, Estee Lauder’s MAC inked a lease at the Feil Organization’s 853 Broadway two years ago.

  • Substitute Super

    We’re sad—really sad—to announce that Niall Cooney, our stellar super of two and a half years is moving on to another position here in New York. We’ll miss him and thank him for his very hard work, his good humor, and his consistent commitment to doing things right. We’ve been very lucky to have him on our team.

    The Board has already begun the process of recruiting a new super to take Niall’s place. In the meantime, the building will be covered by Jonathan Alfonzo, who will be available on-site Monday-Friday from 9-5 and on call 24/7. Please make note of his phone number and e-mail should you need it: (347)-286-2088 j_alfonzo81@yahoo.com.

    Also note the numbers of our managing agent Yves Martinez and his assistant Eric Sunberg.
    Yves: 212-986-0001 ext.173
    Eric: 212-986-0001 ext.133