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Berkeley is $773,000 richer after auctioning off two residential housing lots on McKinley Avenue behind the public safety building Tuesday. 

The winning bid for a 3,900-square-foot lot at 2140 McKinley Ave. was $266,000. A 6,500-square-foot lot at 2114 McKinley Ave. sold for $507,000, City Manager Phil Kamlarz said. The buildings were estimated to sell for a combined $400,000, which means the city will have more money in its general fund than anticipated 

The city had budgeted $400,000 from the auction to pay for capital costs, such as fixing streets, so the City Council will now get to decided how to spend the additional $373,000. Last week, the Housing Advisory Commission requested that an undetermined portion of the sale price go to replenish the city’s housing trust fund. Councilmember Kriss Worthington said he expected a battle over how to spend the extra proceeds. 

Both properties were previously an employee parking lot before the construction of the new Public Safety Building. The properties are zoned as R-2 which allows for two-family residences.›