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'Real World' set will be restaurant, store
Set will be Mexican-food restaurant despite many expensive rent offers
By Adrienne Lee 232-2220
The newest, well-known Austin landmark is an 18,000-square foot red brick building on San Jacinto Street in downtown's warehouse district. While it was there, a neon "Austin" sign on the roof served as a beacon for all those curious about the seven strangers to the city. On television and in photos, the Real World Austin house showed a giant Big Tex statue greeting guests at the front door, green beds against bright walls, clear spherical swings and an overall hip design. Since filming for the 17th season of the show is over, and the first episodes have aired, the building is relatively empty. The only things reminiscent of MTV's venture down south are an indoor, salt-water swimming pool and a hot pink wall with turquoise stripes. The building's owner, Will Houston, has already re-leased both wings of the tourist stop. The west side, where Real World cast members lived, will be transformed into a Colorado-based Mexican food restaurant called Rio Grande. The east side will be leased to a local company, Thomas Reprographics, to house another of their stores. Because Houston owns the building, the city told him he can do whatever he wants with the space. According to Ted Kenney, who is a producer with Bunim/Murray, the company in charge of "Real World's" production on MTV, previous shows' houses have been rented out to citizens for thousands of dollars a night. He said houses in Philadelphia, San Diego and Las Vegas internally and externally look the same as they did on MTV, to be used by people with thick wallets and the desire to be associated with the reality shows. Kenney said he thinks the "Real World: Austin" building could have had leasing success in the city and would have been a good idea for events like charity fundraisers or galas because of the Austin community's giving nature and its location downtown. The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely.
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