Liberty Bell Square
The complex that broke Philadelphia's height limit.
Liberty Place is a skyscraper complex in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The complex is composed of a 61-story, 945-foot (288 m) skyscraper called One Liberty Place, a 58-story, 848-foot (258 m) skyscraper called Two Liberty Place, a two-story shopping mall called the Shops at Liberty Place, and the 14-story Westin Philadelphia Hotel. The distinctive design and spire make the complex a recognizable part of the Philadelphia skyline.
- Location
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Prior to the construction of Liberty Place, there was a gentlemen's agreement not to build any structure in Center City higher than the statue of William Penn on top of Philadelphia City Hall. The tradition lasted until 1984 when developer Willard G. Rouse III of Rouse & Associates announced plans to build an office building complex that included two towers taller than City Hall. There was a great amount of opposition to the construction of the towers with critics believing breaking the height limit would lead to construction of many more tall skyscrapers, ruining the livability and charm of Center City. Despite the opposition, construction of One Liberty Place was approved and the first phase of the project began in 1985 and was completed in 1987. Liberty Place was received enthusiastically by critics and led to the construction of other tall skyscrapers giving Philadelphia what architecture critic Paul Goldberger called 'one of the most appealing skylines of any major American city'.
In Their Own Story
On September 10, 1986, One Liberty Place became the tallest structure in Philadelphia when the first 25-foot-long (7.6 m) steel columns of the skyscraper's 44th floor were installed. One Liberty Place was topped off on December 12 with a ceremony that included a laser light show and Mayor Goode, who said the tower 'breaks the status quo of the city and says we arrived'. On March 27, 1987, Robert Heenan, Jr., a 22-year-old glazier, fell 42 stories to his death after his safety line snapped when it got caught in a hoist mechanism. A month later, on May 27, the tower's spire was placed at the top of the building. Placing the spire was delayed when it was discovered sections of the spire didn't align with each other and had to be re-welded. Conrail became the first tenant to move in when the building officially opened on August 17.
Reader's Guide
Liberty Place was designed by architect Helmut Jahn and his firm Murphy/Jahn. The steel and blue glass skyscrapers were heavily influenced by New York City's Chrysler Building. The major influence is the spire made of gabled angular setbacks. Two Liberty Place's spire is shorter and squatter, a design influenced by the needs of tenant Cigna. In the 2000s, Cigna reduced its presence in the tower, which led to the owners converting the upper floors into 122 luxury condominiums. Below the two towers is the 289 room Westin hotel and the 143,000 square feet (13,000 m2) Shops at Liberty Place. The main feature of the mall is a round atrium topped by a large glass dome.
Did You Know?
- One Liberty Place is 945 feet (288 m) tall with 61 stories.
- Two Liberty Place is 848 feet (258 m) tall with 58 stories.
- The complex includes a 289 room Westin hotel and a 143,000 square foot shopping mall.
- Developer Willard G. Rouse III won an auction in 1983 to acquire the land for the complex.
- Cigna agreed to lease the entire 1,200,000 square feet of Two Liberty Place on December 14, 1987.