JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Junction City officials remain optimistic lots the city took back after overbuilding a decade ago will be sold, even though only two of the first 25 lots offered for sale received bids.

The city took back 900 undeveloped lots left empty after the city was told in 2005 that as many as 8,000 troops would be transferred to Fort Riley. About 5,500 troops arrived but most preferred to live on base or couldn’t afford the new housing.

City Manager Allen Dinkel says a construction company bid on two adjacent lots during the recent auction. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Dinkel said the first 25 lots were not adjacent to each other and many developers have said they would be interested if they could buy larger groups of lots together.