Bernard's Garage demolition makes way for 5-story building
Bernard's Garage was finally razed this week for a five-story mixed-use building next to the city's light-rail stop.
Formerly owned by Clackamas County Chair Jim Bernard, the auto-repair business had been downtown for more than 90 years. Tom Brenneke, president of Guardian Real Estate Services, paid Bernard $1.8 million for the more than half-an-acre site last May.
The iconic sign for Bernard's Garage moved to the Milwaukie Musuem last month. Citizens have long admired how the automotive shop's sign is shaped like a wrench moving a bolt. Developers had initially wanted to reinstall the "B" sign atop their newly constructed building, but that plan didn't work with their final design.
Brenneke thinks the location next to the MAX platform is "really strong" for 110 apartments on top of 7,000 square feet of retail.
