Radian Apartments, the highly touted complex designed to provide more housing for undergraduates, released its apartment pricing for its fall opening last week, and rents for the complex are slated to be among the highest in the area.

The 14-floor building will start its pricing at $1,025 per tenent for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, and a single-bedroom unit - the most expensive option - will begin at $1,325 per month.

The University has hailed the construction of the apartments as a focal point in its initiative to alleviate housing problems and bring students closer to campus.

But many students say they would prefer to explore cheaper options.

"People should put their priorities in perspective," said College sophomore Caitlin Kramer. "Do I save money, or do I live in a nice apartment but not have any money?"

The average price for a one-bedroom apartment in University City is $850 per month, according an Office of Off-Campus Living survey of over 3,500 units in the area.

The average per-person rent for a house is even lower, at $676 a month.

The high price does come with its perks: Radian offers fully furnished units, each with its own kitchen, as well as high-speed Internet, basic cable, full utilities and a washer and dryer.

The complex will also include a fitness center, a gaming room, a study room and free parking and will be one of the closest off-campus options for students.

Officials from Penn and the building's developer, Inland American Communities, said those amenities make the high rents a non-issue.

"Prices will be right for the market, and it will be attractive" to students, said Paul Sehnert, Penn's director of Real Estate Development.

Elyse Hammett, a spokeswoman for the Inland Group, said she expects demand to be high, pointing out that over 600 people have inquired about the apartments through the company's Web site.

She said that, after interviewing students, the company placed its focus on providing more spacious options for students, many of whom said they "were living with lots of roommates crammed in a rental house."

And some students say the perks of living so close could outweigh concerns about the price.

"For the area that we are living in, the apartment is expensive," College senior Carolina Gholmia said. But "depending on the facilities, I'd consider it."

Sehnert said the Undergraduate Assembly and graduate-school representatives were invited to voice potential concerns to the University, though the meeting took place two years ago when the building was in its planning stages. Students mainly discussed their preferences for room design and layout.

Sehnert added that the University considered prospective design and pricing when selecting the Inland Group, but the school doesn't have the power to lower rents.

The apartments will be available next August.