65 Wareham St. Photo courtesy of Boston Planning Department

A downturn in demand for an English language school’s program in Boston’s Leather District catalyzed a potential conversion into housing.

Two developers submitted applications this week to the Boston Planning Department to participate in the program, which is scheduled to expire for new participants in December. The two projects total 68 units.

Previously, the conversion program had received applications to convert 31 buildings into 1,785 new homes, totaling 1.5 million square feet of former commercial space.

In the Leather District, Language Studies International plans to close its English language school if city officials approve the $4 million project to create 15 apartments at 105 Beach St., including market-rate units renting for an estimated $2,083 per month.

The 5-story, 11,530-square-foot building has a ground-floor tenant, Fiagro’s sandwich shop, and vacant ground-floor space that could be converted into a tenant amenity area, according to an application submitted by LSI Inc.

The London-based company plans to finance the project through an internal loan, and will seek state and federal historic tax credits to help offset the cost of the project.

If approved, the project would receive a 75 percent abatement on property taxes for 29 years.

In South End, developer Joshua Brandt of design and construction management firm Stack + Co. submitted an application for a $33.1 million conversion project at 65-79 Wareham St.

The 47,013-square-foot vacant building would be converted into 53 apartments and 1,000 square feet of ground-floor cultural space.

Market-rate rents would range from $3,000 for studios to $7,000 for three-bedroom units.