Now Open: Il Laboritorio del Gelato

The Puma Store on Union Square West is now closed.

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.

Here’s a great look back at the former Schraffts Restaurant which stood on the southeast corner of 5th and 13th before it morphed into clubs in the 80s and then delis in the 90s before burning down a few years ago. Now, of course, a 10-story condo is rising on the site. But enjoy these memories of the good old days.

Visit SmashyClub at 42 Union Square East for inexpensive burgers and fries.

Summer in the Square has kicked off with Thursday night events. See the list here.

Click here
http://www.interiordesign.net/idtv/detail/768/
to see a video about the transformation of the parking garage at 12 East 13th St.