An iconic mural of Willie Nelson might be demolished in downtown Austin.

Originally created by artist and musician Wiley Ross as a 60-by-20-foot monument to Willie, it was commissioned to be the backdrop of “Heart of Texas Rockfest” that was part of South By Southwest in March of 2016. When SXSW and all the downtown festivities left town, the mural stayed, and has since become a destination spot in the city.

“My favorite part of the mural is that anywhere you go, Willie’s eyes follow you,” Wiley Ross said after the mural was unveiled. “It’s like he’s watching over downtown Austin.”

The mural is painted on the side of a 100-year-old building at 407 E. Seventh St., near Neches Street. Most recently the building housed the bar Mug Shots, but was abandoned when a fire in February resulted in structural damage to the building. The fire was believed to have been caused by homeless in the area. Instead of renovating the property, the owners, Jaffa Parks LLC, have decided to demolish it and use the 1/3-acre footprint to build a high rise hotel and/or residential building.

After its original unveiling, the mural was updated to include another Austin music icon, Janis Joplin. Austin’s Historic Landmark Commission will review the plans to demolish the mural and building at a meeting on November 6th. Though the mural is not even 10 years old, it’s perhaps the most recognizable piece of public art in downtown Austin. Demolishing the 100-year-old building might also be a hurdle for developers.

The mural is one of three pieces of public art paying tribute to Willie Nelson in Austin’s downtown region. There is also the statue in front of the Moody Theater where Austin City Limits is taped, as well as a smaller “Willie for President” mural on South Congress Avenue.

Attempting to preserve the mural or the building isn’t entirely implausible. The legendary Daniel Johnston “Hi, How Are You” mural at 21st and Guadalupe streets in Austin was preserved when the building itself was torn down for development in 2023. It had been preserved on the side of the building since 1993. But since the Willie/Janis mural is so large, and the building potentially irreparable, it’s days in downtown Austin might be numbered.