Downtown LA gym owner defies landlord's order to remove mural of Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The owner of a downtown Los Angeles gym is defying her landlord's order to remove a popular mural honoring the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

The local artist Sloe Motions painted the mural on an outdoor wall at Hardcore Fitness on Pico Boulevard a few days after the helicopter crash in Calabasas that killed the Lakers icon, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others.

Spanning the height of the single-story building, the painting depicts both Kobe and Gianna with angel wings. They are seen among clouds while wearing basketball jerseys.

The mural, located about half a mile from Crypto.com Arena, is one of about 340 murals in Southern California that feature Kobe Bryant.

More than three years after the painting outside Hardcore Fitness was created, the gym's owner, Cecilia Moran, says she recently received a notice from the landlord informing her that he wants it removed.

In an interview with ABC7 on Friday, Moran said the building's owner wants to use the wall space for advertising.

ABC7 has not been able to reach the landlord for comment.

Kobe Bryant fan dedicated years to crafting quilt of Lakers legend

Nate Robbins spent several years working on his Kobe Bryant quilt, which was recently displayed at the Long Beach Quilt Festival.

"What he has notified me is, if I don't remove the mural by Dec. 31 he's going to be doing it and I'll have to pay all the costs that involves," Moran said.

She insisted that she's "OK with that, because I refuse and I'm going to stand for what I believe. And what I believe is that's not right.

"I don't believe in destroying something that has so much impact on people," Moran added.

A Change.org petition has been created in an effort to preserve the mural. More than 3,400 signatures had been collected as of Friday afternoon.