While he eventually relented his position somewhat, Bothell developer Steve Moss didn’t want to be part of this story, so much so he declined to have his picture taken.

Still, the tale seems worth telling and Moss is a big piece of it.

If you live in the city or even drive through the heart of Bothell, namely the intersection of Main Street and the city’s two state routes, there’s a likelihood you’ve noticed the city has a colorful new landmark, namely a two-story mural that covers the side of Moss’ building near the already mentioned intersection.

Dedicated to one of Moss’ favorite institutions, the Woodland Park Zoo, the mural invites passers-by to stampede to the zoo along with an ostrich, a giraffe, an elephant, a wolf and several other creatures, all kicking up a cloud of dust as they make their way to the Seattle park.

“The concept is, it’s the equivalent of a giant vintage postcard,” said Moss, adding the overall architecture of his building was meant to reflect the early 1900s. Moss said he very much wanted the building to blend in with the rest of Bothell’s Main Street. But why the zoo theme for the mural? Why a mural at all?

“This is because I just love the zoo,” Moss said in response to the first question.

“Steve has been a zoo supporter and contributor for some time,” said Jim Bennett, director of marketing and corporate relations for the zoo.

As to why he decided to put up a mural, Moss said he just realized he didn’t want the highly visible side of his building to end up a big, blank space near the center of Bothell.

Moss added that city codes don’t allow for billboards or other advertisements. Eventually, he hit upon the idea of promoting the zoo and worked closely with the city and the Bothell Arts Council to create the mural. Moss tabbed the daughter of a friend, who just happens to be a budding artist, to tackle the project. Portland’s Emily Beeks, 28, said she’d done some small works, but nothing of this magnitude. Beeks also did a much smaller mural inside a sushi restaurant housed in Moss’ building.

“I’m just getting started, so this was a great opportunity to do something very visible,” Beeks said during a phone interview. She added she and Moss struggled to come up with something in keeping with the old-fashioned style of the overall building. One initial idea had various animals dressed up in period clothing.

“We have this… policy,” Bennett said, adding that basically the zoo doesn’t like to anthropomorphize animals. Their mission is, he added, one of species preservation and conservation. That’s a mission Moss said he fully supports, so, respecting the zoo’s wishes, he and Beeks literally went back to the drawing board and came up with the postcard concept.

In keeping with that motif, painted next to the mural, a smaller circular design is supposed to represent a postal cancellation mark. The “mark” carries the names of the various people and organizations involved with the mural.

“We were just thrilled about it,” Bennett said, adding that from a marketing standpoint the mural is in a great location. He said that demographically speaking, this area contains many representatives of the zoo’s primary target audience. Park officials also were pleased the mural sits near south Snohomish County.

“I think eventually we ended up with a design that everybody is really satisfied with,” said Beeks, who began work on the mural in June and finished about 10 weeks later. She used a grid system to transfer her original, small drawings to the large-sized mural.

Moss said his enjoyment and support of the zoo springs partly from wife Becky, who lost a battle with cancer in 2001. Prior to her death, Becky Moss, another zoo lover, spent a long day at Woodland Park, treated to a behind-the-scenes tour not normally offered the general public.

“It tired her out,” Steve Moss said, but he added the experience made his wife very happy.

Moss insisted the mural is not in memory of his wife, that he previously donated to a children’s play area at the zoo in her honor. He said the mural springs from the simple fact he endorses the zoo’s overall mission of conservation.

“It deserves support,” Moss said.