Willard Rouse

Willard Goldsmith Rouse III (June 19, 1942 – May 27, 2003) was an American real estate developer, best known for his role in the construction of Philadelphia's One Liberty Place.

Early life and education Willard Rouse, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, was the son of Willard Rouse II and the nephew of developer and urban planner James Rouse.

Career After graduation, Rouse worked for several development firms (including The Rouse Company) before founding Rouse and Associates, a real estate development company primarily focused on office and industrial development, in 1972.

Rouse was the developer of One Liberty Place, designed by Helmut Jahn, the first structure in Philadelphia to exceed the traditional height limitation established by the top of the statue of William Penn atop Philadelphia City Hall. which was controversial when initially proposed but, after its completion in 1987, was ultimately acclaimed as "the finest skyscraper Philadelphia had seen" in decades and a catalyst for the modernization of the Philadelphia skyline. One Liberty Place remained the tallest building in Philadelphia until the completion of the Comcast Center in 2007.

Rouse was also involved in the construction of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Rouse was an active civic leader in Philadelphia, serving as chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority and We the People 200, Inc., a celebration of the U.S. Constitution's 200th anniversary.

Personal life and death Rouse had eight children, six of them with his second wife, Susannah Rouse. In 2003, he died from lung cancer in his home in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.