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Three months have passed since the General Services Administration put the historic U.S. Custom House in Portland up for public auction. Only five people have bid on the building so far, according to GSA realty specialist Andrew Schwartz.

The GSA has posted a closing date for the auction – Sept. 21. The most recent bid for the building is $500,000. The suggested opening bid for the building, however, was $2.5 million. Located at 220 N.W. Eighth Ave. in Portland, the U.S. Custom House had trouble securing a tenant since the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers moved out of the building in 2004, prompting the GSA to put the building on the auction block in May.

“Selling the building at $500,000 would be left up to the GSA,” Schwartz said. “We’re hoping that by announcing the closing date there will be an impetus for increased bidding activity.”

The identities of the five people bidding on the building will be kept confidential until a sales contract has been signed, Schwartz said.