Two Liberty Place

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name= Two Liberty Place


caption= Two Liberty Place in Philadelphia
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location= 1601 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia
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constructed= 1990
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roof= 848 feet (258 m)
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floor_count= 58
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architect= Murphy/Jahn Architects
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owner= Shorenstein Company

Two Liberty Place is the third tallest skyscraper in Philadelphia, and the 33rd tallest in the United States, stretching 58 floors to 848 ft (258m). The tower was completed in 1990. Two Liberty Place is the smaller sister building to nearby One Liberty Place. Both buildings were designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn Architects.

Two Liberty Place has two entrances to The Shops at Liberty Place, an enclosed upscale shopping mall attached to the complex. The building also had its signature crown lights replaced in late 2006 with LED lights to enhance its appearance at night. The crown lights are capable of decorative color changes that require less effort than the older light bands.

In June 2002, the Shorenstein Company acquired the building for just over US$200 million. Unisys Corp. announced in 2007 that it would move its corporate headquarters from Blue Bell, Pennsylvania to Two Liberty Place. The move has become controversial because Unisys Corp. wants to place convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on red illuminated letters that spell Unisys at the 38th floor. Tenants and other groups oppose the sign and Unisys Corp. says it may not move into the building if the sign is not allowed. [cite journal |quotes=no |year=2008 |month=August 14 |title=Philadelphia officials to hear Unisys sign foes |journal=Associated Press |url=http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/aed39ac137a6bf3ff6b42b23ab70a6f6.htm] On August 26, 2008 the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the proposed sign has been struck down.

Renovation

Though primarily an office building, renovations have begun convert the top 20 floors, or roughly convert|400000|sqft|m2, of the building from office space to luxury condominiums known as The Residences at Two Liberty Place.cite journal |quotes=no |first=Natalie |last=Kostelni |year=2006 |month=April 14 | url=http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2006/04/17/story6.html | title =Plans advance to convert tower's top floors to condos | work=Philadelphia Business Journal | accessdate=May 6 | accessyear=2006]

This project will give the city its highest and most expensive residences to date as well as make it Philadelphia's tallest mixed-use building. The scope of the project also includes the city's highest restaurant, to be located on the 37th floor of the building.

ee also

*List of tallest buildings in Philadelphia
*Tallest buildings in the United States
*List of skyscrapers
*World's tallest structures

References