The more than 240 people who were shut out of their unfinished apartments should be able to move in early October.

Tenants expecting to move into Stadium View Apartments II on Lincoln Highway earlier this month instead found workmen scurrying to complete DeKalb’s newest apartment complex. The building’s barren frames instead of decorated walls are forcing residents to find shelter while coping with tedious back-to-school details.

The future residents of the 60, four-bedroom apartments are staying with friends, family or in hotels with compensation for their expenses.

Those staying in hotels receive $25 for moving fees, 65 cents per day for storage fees and $3 per day food compensation, apartment manager Don Friedman said. Commuting students also receive driving compensation.

“Obviously, it’s not fair for the people who want to be in their units, but we’re doing the best we can,” said Brad Rubeck of the Rubeck and Co., the project developers.

The complex is owned by the Stadium View Partnership, in which Rubeck and Co. is a substantial holder, Rubeck said.

The partnership is giving the displaced tennants the money to help offset the cost, Friedman said.

“This is costing them about 2 1/2 times what people are paying for rent,” Friedman said. “It’s killing the developer.”

Groundbreaking for three-building apartment complex originally was set for mid-April and was to be completed by Aug. 1. But the project was delayed two weeks, Friedman said.

Rainy weather and readjusting plans to fit city fire codes added to the late start and forced back the construction deadline.

Stan Lewis, DeKalb Building and Community Services plumbing and building inspector, said the complex originally was intended to be one long unit, but was broken into three parts to provide five-foot walkways for fire hoses in case of a fire.

Workers now are allowed to begin drywalling the inside walls on 27 units which were inspected by the city, Lewis said.

NIU juniors Kathi Schuerman and Liz Roselieb are two of the 190 tenants who are staying at the Days Inn of DeKalb for about a month. Other tenants are staying at the Motel 6 and the Georgetown Motel, Friedman said.

Although the two said they’re disappointed their apartment isn’t finished, “for the situation we’re in, they set us up pretty nicely,” Roseleib said, trying to relax in her hotel room stocked with a mini-refrigerator, a microwave and bags of food.

Surprisingly, “people have still been signing up knowing full well the apartments will be late,” Friedman said.