Introduction
On March 18, 2026, Ramanujan Group LLC filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. The debtor's principal asset is Blackhawk Plaza, the Danville, California shopping and dining center.
The case matters to secured lenders, tenants, vendors with unpaid invoices, and professionals who track commercial real estate restructurings. This article covers the case facts, reported pressures on the property, creditor implications, key legal protections, and upcoming deadlines. The docket moves quickly, so check every detail against the current court record before relying on it.
Key Takeaways
- Ramanujan Group LLC filed case 8:26-bk-10832-SC on March 18, 2026, in the Santa Ana division.
- Treat the petitions' asset ranges, liability ranges, and SARE box as unconfirmed until checked against the docket.
- The automatic stay may pause collection and foreclosure, but it does not guarantee the current owner keeps the property.
- Possible outcomes include refinancing, a sale, a confirmed plan, conversion, or dismissal. None is certain.
What the Blackhawk Plaza Chapter 11 Filing Says
The debtors and the property
Ramanujan Group LLC is the lead debtor. A debtor-filed status report says it originally acquired the Danville shopping center and later transferred a partial interest. The owners then formed Ramanujan Group MOM LLC in November 2024 to hold title.
MOM filed its own Chapter 11 case, 8:26-bk-10888, on March 20, 2026, not March 18. Its docket shows an October 15 entry titled "Dismissing Case." The order text is not readily available, so confirm its terms and effective date from the court file.
Case snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California (Santa Ana) |
| Lead case | 8:26-bk-10832-SC |
| Petition date | March 18, 2026 |
| Judge | Scott C. Clarkson |
| Counsel | Raines Feldman Littrell LLP (approved July 8, effective March 24) |
| Authorized representative | Howard Grobstein, sole manager (order of July 22) |
| Asset/liability ranges and SARE box | Not readily available in the petition text |
Chapter 11, the automatic stay and debtor-in-possession status
In Chapter 11, a debtor generally reorganizes or sells assets under court supervision while it keeps operating. Under sections 1107 and 1108 of the Bankruptcy Code, the debtor in possession exercises a trustee's powers, subject to court limits and oversight from the U.S. Trustee and creditors.
Section 362 of the Code generally stays collection, lien enforcement, and control of estate property. Exceptions exist, and creditors can seek stay relief for cause, including lack of adequate protection.
In related litigation, a federal docket shows Nano Banc and the FDIC, as its receiver, already active. That case was removed from Orange County Superior Court on October 1, 2026; those are docket events, not findings on liability.
Docket activity so far
- October 7: the court approved KW Commercial and CBRE as brokers and sale advisers.
- October 9: the debtor moved to use cash collateral and shorten notice; the hearing is set for October 28 at 1:30 p.m.
- October 16: Preferred Bank filed a response to that motion.
- No DIP financing request, claims agent, or creditors' committee appears on the docket through October 16.
Why Blackhawk Plaza Entered Chapter 11
Capital structure and lien priority
Lenders are involved, but first-lien and second-lien balances and ranking are not readily available from the schedules or a claims register. Media-reported loan figures should be treated as unverified. Lien priority matters because senior secured creditors are paid from collateral value before junior lienholders. Check the schedules and proofs of claim for the actual figures.
Operating pressures
- Vacancy and maintenance: A receiver's report filed September 11 describes significant vacancy and deferred maintenance at the initial inspection. These are statements in a court filing.
- Tenant departures: The Mercury News reported on February 5, 2026, that Draeger's Market had revealed a planned closure. The report does not establish a lease rejection or a vacate date.
- Possible sale path: The debtor's September 10 status report floats a joint sale with BCOA's parcels, citing a $63 million value. That is the debtor's own figure, not an appraisal. A combined deal would need BCOA approval and land-use approvals.
- Property boundaries: The debtor owns the shopping-center parcels, while BCOA owns parking and common areas, so any sale covers only the debtor's parcels.
Receivership and litigation
The Orange County Superior Court appointed receiver Douglas P. Wilson on February 3, 2026, according to his filed report. Under section 543, a custodian generally must stop administering estate property and turn it over, unless the bankruptcy court excuses compliance after notice and hearing. Later orders could change this, so verify the current position.
Nano Banc litigation allegations remain unadjudicated. Do not read them as proven facts.
Unsecured claims
The main petition's Form 204 lists, among others:
- Allied Universal: $40,641.33
- BP Environmental Services LLC: $37,353.92
- Tripple Threat Plumbing LLC: $25,036.84
These are debtor-listed amounts, not allowed claims, and they may change through amendments or claims reconciliation. A debtor declaration identifying a single cause of filing is not readily available.
