Brooklyn Building Should Be Named For 'Notorious RBG,' Pols Say

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — Why wait to venerate the "Notorious RBG"? A coalition of officials and advocates wants a Downtown Brooklyn building renamed in honor of Brooklyn native and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The group, led by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, argues the trailblazing Flatbush-bred jurist is more than worthy of having her name attached to the historic Brooklyn Municipal Buildingon Joralemon Street.

All it would take is action from Mayor Bill de Blasio, Adams' office says. The coalition sent a letter to the Democratic mayor with the request last week and formally launched an online petition Thursday to drum up public support.

"Society often waits to recognize a lifetime of accomplishment until after that lifetime ends," Adams said in a statement Thursday. "In this case, we can honor the life and service of Ruth Bader Ginsburg during what we hope will be a long and active remaining life."

Ginsburg, 85, was born in Brooklyn and raised in Flatbush. She graduated from James Madison High School before studying at Cornell University and Columbia Law School, where she finished at the top of her class.

Then-President Bill Clinton named Ginsburg to the Supreme Court in 1993, capping a long career fighting for women's rights in the courtroom. She co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union's Women's Rights Project in 1972 and successfully argued cases before the Supreme Court before ascending to the federal bench in 1980.

Ginsburg was the second woman to ever serve as a Supreme Court justice and is the longest-serving Jewish justice, with 25 years under her belt. She's become a contemporary feminist icon for her dissenting opinions, with fans dubbing her the "Notorious RBG." She was the subject of a CNN documentary, "RBG," that premiered earlier this year.

Calling Ginsburg a "beacon for civil liberty," the coalition's letter argues her life story and impressive résumé deserve recognition in Brooklyn. The 94-year-old municipal building that could be named for her houses offices for several city agencies, including the departments of Buildings, Finance and Environmental Protection.

De Blasio similarly named the Manhattan Municipal Building at 1 Centre St. for former Mayor David Dinkins in 2015, the letter notes.

In addition to Adams, the group comprises city and state legislators, legal scholars, women's-rights advocates and community leaders, including the president of the James Madison High School Alumni Association.

"From her upbringing in Flatbush, to her time on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg has been a shining example of Brooklyn tenacity and strength," said state Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (D-Cobble Hill). "Her fight for equal rights has been unparalleled and renaming the Municipal Building would both recognize and honor her contributions to Brooklyn and beyond."

A mayoral spokeswoman said City Hall has received Adams' letter and is reviewing the request.

"There’s no question that Justice Ginsburg’s life and her legacy of public service epitomizes the very best of what makes New York great," de Blasio spokeswoman Marcy Miranda said in a statement.

(Lead image: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg prepares to administer the oath of allegiance to candidates for U.S. citizenship at the New-York Historical Society in April 2018. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)