Addie McCluskey
Elmore Autauga News
The Autauga Metro Jail officially reopened on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, following nearly two years of mold remediation that rendered the facility uninhabitable and forced the county to house inmates in facilities across the region.
โThe transition to moving the inmates has been so far pretty smooth,โ said Sheriff Mark Harrell. โWe will be getting approximately 100 inmates back today, and the sheriffs from agencies in North Alabama will assist in transporting the remainder on Friday.โ
Following recent concerns on the jail’s capacity as it reopens with nearly 200 inmates on the roster, PH&J Architects, the firm that renovated the facility, confirmed that the jail has the capacity to support 240 inmates.
“Based on the unencumbered area calculation, the facility could house 272 inmates,” said Patrick Addison, architect for PH&J Architects. “However, the plumbing fixture (shower) requirements limit capacity to 30 inmates per wedge, resulting in a first-floor housing capacity of (136 bunk count) 240 inmates.”
For previous coverage on Autauga Metro Jail, visit Autauga County Jail Set To Reopen After Nearly 2 Years Of Mold Repairs – Elmore-Autauga News.
