Hey guys,

First time poster here. Just got my second house and was going to start doing some simple remodels of the interior layout. There is a load bearing wall that separates the kitchen from the living room id like to open up for walk ways. With this, i would be adding a new walk way and widening the other and have a little island set up in the middle. This island set up would have supports on each side to help support the floor above (its a two story home). I know ill need to add beams in to add support for the floor above and I've had success in my last house doing the same job. This home however is a little different. When opening up the wall i came across a shear diagonal brace. (Where the brace is attached to the header at top the wall adjacent wall just past that is an external wall.) I would need to cut into the top side of the brace to add the additional walkway I talked about. Where the brace meets the floor will stay intact. I would need to take a out a majority of this brace only leaving two studs still attached to it. From my experience I've only seen these braces on external walls of brick homes to help with support.

The question: Can this shear brace be removed.