An offer has been made for the Penn Theater property in downtown Butler but no agreement has yet been reached to move forward with a sale.
According Redevelopment Authority of the City of Butler board members, conversations have been taking place for the past several months with real estate developers the Woda Group about a sales agreement. However there are still issues needing to be resolved and no details about the offer are being made public at this time.
At the same time, the Authority is also working with the local non-profit Penn Theater Group who is interested in leasing the property for use as a performance space. The group is currently getting estimates about electrical and plumbing work necessary to bring the property up to code. City code officer John Evans will be asked to conduct an updated walkthrough as he did in the summer of 2015 possibly joined by authority members and Penn Theater Group representatives. Those results will likely be presented at the Authority’s June meeting.
The Penn Theater Group would like the lease to give them the option of subletting the two store fronts on either side of the theater. The group received permission from the authority to have the lobby of the theater open during next month’s Jeepfest as they did last year. Also the group plans to give a presentation about the economic benefits of a local performing arts space at the Authority’s July meeting.
Written by Ryan Saeler
