For the Love of a Neighborhood: Zimmermann Boulos
Few people have the moxie to leave a permanent mark on their community, but if you’re Zimmermann Boulos, you manage to do it eight-fold. Nicknamed the “King of San Marco,” Boulos has been wholly- or partially-responsible for the installation of eight pieces of public art throughout the San Marco area, including the iconic Lions’ Fountain at the center of San Marco Square. Make that nine marks, if you want to count the landscape and well renovation of Largo Well Park five years ago. Ten, if you want to count the sandwich that a local restaurant named after you.
You get the point. And according to San Marco local Ward Lariscy, so does everyone else.
“Without art, life is rather dull,” said Lariscy, owner of The Wardroom Ltd. “If you spend any time in San Marco Square now, you don’t pass a day without finding people from all walks of life gathered around those lions, either on them, or sitting on the coping, having photographs taken.”
Luckily, San Marco has Boulos – and his love for the neighborhood – to credit for the works of public art, which were usually results of his walks and drives around San Marco, his home since 1955.
“In my mind, I just think of or visualize ways how that [area] could be better, or more visually appealing or pleasing. And I always used to say to myself, ‘Well, somebody should do something about that.’ And then, at some point, I realized that I was the somebody,” said Boulos.
In addition the landmark Lions’ Fountain, Boulos was the catalyst behind The Campanile, the tower at the beginning of San Marco Square that features the wrought iron finial from the old fountain; The Kite Kids in Balis Park; Journey of the Imagination, featuring the little boy flying in a paper airplane; The Entertainer, the juggling jester in front of Theatre Jacksonville; Stiltwalkers, in the roundabout near MOSH; the San Marco Library sign and monolith; and A Joyous Ride, located right beside the San Marco movie theater. It’s the smallest of Boulos’s procured pieces, and his favorite.
“That was just a forgotten area that I’d walked by 100s of times and was saying the same thing to myself, ‘This should be a lot better; someone could do something about this.’ And so, I went to my 20 go-to people in the neighborhood.”
Boulos and his team of neighbors contributed money to better landscape the area, add stepping stones, and unify it with the existing oak trees. Notably missing, however, was that signature piece of artwork that accompanies his community-driven projects. He didn’t quite know what he was looking for, but was certain he’d know it when he saw it. What he didn’t know was that it would take a shared love of his charming San Marco neighborhood to actually make it a reality – and one unbelievable story.
“We’re in La Jolla, California. We’re walking down the sidewalk, and I see this piece of sculpture, and I said, ‘Oh wow, that’s it.’ So, I looked at the price and it was way out of our price range. The woman who owned the gallery came out and I said, ‘This is beautiful. I love this piece, but it’s not really affordable. I’m working on a community project and it’s for this public square, it’s a Mediterranean theme, and it was modeled after St. Mark’s Square in Venice by this developer in the late 1920’s.’ OK, so we’re in La Jolla, right? And this woman says to me, ‘Are you talking about San Marco?’ I said, ‘How on earth do you know that?’ She said, ‘I used to live on River Oaks Road.’”
After talking to the artist, the gallery owner contacted Boulos to say the artist was willing to do a special deal, and Boulos’s “perfect piece” was shipped to Jacksonville.
In addition to being a champion for public art, Boulos has a passion for trees. Since planting his first tree at age four with his mother, he started a tree-sale-turned-tree-giveaway that has added an estimated 200,000 trees to Jacksonville over the past 35 years. The pairing of landscape and art are integral to his passion for beautifying San Marco, and is the keystone in his latest project.
Working with city council member LeAnna Cumber, Boulos says his next project is a big one. Three major development projects are all happening in the same area: a Publix grocery store, the $32 million The Hendricks at San Marco, and the new Toll Brothers’ townhomes. He, along with several other supporters, are hoping to integrate all the same landscaping, sidewalks, streetlights, benches and trash cans at each development to create one cohesive, walkable corridor along Alford Place.
“It’s a shame to just let it run its course without making it much better. Instead of the corridor being a C+, we can make it an A+ to go along with all the great construction that is happening,” said Boulos.
“He’s very determined, and it appears to be when he sets his mind to a project that he contacts everybody that he can to get involved,” said Lariscy, crediting Boulos’s ability to lead as his greatest contribution to the community.
So, how does the “King of San Marco” plan to celebrate the future of the area?
“My daughter just had a baby. I’m looking forward to getting a picture of Meredith and Bennett in front of the lions’ statue,” said Boulos, recalling a similar photo of he and his daughter in the spring of 1997. “San Marco is such a great community. People are very involved and passionate about what’s going on here, making it better, and that’s why it always keeps getting better.”
By Lindsay Gast
Resident Community News
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