Speaking about the planned facade renovation work at the Penn Theater in Butler, David Farkas said, “The building will look a heck of a lot better than it does now.”

Considering the eyesore-status of the Penn Theater on Butler’s Main Street, the promise by Farkas, whose nonprofit foundation holds the theater’s mortgage, is encouraging, but leaves questions about the scope of work.

Almost anything done to the facade of the Penn Theater would be an improvement. Still, it was welcome news to learn that Farkas’ organization, the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, will work on fixing up the lower portion of the facade over the summer.

The Landmarks Foundation has already repaired the building’s roof, which should prevent the buildling’s deterioration by water leaks. Now, the foundation turns its attention to work that can be noticed — and appreciated — by people walking or driving by the theater, which has been in a state of slow decay for more than a decade.

The forlorn theater facade diminishes efforts nearby to improve the look of Main Street. The former Worsley’s paint and furniture store, just north of the theater, consistently kept its buildings looking good. Across Main Street, Jewelry retailer Don Paul bought and renovated the two buildings next to his. The newly renovated storefronts house a formal wear store and a yogurt shop — both welcome additions to the business district

Allowing the theater to deteriorate was a mistake, even if it was financially unavoidable. Sadly, the once-vibrant theater with its decaying facade extending out over the sidewalk has distracted attention from the well-kept look of Worsely’s, which closed last year, as well as Don Paul’s newly renovated buildings.

Now that the three-building Worsley’s complex is up for sale, the recent improvements across the street enhance the odds of attracting a retailer for that property. How much more will the odds of attracting a tenant improve — not only for Worsely’s building but for the Penn as well — once the theater’s facade is renovated?

Farkas said the Landmarks Foundation plans to restore the lower facade, including new tile work in the entryway. That will be a welcome change, but the facade of the building higher up, above the marquee, including the vertical “Penn” sign is clearly in need of loving restoration.

It’s understandable that if you have to start somewhere, the lower is as crucial as the upper. While the Landmarks Foundation did not offer an explanation, it’s reasonable to confront what’s known as the “broken window syndrome” at street level. The reasoning behind the theory is that fixing signs of neglect stops more vandalism.

Whatever the reason, it will be heartening to see work being done on the Penn’s facade. We hope the work doesn’t stop until the entire facade is rehabilitated. The Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation deserves kudos for putting its attention and money into the Penn and improving the look of Butler’s Main Street.