Liberty Place is a skyscraper complex in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The complex is composed of a 61-story skyscraper called
One Liberty Place, a 58-story skyscraper called
Two Liberty Place, a two-story shopping mall called the
Shops at Liberty Place, and the 14-story
Westin Philadelphia Hotel. 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. When One Liberty Place was completed, it was the
tallest skyscraper in Philadelphia.