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Could this post be moved? It looks like it doesn’t go all the way to the 1st floor, but it also looks to be the only support for the large center beam supporting the roof above.
I would like to move the post back towards the mirror wall (to the left in the second picture) about 4-5 ft to gain space on the 2nd floor (the floor opening could then be filled in).
Wow... I totally missed the detail that the post is to be moved not removed. Much of this answer is still appropriate but changes to relocating the "green" beam instead of beefing up the "blue" beam.
I am assuming that the "beam" you're referring to is the post pointed to by the red arrow:
In that case, the absolute answer to your question is "Yes".
It will take significant work by a licensed structural engineer to make the modifications to the rest of the structure to ensure that it doesn't collapse.
The post in question carries the weight of the horizontal beam noted by the blue arrow. This beam carries the weight of one end of every single beam in your ceiling (see the other pic), and therefore carries roughly 1/2 the weight of the entire ceiling.
That post then transfers the weight down to the very thick looking beam in the floor that I've identified with the green box. This beam is what's keeping your ceiling from collapsing.
Your structural engineer will have to find a location for a new version of this "green" beam to support the post where you'd like to move it. That beam will have to be sized sufficiently (i.e. the same size as the existing one), to carry the load presently carried by the existing one. It will need posts (potentially hidden in existing or new walls) below it to carry the weight that's about to be put on it. Those posts will need proper footings in the ground to carry the weight on them. It's possible that some of the roof structure may need to change to accommodate the new location of the supporting post. Because of the glass above, there's a lot of weight on that post and the joints between it and the "rafter" beams that attach to it will need to be recalculated based on the new position.
This new beam will become a visual obstacle wherever it's going to be placed (it will be roughly the same size as the one it's replacing) and you may not like it there.
Any utilities (HVAC, electrical, water, other) running through the area of this new beam will need to be rerouted around or through it (I'd think that "through" would be possible, but would need to be designed in from the start).
Will this renovation be a simple task? No
The vertical bit is called the post, which is holding the horizontal beam. Any such changes require consultation with the original architect/engineer or a new engineer. This needs to be stressed, otherwise, you risk a major structural failure.
From my experience, from taking one paper on civil engineering and having 3 houses built, the beam would have been sized, based on where the post is attached. So, if the post is moved, it is highly likely that the beam would need bulking up.
Here's some very quick and dirty photo editing. If you DIDN'T move the pole but still filled in the area I think you're talking about, you would end up with something like this:
I'm guessing there's a spiral staircase curling under that new floor but there's still sufficient head space, maybe even enough to additionally floor the area outlined in red. If you can put up with leaving the pole there and put a new railing along that new edge, that's probably the cheapest solution to come fairly close to what you want.
