Highway-straddling post office up for auction

A former Chicago post office that spans an expressway and has sat vacant for 14 years is going up for auction.

U.S. Postal Service spokesman Mark Reynolds says the 3-million-square-foot building will be auctioned Aug. 27, with a suggested starting bid of $300,000. The 14-story, 77-year-old facility has been up for sale for more than a decade.

A $300 million plan to build condos, offices and a hotel on the site fell through two years ago. Potential investors in the past have also considered a casino, water park or hotel for the location.