Thursday was a monumental moment for one of south Brooklyn’s most beloved and revered natives.

NYC Health + Hospitals posthumously honored former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her life of service and dedication to equality for all.

“Born and bred in Brooklyn, Joan Ruth Bader benefited from the borough’s public institutions,” said Ginsburg’s daughter Jane. “It is therefore fitting that another Brooklyn establishment dedicated like those of her youth to the public welfare share in her legacy of striving for the betterment of all.”

What You Need To Know

  • A new hospital was built with more than $923 million dollars from FEMA after Hurricane Sandy damaged neighboring Coney Island Hospital

  • The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital is designed to withstand a major storm, equipped with a flood-proof and elevated emergency department

  • In the lobby, a bronze statue stands at more than 7-feet-tall and weighs 650 pounds

Jane was on hand to reveal a 7-foot-tall and 650 pound bronze statue of the late justice in the lobby of the soon-to-be opened South Brooklyn Health Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital.

“This image which will grace the lobby of our new hospital building will serve as a reminder of our fundamental process to serve all people regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status,” said Svetlana Lipyanskaya, the CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island.

This new hospital was built with more than $923 million dollars from FEMA after Hurricane Sandy damaged neighboring Coney Island Hospital.

“The recovery from Sandy was nothing more than monumental,” said Lipyanskaya. “In fact, the community still bears deep scars of that challenging time. Water poured through our doors. In the dark, with flashlights, the heroic staff of this hospital safely evacuated 180 patients to other facilities.”

The hospital is designed to withstand a major storm, equipped with a flood-proof and elevated emergency department.

“We’re able to take care of any patients throughout any emergency that we need because the entrance is on the second floor,” said Chief Medical Officer Terrence Brady. “That makes it huge.”

The new hospital also features private patient rooms, modern equipment, and expansive views of the five boroughs. Coney Island Hospital will soon be renovated and renamed as the Health and Wellness Institute and will provide primary and speciality care. That is once the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital opens, which is scheduled for early next year.