There are public spaces which are indelibly linked with the governmental institutions they host. 45 Monroe Place in Brooklyn Heights has been known for 80 years as the home of the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. While the Court has had three Brooklyn locations over its 122-year existence and, in the past two decades, has regularly sat in courthouses outside of Brooklyn, the Court, its justices and staff, and the broader legal community know that our venerable building on Monroe Place is our home.
Through the efforts of Presiding Justice Edward Lazansky and Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, the Court opened for business on Monroe Place on September 28, 1938 with a bench consisting of 8 Justices and 63 staff. Although the Court’s membership, staffing and caseload have grown considerably since that day, the courthouse remains true to the original structure as designed by Brooklyn architectural firm Slee and Bryson. Today, our Court is undergoing a transition as we develop new approaches to managing our immense docket and harness new technologies to assist us. The physical building is experiencing some work too. One of our two elevators has already been replaced, we are embarking on a major upgrade of our electrical and life-safety systems, newly designed parking lot as well as a potential inclusion of a “green roof.” Shortly, there will be contractors stationed within our Courthouse doing their work alongside the judges as they do theirs. But, as we embark on our path to the future, we must remember and celebrate our distinguished past and pay tribute to the vision and fortitude of those who have made this day possible.
Thank you for taking the time to join us here today to honor and celebrate the dedicated men and women who made this brick and mortar structure the vibrant, living institution that it is today. We hope that today’s event and this program will not only serve to remind us of our storied history, but will also help preserve these special memories for those who will tread in our footsteps, just as we have tread in those of the leaders who came before us.
As it did in 1938, the Appellate Division Second Judicial Department mirrors the vibrant and ever-evolving community we serve. Today, we reflect on our Court’s inception and milestones and where we strive to lead this institution in the decades to come.