Valiant Group considers purchase of BK&M property

Valiant Group CEO Josh Manning confirmed today that his company is considering purchasing the property at the disputed northwest corner of Sunshine Street and National Avenue from developer BK&M LLC. 

The eight parcels owned by BK&M have been the locus of some three-and-a-half years of heated debate over the future of the corner – the city’s second-busiest, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting – and of the University Heights neighborhood in which it is located. 

Manning said he plans to discuss the matter with University Heights residents in a meeting of its neighborhood association on Jan. 13. 

Manning said he was approached by Ralph Duda of BK&M with the proposal, and Duda was turned on to Valiant by members of Springfield City Council. 

SBJ is seeking comment from Duda and the University Heights Neighborhood Association. The Springfield Daily Citizen was first to report on the potential purchase by the Valiant Group. 

In an interview with SBJ, Manning said he and Duda have had several conversations, but he added that he has not yet performed financial due diligence and there is no contract – it’s just an idea he’s exploring. 

“It’s an important corner in our city, and something needs to be done with it,” he said. 

Manning confirmed his interest in the property. 

“Am I interested in it? Yes. Are we going to try to work something out? Yes,” he said. “Housing is one of the biggest issues for our community right now. Housing is what I do, and the idea is to have a housing project there.” 

Manning told SBJ he’s considering a townhome or multifamily development, and he said if he takes on the property, he would work closely with the neighborhood association on plans. 

“I don’t think they’re going to get 100% what they want, and I’m not going to get 100% what I want, but we’ll see if we can compromise and come to a solution,” he said. “I just want to see if I can get them behind me and support us to get it across the table.” 

Manning said a price has not been determined. 

“Ralph and his partnership, they’ve got a lot of money invested in it,” he said. “That’s part of the other hurdle is that we want to make them whole. It’s going to take some creative stuff, maybe some participation from the city.” 

Manning said the first step is determining if he and the neighborhood can work together. 

“Is the neighborhood association going to like who I am and what I’m doing and be willing to partner with me through this development?” he said. “If the meeting goes well, we’ll make this happen.” 

If Valiant is not a fit, he said, BK&M will continue as property owner. 

“Duda’s got a very stout partnership; they’re financially invested in taking this as far as they need to, and nobody wants that,” he said. 

Manning said he would like to do a really good development on the corner. 

“I want to try something that’s a win-win for the neighborhood, for the community and for us as developers,” he said. “If I can get their support and the city’s support, we’ll move forward. If I can’t get their support, I’m not going to go through the same battles we’ve been seeing.”  

The corner has been the subject of controversy between University Heights residents and Duda’s company BK&M since August 2022, when Duda and fellow BK&M developer Anthony Tolliver proposed a mixed-use project for the busy corner just northwest of Mercy hospital. In the years since, BK&M made myriad updates and adjustments to its proposal for the eight properties it owns on the corner, according to past reporting.  

In mid-December, BK&M withdrew a rezoning request set to go before the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission that included the addition of a hotel to the list of acceptable uses for a requested Office 2 rezoning classification for the 2.6 acres in question, according to past reporting. 

A representative of BK&M said at the time that the developer requested the withdrawal after the development team, including Duda, believed it could be successful in obtaining P&Z approval, but the required supermajority approval by City Council was seen as unlikely.