Ronald Rubin, a developer who altered central Philadelphia’s streetscape and skyline before taking the reins of what would become PREIT, died at his Penn Valley home aged 89, writes Jacob Adelman for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“You could always count on Ron to promote the city: All you needed was a phone call,” said former Gov. Ed Rendell who served as Philadelphia mayor during one of Rubin’s most active periods as a developer. “Philadelphia has lost one of its great civic leaders.”

Rubin began his career working on the packing line of a sweater factory before his father, Richard, invited him into the family business. Once he started working for the small real estate brokerage, he knew he had found his niche.

Over the years, the Ruben Organization influenced the city streets in many ways, including heading the campaign to revive South Broad Street as an enclave of shops, offices, and apartments anchored by performing arts.

The company was acquired by PREIT in 1996, making Ruben the chief executive of the combined company. PREIT flourished under his leadership, becoming one of the biggest mall landlords in the region. Read more about Ronald Rubin in The Philadelphia Inquirer