Metro State Prison to close April 1

Metro State Prison in Atlanta is closing, saving an estimated $19.1 million in annual operational costs, officials said.

The closing will be effective April 1. The prison’s 319 employees will be offered positions at other Georgia Department of Corrections facilities, primarily within a 50-mile radius of Metro State Prison, officials said in a news release.

“We will continue our non-negotiable mission of public safety while continuing to be good stewards of state funds,” Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Brian Owens said in a news release. “We value our commitment to public safety and will continue to manage offenders effectively in the community while helping to provide a safe and secure environment for the citizens of Georgia.”

The prison opened in 1980 and “is a multi-mission facility which provides diagnostic services, as well as mental health treatment and services for females” sentenced to death, according to a release.

Officials do not have future plans for the structure.