Though many attempts were made, developers have revealed that the beautiful 40-foot tall mosaics that graced the walls of Collin Creek Mall will not be able to be saved.

While trying to preserve the Sanger-Harris mosaics, developers learned the materials used to attach the mosaics to the walls are “full of asbestos,” meaning the thousands of tiny tiles glued to the walls can not be safely removed and cleaned.

As the Collin Creek Mall in Plano undergoes a transformation to a mixed-use development with homes, shops and entertainment, the developer says crews hit a snag in trying to preserve the nearly 40 year old "Sanger-Harris" mosaics outside the mall. https://t.co/YA55uB5Rfo pic.twitter.com/FXid5kPjvm — NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) October 1, 2019

The mosaics were in place since the mall opened in 1981, and for many residents, were more than just art. Hava Johnston, who started a Facebook group called Collin Creek Mall: An Era Gone By, said that the mosaics “became a landmark. You knew you were in Plano when you saw those beautiful mosaics from the highway.”

The development group working on the mall, Centurion American, said they are working to preserve other artwork and “nostalgia” from the mall. The developers expect the first phase of the Collin Creek Mall redevelopment will be complete in two years.

Via NBC DFW