New London — Plans are moving forward for the first of a series of enhancement projects at the Hygienic Art Galleries and Art Park, the flagship for art and culture in downtown.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission last week approved plans for the nonprofit’s $300,000 amphitheater project, a 60-by-60-foot artistically designed roof to cover the art park’s outdoor seating area that could triple the number of performances there.

The Hygienic this week also announced a new initiative to raise funds for a facelift at its historic building at 79 Bank St. and to provide for the ability to boost programming.

Hygienic Director Sarah McKay said it was an exciting time to be part of the long-standing leader in the arts activism scene and expects public support for the projects to help the Hygienic reach its goals.

“In addition to being able to serve the resident population through providing access to the arts, music, performance and cultural programs, we will continue to bring visitors to downtown New London and triple our impact on growing the local economy,” McKay said.

Installation of the 3,600-square-foot roof, designed by Holtzman Design Inc. of Chester, is expected to start in September and not interrupt the Hygienic’s summer lineup. It will be called the Frank Loomis Palmer Amphitheater in honor of the organization’s longstanding support for the art park and sizable donation toward the project.

McKay said that ideally the project will be completed before the Hygienic Howling Halloween Bash.

Funding for the project is nearly completed but more public support will help propel the “Hygienic 3.0” facelift at its historic 79 Bank St. building.

McKay said work will involve cosmetic and functional projects: painting the exterior, addressing drainage issues in the underground gallery and outside bathrooms, replacing doors and retiling flooring inside the “diner” area of the gallery.

“We are committed to providing a space that honors the art and culture presented; the individuals in our community, visitors from out of town, the artists and the performers in addition to the resident artists who have a live/work space above Hygienic Art Galleries,” McKay said.

The Hygienic also would like a permanent state-of-the-art sound and lighting booth to use in the amphitheater and a concession booth that fits with the existing and new aesthetic of the art park, McKay said.

The covered amphitheater is going to provide the means to bring in bigger ticket acts, reducing the risk that those acts would be canceled because of inclement weather, she said. It also will open up opportunities for the city colleges who have been looking for more ways to get their students involved in downtown.

“Providing opportunities to emerging artists, both visual and performing, is crucial to keeping the creative spark alive in this community,” Hygienic Board President Vincent Scarano said in a statement. “The amphitheater furthers the sentiment by allowing more opportunities for performers and visitors as well as opportunities for community stage partnerships.”

McKay said the Hygienic typically coordinates outdoor performances with those at the Bulkeley House Saloon next door at 111 Bank St. The Bulkeley House is closed, however, and it is unclear whether it will reopen anytime soon.

The amphitheater project has been funded in part by a $125,000 state grant, $50,000 from the Edward and Mary Lord Foundation, $75,000 from the Frank Loomis Palmer Fund and $30,000 from the Chester Kitchings Family Foundation. The Hygienic successfully completed a $10,000 kickstarter campaign that was boosted by a $5,000 matching donation from the Carriage House of New London, the regional Mercedes Benz dealership.

The Hygienic is located in a building constructed in 1844 and once used as a whaling ship provision store and crew's quarters before it was converted into a restaurant in 1919. It was in 1931 that the restaurant became the Hygienic Restaurant and Delicatessen, with a name derived from the Greek mythological god, Hygia, the god of health and cleanliness, according to the Hygienic’s website.

The restaurant closed in 1985 and sat vacant until 1996, when it was slated for demolition. The artists who started the Hygienic Art Exhibitions rallied a grass-roots effort to save the building and purchased it in 1998.

The Hygienic now houses six resident artists and is well known for its long-running “no jury, no censorship and no fees” Salon Des Independants show.

For more information, visit http://www.hygienic.org/.

g.smith@theday.com