ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction is beginning the gradual closure of Craggy Correctional Center in Asheville, with the prison expected to cease operations in late summer 2026.

State corrections officials said the facility’s population of about 250 incarcerated men will be transferred to other prisons over the coming months as part of the shutdown process.

The prison’s 77 employees will be offered positions at other Department of Adult Correction facilities and work locations across Western North Carolina. Officials said they do not anticipate any layoffs.

The closure comes after years of staffing challenges tied largely to Buncombe County’s high cost of living, which officials say has made it difficult to recruit and retain correctional officers and other employees.

Craggy has already undergone significant changes in recent years. Since 2019, the prison closed its minimum-security unit and converted its remaining operations from medium custody to minimum custody, reducing staffing needs. For the past two years, the facility has operated with a workforce below authorized levels and housed less than half of its intended inmate population.

Despite ongoing recruitment efforts, the prison has hired only three correctional officers during the past two years, according to the department.

Most current employees commute from neighboring counties where housing costs are lower. State officials noted that hundreds of vacant positions remain available at other prisons in Western North Carolina, providing opportunities for Craggy staff members to continue their careers within the department.

The department said additional details about the closure process and inmate transfers will be released as plans move forward.