Seemingly overbuilt basement wall - load bearing?

Question

I'm doing some prep/exploratory work before I begin finishing my basement. Home was built in 1980 and has a cement block foundation. There is a seemingly random wall framed in the otherwise unfinished basement. I pulled one side of the sheetrock - I was originally planning on demoing the wall completely to accommodate the layout I was going for. I was surprised with what I found: a "diagonally" framed wall with a pretty serious 4x6 header spanning about 12' across. This occurs at an outcropping within the foundation. The wall runs between the front of the home (flat wall, ~52' in length) and an outside corner. Obviously the wall is not carrying any vertical load, but rather it seems to perhaps have been framed to allow some horizontal load (to support the outside corner of the cement block foundation, perhaps?). Notice the about 16" into the cement block outside corner a steel beam that is supporting the middle of the home is resting on the top of the foundation (2nd pic).
Whether I leave the wall or not isn't a huge deal to my design, and I'd need to run some electric into it anyways, so removing one side of the sheetrock isn't wasted effort. I've honestly just never seen anything like this before (father was a general contractor, been in many homes getting framed during my early years). I'm thinking someone was just bored on the job one day, but would love some other opinions. One odd thing I noticed is that the black waterproofing paint/coating is present behind the vertical studs that are affixed to the cement block, meaning this wall wasn't there during the time that coating was applied. Another odd thing is that the 4x6 header appears to be much older than the rest of the framing, almost like it came off a different job site or something.
Anyone seen anything like this before?

Michael Karas · Answer

This gives all the impression that is was designed and installed to support the basement wall that the "arrow" of the diagonal bracing points to. The vertical post against that wall is what was put there to support that wall.
The bottom of that post is most certainly held up against the wall securely by the bottom plate in that wall which is likely pinned to the concrete floor.
The top of post is held against that wall by having that large horizontal beam bear against the opposite basement wall.
The diagonal braces are keeping the center of the vertical post from bowing in. The studding fitted above and below the diagonals is placed there to keep the long diagonals straight so that they do not bend under compressive load.
You should carefully evaluate what is going on on the outside of the basement wall where that vertical post is located. There may be excessive ground pressure against that wall due to any number of reasons that can only be guessed at. In the evaluation also check the wall itself to see of there is evidence of cracked blocks, cracked mortar joints or overall inward buckling of the wall.
It is even possible, though not likely, that this wall support was placed there based upon past concerns that may not be obvious today.

Seemingly overbuilt basement wall - load bearing?

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