The new literati spruce - part 1

When I acquired this one in fall of 2004 I was quite sceptical. As you can see the tree seems to have a very interesting trunk line. But it is planted on the very edge of this box. The reason is that there is an enormous root which is totally out of place. If this root has to stay the tree is not worth very much. Will it ever be possible to cut the thick root off without killing the tree? Can we mount the whole tree on a slab to live with the root forever?