south broad south broad known lincoln liberty building building story foot office tower philadelphia pennsylvania united_states art tower designed architect annex department store completed opened seven floors building located block main store intended rival european department stores size selection bought building converted offices banking space building bell tower decorated sides initials steel feet tall main tenant occupying half building banking space street level converted retail restaurant space containing square feet space south broad features story gallery lobby connects building adjacent south 24th 25th floors originally featured luxurious designed wife converted office use independent advertising agency tower houses ton largest world tribute son listed bell hourly sundays history late 1920s numerous high rises built businesses constructing department store direction president decided expand philadelphia store constructing new building contain store catering philadelphia gentleman directed buy property street land site century story high rises corner stood lincoln building originally called building south stood corner buildings demolished way lincoln liberty building completed intended partly house large men department store offices building cornerstone set october ceremony attended executives new_york_city paris london opened october blowing ringing building opening great depression said new building sign store faith economy improve intended rival european department stores size selection men store ordered worth merchandise largest store kind world early rumors men store close close store replacement tenant agree rent space new tenant ready store place 1950s men store relocated building street early 1950s needed expand larger space currently occupied november bank bought lincoln liberty building president said purchase building enable adequately efficiently support large scale industrial commercial expansion way city bank spent millions dollars building converting department store floors banking space changes addition sign bank initials bank officially opened called building january opening included turning rooftop weather indicator celebration anniversary birth building owned later parent company sold million building second largest tenant law firm left logan square resulting vacancy prompted owners building renamed south broad cost million renovations included elevators security safety systems converting lower floors retail restaurant space renovations took eighteen months south broad officially april sold south broad real estate investor million ninety percent occupied largest tenant gained office space tower merging merged negotiated lease set looking potential space deal stay south broad nearby properties building neighboring architecture south broad story feet art office tower south broad street pennsylvania designed architect skyscraper contains square feet space south broad originally ornate lower facade lot detail removed 1950s renovation renovations included addition granite black street level facade removed renovation replaced imported italian granite better match skyscraper original architecture renovation created new entrance building broad street leads story gallery lobby lobby expanded wall connecting lobby neighboring containing square feet 24th 25th floors apartment consisting outdoor rooms featured hardwood floors marble detailed cast plaster crown originally apartment wife died building completed wife lived briefly like ringing bell tower overhead floors converted office use creative agency firm modernized basic office space 24th floor preserving ornate materials rest space initials adorned building surrounding structure bell tower letters feet steel weighed pounds 1970s sign forecast weather lighting letters red indicate warming trend green predict opposite considered removing sign replace signage response expressed nostalgia philadelphia institution hoped sign stay stated sign integral building design significant city nearby building sign august letters removed building helicopter remaining removed following november bell tower ton bell cast commission honor father founder department store cast united_kingdom bell feet inches rim feet inches high largest bells world bell brought liner new_york_city conveyed philadelphia rail bell carried clearance inches tunnels train passed tuned low bass bell original home building block south broad hung feet street specially built tower building roof hung december bell new year eve year bell hour sundays bell originally intended swing tower south broad shook building hammer driven electric motor later installed currently rings bell ringing bell heard miles mistakenly assumed come city hall clock tower street conductor wrote bell finest sounds heard america europe russia june founder bell added tenants occupied seven floors skyscraper moved building years finally bought main tenant occupying half building tenants include law firms advertising firm nitrogen public relations firm consulting company advertising agency past tenants included law firm advertising public relations firm street level space converted bank bought building bank branch closed 1990s converted roughly square feet areas intended retail restaurant use restaurant opened corner late corner occupied borders moved story plus square feet space location occupied borders closed store story presently occupies site areas exceptionally beautiful store ceiling visible upper stories
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