The futures of homes on the 200 block of East Mifflin Street and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lamp House on Butler Street are being called into question as plans to develop a high-rise apartment building near Capitol Square continue to progress.

Apex Enterprises, a Madison-based development company, is hoping to build a new apartment structure off Capitol Square that would contain around 120 units and cost between $30 and $50 million.

Steve Yoder, president of Apex Enterprises, said there are three primary building options being considered.

“One option is to build in front of the Lamp House and leave the house where it’s supposed to be. The second is to build in front of it but then move the Lamp House toward Webster Street,” Yoder said. “The third option is to build on top of the McCormick Ramp.”

Jason Tish, executive director of the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, opposes moving the Lamp House from its original location and said his primary concern is maintaining the proper environment of the neighborhood and the Lamp House itself.

“What Apex is proposing would dramatically change the context of that house and where it was originally built,” Tish said. “It would change it from a traditionally scaled, single-family neighborhood to a high-rise apartment building.”

Conversely, Yoder said Apex’s goal under every Mifflin Street proposal would be solely to improve and renovate the Lamp House and turn it into a visitor center or something for the public.

Yoder believes building on the McCormick Ramp is the most favorable option, especially since the ramp was designed to maintain up to four stories of extra parking or residential space on top of the structure. Yoder also said Apex has done studies and ensures the parking ramp is still foundationally stable.

However, Capitol Point condominium owners expressed opposition toward building on top of the McCormick parking garage, citing subsequent blocked views and reduced property values, according to Tish.

The Mifflin Street homes are still not guaranteed safety even if the apartment structure is built on top of the McCormick Ramp, and Yoder believes preserving the traditional Mifflin appearance in that specific area is the wrong monetary choice for the city of Madison.

“We still think [maintaining the neighborhood] is the wrong financial thing to do for the city,” Yoder said. “To say the face of Mifflin Street should always be these quaint little houses is the wrong thing to do in the central business district.”

However, Yoder said if the city and the residents decide they want to maintain Mifflin’s appearance, Apex would be willing to transfer their development rights to purchase the “air rights” above the McCormick Ramp.

The plans for the apartment complex is still in the early stages, and Kevin Firchow of the Madison City Planning Commission said there is nothing formally submitted at this time. Yoder said the Mifflin Street project would take about 18 months to complete.

Apex Enterprises also recently proposed a $100 million building project on Lake Monona. The proposal would ultimately construct a hotel, meeting spaces and restaurants, among multiple other features.

Yoder said Apex will have their third steering committee meeting regarding this proposal Thursday evening.