In what would continue a building boom around UW-Madison, a developer is proposing to demolish two houses for a $6 million, eight-story apartment building in the Langdon Street National Register District.

Developer Patrick Corcoran is seeking to demolish two two-story, wood-frame houses at 617 and 619 Mendota Court for a 40,000-square-foot building that would have 33 rental units and a total of 103 bedrooms.

"We're looking at the student market," Corcoran said. "It's a good time to build."

The building would have a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom units renting for between $650 and $750 per bedroom, Corcoran said.

The two houses to be demolished appear to have no special historic or architectural significance, said Ald. Bryon Eagon, 8th District, who represents the area.

The site is in a national, but not local, historic district, Eagon said.

"My first impression has been positive," he said. "Overall, I think the concept fits well within the area. I look forward to hearing more specifics in the next few weeks."

The building design would be "traditional" as a nod to the historic district but wouldn't be aimed to mimic older structures, Corcoran said.

The development team is scheduled to make informational presentations to the Urban Design Commission on Wednesday and Landmarks Commission on Nov. 16.

Corcoran said he hopes to break ground in the late summer of 2010 and open the building the following year.

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