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[[Image:480px-Manhattan at Dusk by slonecker.jpg|right|thumb|The Empire State Building was the world's tallest building from 1931 to 1972.]]

[[Image:480px-Manhattan at Dusk by slonecker.jpg|right|thumb|The Empire State Building was the world's tallest building from 1931 to 1972.]]

The '''Empire State Building''' is a privately owned office building completed in 1931 during the [[Great Depression]] as the tallest building in the world, a distinction it enjoyed for decades until it was surpassed by the [[World Trade Center]] in 1972. It is the tallest building in New York City. To this day the Empire State Building is considered by a random poll of Americans to be their favorite piece of American architecture.<ref>http://www.aia.org/press2_template.cfm?pagename=release_020707_150Buildings</ref>  It is also considered the most fire-proof building in America.<ref>http://vincentdunn.com/wtc.html</ref> Architect [[William F. Lamb]] (1883 – 1952) was the principal designer.   

The '''Empire State Building''' is a privately owned office building completed in 1931 during the [[Great Depression]] as the tallest building in the world, a distinction it enjoyed for decades until it was surpassed by the [[World Trade Center]] in 1972. It is the tallest building in New York City. To this day the Empire State Building is considered by a random poll of Americans to be their favorite piece of American architecture.<ref>http://www.aia.org/press2_template.cfm?pagename=release_020707_150Buildings</ref>  It is also considered the most fire-proof building in America. <ref>http://vincentdunn.com/wtc.html</ref> Architect [[William F. Lamb]] (1883 – 1952) was the principal designer.   

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The Empire State Building contains steel reinforced by concrete, making it extremely fire-proof.  Deputy Chief Fire Department of New York (F.D.N.Y.) Vincent Dunn (ret.) wrote:<ref>''Id.''</ref>

The Empire State Building contains steel reinforced by concrete, making it extremely fire-proof.  Deputy Chief Fire Department of New York (F.D.N.Y.) Vincent Dunn (ret.) wrote:<ref>http://vincentdunn.com/wtc.html</ref>

:"The more mass the more fire resistance. The best fire resistive building in America is a concrete structure. The structures that limit and confine fires best, and suffer fewer collapses are reinforced concrete pre-WWII buildings such as housing projects and older high rise buildings like the empire state building, The more concrete, the more fire resistance; and the more concrete the less probability of total collapse. The evolution of high- rise construction can be seen, by comparing the Empire State Building to the [[World Trade Center]]. The estimate is the ratio of concrete to steel in the empire state building is 60/40."  

:"The more mass the more fire resistance. The best fire resistive building in America is a concrete structure. The structures that limit and confine fires best, and suffer fewer collapses are reinforced concrete pre-WWII buildings such as housing projects and older high rise buildings like the empire state building, The more concrete, the more fire resistance; and the more concrete the less probability of total collapse. The evolution of high- rise construction can be seen, by comparing the Empire State Building to the [[World Trade Center]]. The estimate is the ratio of concrete to steel in the empire state building is 60/40."  

In 1945, a B-25 bomber crashed into the 79 floor of the Empire State Building in heavy fog, killing 14 persons and igniting a fire.  But there was only $1 million in damage and the structure of the building easily survived the impact and the resultant fire.  Deputy Chief Dunn noted:<ref>''Id.''</ref>

In 1945, a B-25 bomber crashed into the 79 floor of the Empire State Building in heavy fog, killing 14 persons and igniting a fire.  But there was only $1 million in damage and the structure of the building easily survived the impact and the resultant fire.  Deputy Chief Dunn noted:<ref>''Id.''</ref>