What Happens Next for Creditors and the Property
The SARE deadline question
Under section 362(d)(3), a secured creditor of a single asset real estate debtor may seek stay relief unless the debtor files a feasible plan or starts monthly payments within 90 days. If that provision applies and the order-for-relief date is March 18, the 90-day point is June 16, 2026. No SARE ruling or extension appears on the docket.
The October scheduling order is a separate matter. It set December 15, 2026, for the disclosure statement and plan. It extended exclusivity for proposing a plan to October 16 and for solicitation to December 17. A status conference is set for January 26, 2027, at 11:00 a.m.
Possible paths
- Refinancing or consensual restructuring: requires lender agreement and, often, court approval.
- Asset sale: needs a sale motion and court approval; none is on file yet.
- Plan of reorganization: needs a disclosure statement, creditor voting, and confirmation under section 1129.
- Conversion or dismissal: possible if no viable plan emerges.
How creditors participate
Creditors participate through notices, proofs of claim, objections, hearings, and plan voting. Secured lenders may also file stay-relief motions. The U.S. Trustee appoints any unsecured creditors' committee under section 1102; none has been appointed. No claims bar date has been set in the main case yet.
Recovery depends on collateral value, lien priority, claim classification, available cash, and plan or sale terms. A filing alone guarantees no distribution.
Monitoring the case
Watch for plan and disclosure-statement filings, sale motions, stay-relief requests, valuation disputes, operating reports, and the claims deadline. Professionals tracking this case can use BankruptcyData, a platform with alerts, docket monitoring, stakeholder tracking, and 600k+ records spanning 45+ years of U.S. bankruptcy activity. The platform supports research and monitoring but does not predict outcomes or give legal advice.
Blackhawk Plaza Chapter 11 Timeline
| Date | Milestone | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Before Nov. 2024 | Ramanujan Group LLC acquires the property (price and date not established) | Original ownership |
| Nov. 2024 | Ramanujan Group MOM LLC formed | Title-holding entity created |
| Feb. 3, 2026 | Receiver appointed in Orange County | State-court control over the property |
| Feb. 5, 2026 | Draeger's closure reported | Tenant loss signal |
| Mar. 18, 2026 | Ramanujan Group LLC files Chapter 11 | Automatic stay begins |
| Mar. 20, 2026 | MOM files separate Chapter 11 | Second debtor case |
| June 16, 2026 | Conditional 90-day SARE date | Applies only if section 362(d)(3) governs |
| Sept. 10-11, 2026 | Debtor and receiver status reports | Vacancy and possible $63 million sale path described |
| Oct. 7, 2026 | Brokers approved | Sale marketing can begin |
| Oct. 9, 2026 | Cash-collateral motion; plan schedule reset | Operating funds contested; plan due Dec. 15 |
| Oct. 15-16, 2026 | MOM dismissal-titled entry; Preferred Bank response | Dismissal terms not confirmed in the public record |
Current status: As of October 16, 2026, no plan, disclosure statement, or sale motion had been filed, and the cash-collateral hearing was pending for October 28.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will happen to Blackhawk Plaza under Chapter 11?
The property may keep operating while the debtor seeks to reorganize, refinance, or sell it. The outcome depends on court orders, creditor rights, valuation, and the plan the debtor pursues.
Will I get paid if Blackhawk Plaza files Chapter 11?
Payment is not guaranteed. It depends on claim classification, lien priority, estate value, plan or sale proceeds, and the claims process.
Who filed Chapter 11 for Blackhawk Plaza?
Ramanujan Group LLC filed on March 18, 2026, and affiliate Ramanujan Group MOM LLC filed separately on March 20. The cases concern the owning entities, not every nearby business or property.
Where was the Blackhawk Plaza bankruptcy case filed?
In the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana, as case 8:26-bk-10832-SC. Verify current information on the official docket.
What does the single asset real estate designation mean in this case?
SARE generally covers a debtor whose business is owning one real estate project, and it can trigger faster plan or payment requirements. Confirm any SARE designation on the official docket or with counsel.
How could the bankruptcy affect Blackhawk Plaza tenants and vendors?
No lease rejection or cure order is readily available on the public docket that would indicate tenants are being evicted. Vendors' pre-petition claims are generally handled through the claims process, and any lease assumption after default requires cure under section 365. Follow court notices and debtor communications.
