The city has issued a letter to its redevelopment authority outlining numerous structural deficiencies with the former Penn Theater on Main Street.

Art Cordwell, executive director of the authority, informed the board that he received the letter Thursday.

“It was pretty condemning for the building,” Cordwell said.

John Evans, city building code official, said in an interview that the report indicates cracks in the structure’s masonry, the bricks in the walls are shifting, water damage in the interior, numerous electrical violations and a lack of utilities.

Evans said the vacant building was not posted as condemned, but said it was unsafe for occupancy.

The inspection of both the inside and outside of the building was done July 31 and Aug. 12 at the request of Mayor Tom Donaldson.

“I asked them to look into it to make sure we don’t get another Woolworth’s,” Donaldson said, referencing the former Woolworth’s store at the corner of East Cunningham and South McKean streets that collapsed in 1999 after sitting vacant for years.

Evans said the roof of the structure is leaking, which has caused the other issues to worsen.

“It’s often a kiss of death whenever a roof is leaking, and its roof is leaking,” Evans said.

Cordwell said he is not sure what the next step will be for the authority.

“It would be very costly to bring it up to code,” Cordwell said.

Authority solicitor Tom Breth said the authority must respond to the city’s letter by Sept. 2, although he did not yet know what that response would be.