Small damages will require expensive repairs as Washington state estimates a $600,000 to nearly $1 million price tag to repair damages to historic furniture and decor from an October break-in to the Washington state Capitol building in Olympia.
The Washington state Department of Enterprise Services (DES) invited media to take a look at the damages Friday morning. Many of the damages were hard to spot. State staff pointed out scorch marks on a historical rug, drapes and decorative tassel in the State Reception Room on the third floor of the Capitol.
In the same room, they also remarked at some damage to the historic Blüthner grand piano in the room. While not visible, a fire near the instrument caused the sealant on the wood to bubble and melt.
The exact cost estimate for repairs ranges from $623,000 to $914,000. The estimates include different options for addressing damage to historic artifacts and furnishings.
The damage was caused by an Oct. 5 break-in during which Gunnar McLean Schubert, 29, of Auburn, parked in the median in front of the building before heading inside and going on a rampage. Security footage shows the man throwing flags in piles and lighting them on fire in multiple places throughout the building.
The most costly damage to repair, according to a list of predicted expenses from the DES, was caused by a fire in the State Reception Room that burned through a large historic rug and singed the floor below. Schubert reportedly used the state and U.S. flags that stood on either side of the nearby fireplace as fuel for a fire in the middle of the room.
Despite many of the damages appearing relatively minor, the furnishings in the State Reception Room are mostly historical and require historical restoration to be brought back to their previous condition.
“There was significant damage to the State Reception Room, which has historic significance as a symbol of our state’s democracy,” states a DES press release. “It hosts the Inaugural Ball, visits from heads of state, and the state’s delegates to the Electoral College when they cast votes in presidential elections. The room contains many priceless, irreplaceable historical artifacts.”
The state has not made a final decision on what it will do with the large historic rug in the room but announced that paying for its restoration would cost between $443,000 and $719,000 alone, depending on the “option chosen.” That rug itself appears to be the main driver behind the costs as its cost for repairs dwarfs the rest of the expenses. The next highest expense is expected to be $100,000 for the removal and transfer of the historic rug and drapes. Individual prices for other work are, with one exception, less than $10,000 each.
According to initial reporting by the Washington State Standard, the money to begin a first round of repairs replacing a window and flags, along with labor costs, has come from the DES budget. The state has also filed insurance claims for the damages.
While not a cost driver, some damage to two large busts on the third floor of the building is still visible to the public. A large bust of Martin Luther King Jr. and another of George Washington had chips and small gashes out of their wooden stands. The bust of the country’s first president also showed a possible small chip in the eyebrow.
However, George Washington’s busts did more damage to its surroundings than it received. A marble column and the marble floor nearby show the marks of impact from when Schubert tipped over the metal sculpture.
Repairs to the two sculptures are expected to cost approximately $11,000, while repairing the nearby marble floors is expected to cost around $4,200.
As repairs are underway, so are legal proceedings for the man who caused the damage. After being detained following the break-in, Schubert was charged with one count of second-degree burglary and one count of third-degree malicious mischief and property damage. Schubert, who played baseball at Gonzaga University and is a former minor league player, is now scheduled for a court hearing to evaluate his capacity and competency to stand trial in early January.
