Townspeople fear uncertain future with prison closure

New York state’s decision to close two maximum-security prisons this fall has left small towns like Comstock in Washington County facing an uncertain future.

The state announced Thursday that the Great Meadow and Sullivan correctional facilities in Washington County will close on Nov. 6, eliminating more than 900 jobs. For Comstock, a town that has long depended on the prison for its economic stability, the closure threatens to turn it into a ghost town.

Rich Straub, owner of Time Served Bar and Grill, fears the worst.

“I think I’m going to have to go bankrupt,” Straub said. “It’s going to hurt everything in this town.”

The Straub family also owns five apartments rented to corrections officers. With the prison closing, they fear these units will soon be empty.

The impact isn’t limited to housing and hospitality. Even the local post office, which relies heavily on inmate packages, could be affected. While the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) is offering staff the opportunity to transfer to other facilities, the long-term implications for local economies remain a pressing concern.

As Comstock prepares for November’s shutdown, residents wonder about the future of their town.

“I don’t know how we’re going to get more people to come,” Straub said. “There’s nothing to attract them to this town.”

The closures are part of a broader trend in New York, where 25 correctional facilities have been closed in the past 15 years. The state’s prison population has declined by more than 54% since its peak in 1999, according to DOCCS.