New London — The recently completed glass and steel structure now covering the Hygienic Art Park is a visually striking work of art and attracting attention from passers-by on Bank Street.

It also has caught the eye of city zoning officials, who earlier this month confirmed something was off. Specifically, the corner of the structure overhangs the Hygienic’s building at 79 Bank St. by a few inches, something that was not in the original plans approved by the city.

Since the structure doesn’t match the plans, the city is unable to sign off on a certificate of occupancy and allow use of the park, Assistant City Planner Michelle Johnson Scovish said.

Hygienic officials see it as a minor hiccup, since the first major event under the roof won’t happen until June. But it has forced the nonprofit to apply to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a site plan modification. The application is expected to be taken up next month.

The shift in the amphitheater roof’s placement is apparently the result of the use of an 18-year-old survey of the property whose measurements overestimated the size of the park by 4 feet 6 inches.

Architect Jason Holtzman, who designed the structure, explained as much during what was at times an uncomfortable informal discussion with the Planning and Zoning Commission last week.

Commission member Dick Humphreville told Holtzman he was enthusiastic about the project but noticed what he said was an obvious error while driving by in his car.

“I was screaming, ‘Stop this now while you can still stop it,’ Humphreville said. “I thought, ‘Who in God’s name is in charge of this project?’ They really dropped the ball.”

Where the fault lies is still unclear, since several contractors were involved in the project.

Holtzman told the commission the roof structure, which was prefabricated and assembled on site, was created from detailed construction documents “down to every bolt.”

It wasn't until after the 10-foot-deep footing for the 30-foot-tall, 60-by-60-foot structure was in place that it was realized the measurements were off a bit. By then it was too late, Hygienic Art President A. Vincent Scarano told the commission.

“We know it’s closer visually than it should have been,” Holtzman said, but an engineer has signed off on its structural integrity and indicates the proximity to the building will not be a problem.

“I would say that probably the site contractor probably should have surveyed better. At this point, the structure itself is up and it would be very hard to change,” Holtzman said.

The cost to move the structure would be out of reach for the Hygienic, which still is raising money toward its $425,000 goal for the amphitheater project, known as the Frank Loomis Palmer Amphitheater.

Holtzman said the columns under the roof are like straws connected underground that deliver water runoff to the nearby trees, part of the “green” aspect of the design. Digging them up would be a costly project.

“I don’t think there was any malice on anyone’s part, but this is an important site. The property owner went to great lengths to get a visually beautiful thing,” commission Chairman Barry Levine said. “This is not the plan we approved.”

In the end, several commission members seemed to indicate their willingness to sign off on an altered plan.

“Everybody wants to see this work,” commission member Karl Saszik said.

Hygienic Art General Manager Sarah McKay said the lack of a certificate of occupancy should not immediately impact any of the Hygienic’s planned events. The first official event planned for under the roof in June coincides with the Festival of Creativity and Innovation, part of a citywide slate of events.

The art park covering is expected to expand the Hygienic's offerings into three seasons.

McKay said the overhang will be barely perceptible once the finishing touches are completed, which includes installation of a circular lighting truss in the middle and fabric material on the underside of the glass to allow the projection of light and video art.

Frank McLaughlin, an abutting property owner whose property was used as a staging area when the heavy equipment lifted the pieces of the structure into place, shrugged when asked about his thoughts.

He said he thought it might be more controversial if the building encroached on a building not owned by the Hygienic.

“I give them kudos for moving forward and continuing to make the downtown a destination,” McLaughlin said.

g.smith@theday.com