A new apartment complex scheduled to be ready to rent by fall 2003 offers students an alternative for signing leases so they won’t get stuck paying for additional rent.

The complex will be located just east of Wal-Mart on Route 16 and is scheduled to break ground this spring to be ready for residents in next school year. The apartments are being built by the Educational Development Company based in Florida that intends to build commercial stores, including onto the 57-acre lot where the apartments are planned to go, said Dean Barber, director of Public Works.

The 120-unit complex will have a clubhouse, pool and tennis courts and three bedrooms in most units. The benefit of this particular complex, Barber said, is the company will offer leases by bedroom.

Although the new complex is not entirely geared toward students, their creation of leases by the bedroom was designed to accommodate students.

Instead of signing a lease for the entire apartment, which leaves residents responsible for roommate’s rent money if they bail out of the lease, the new apartments are leased by bedroom. Thus, if a resident breaks his or her lease agreement, the landlord is responsible for the rent and filling the vacancy instead of the other roommates.

However, Barber said most likely block leases, those that are signed as a group for all bedrooms, will still be available for those who would prefer them.

So far the apartment complex has been approved by the city’s Board of Zoning and Appeals. It will be going before the city council in the next month or two for approval, Barber said.