Let the bidding begin: Shops of Grand Avenue now up for auction

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee's downtown mall is now on the auction block.

Bidding has started for the Shops of Grand Avenue on the website, Auction.com. The minimum starting bid is $4.75 million.

At least one local group is already mustering the funds to bid. They hope to buy and redevelop the struggling downtown mall -- possibly including a "collaborative" campus for local higher education institutions as well as retail.

The bidding on the mall ends on Thursday.