MassDOT's attempt to redevelop 5.5 acres of prime downtown real estate near Chinatown hasn't attracted a single bidder, officials said today, throwing into question the next steps for a parcel Gov. Charlie Baker touted as part of an initiative to sell off swaths of state-owned land.

The so-called "SouthGate Boston" redevelopment involves five properties tucked along Kneeland Street and near South Station, and includes MassDOT's District 6 headquarters.

MassDOT and the city of Boston teamed up to release an invitation for bids last fall, at the time setting a minimum bid of $167 million for the site, which could support up to 2 million square foot of development and 53,000 residential units. Officials said they later removed the minimum bid requirement and pushed the deadline to last Friday from March 3. But the changes still weren't enough to entice a bid for the site, the state confirmed today.

“MassDOT remains committed to working with the City of Boston and its private sector partner on this opportunity to redevelop an underutilized property in support of local economic growth for the neighborhood and community," MassDOT officials said in a statement.

State officials say they're "evaluating (the) next steps" and plan to ask developers about what changes could make the offer "more attractive and less complex for bidders."

City and state officials announced early last year their intention to put the land out to bid. Mayor Martin J. Walsh said at the time that city officials were "laser-focused on this," and Baker promoted it as part of his administration's "Open for Business" initiative, created in 2015 to move or redevelop underutilized state assets.

When officials opened it for bids last November, Secretary off Transportation Secretary Pollack said officials felt they created a plan that was "sensitive to issues raised by the community and which would be an attractive development opportunity."

Part of the land is used by a Veolia steam plant, which officials said would be moved underground.

Developing …