OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington Department of Enterprise Services (DES) estimates the cost to repair damage from the Oct. 5 break-in at the Legislative Building will range from $623,000 to more than $914,000.
The estimate, released Thursday, includes multiple options for addressing damage to historic artifacts, surfaces, and other areas affected during the incident.
According to DES, an intruder entered the Legislative Building the night of Oct. 5 and damaged areas primarily in the Rotunda and the State Reception Room. The agency has catalogued the damage and is working with historic preservation partners on repair options.
“As the steward of the historic Capitol Campus’ buildings and artifacts, DES has worked diligently to reopen spaces and ensure the safety of everyone who visits and works here,” DES Director Matt Jones said in a statement. “DES will be working with our historic preservation and campus stewardship partners to find preservation options that most responsibly use state resources.”
By Oct. 10, the agency had replaced shattered glass, removed burn marks from marble stairs in the Rotunda, repaired a broken elevator card reader, cleaned debris, secured spaces, and begun planning for security improvements.
Some repairs will require specialized expertise, including restoration of historic items in the State Reception Room. The room, which includes a teak floor, drapes, a historic rug and a piano—all damaged during the break-in—is expected to be open for the 2026 legislative session. Legislators regularly use the room to meet with school groups touring the building.
DES submitted insurance claims Nov. 12 under two statewide policies: one covering contents and another covering fine arts. Until insurance reimbursements are processed, repair costs are being paid from the agency’s operating budget.
Damage estimates have also been provided to the Washington State Patrol and the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office as part of the ongoing criminal case.
Authorities previously identified the suspect as Gunnar McLean Schubert, 29, of Washington. Schubert is accused of breaking into the building with a hammer, setting fires, damaging historic items, and toppling busts outside the State Reception Room. He was arrested by the Washington State Patrol as he exited the building and faces charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree arson and first-degree malicious mischief.
State Patrol officials have said the incident did not appear to be politically motivated.
