A Weinland Park carryout that Columbus officials and neighbors say attracted crime and drug sales will be closed for at least three months under the terms of a settlement reached Monday between the owner and the city.

In January, city attorneys filed a complaint against both the owner of the building housing Natalia's, 1293 Summit St., and the operator of the business. They alleged that it was a nuisance in the redeveloping neighborhood near Ohio State University that attracted gang members, felons and people wanted on arrest warrants. Columbus police had been called there on reports of shootings in 2015 and 2016, and also of assaults, disturbances, weapons and drug activity.

The operator also was charged with underage liquor sales in 2012, 2015 and 2016.

None of the shootings or assaults took place in the building, Assistant City Attorney Katarina Karac said. On Sept. 19, 2015, someone was shot in front of Natalia’s. On July 18, 2016, police were dispatched there on a report of a shooting and found someone shot just west of East 6th Avenue and Summit Street.

"Over the years, it developed a reputation where gang activity occurs, where police activity occurs," she said.

Natalia's is across the street from Weinland Park Elementary School and Ohio State's Schoenbaum Family Center and the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy. Children have been harassed by people hanging around outside Natalia's, said Jen Mankin, who leads the Weinland Park Community Civic Association.

Still, Mankin said others had mixed feelings about the closing because Natalia's was a grocery store for those close by.

In 2014, Ohio State's Campus Partners bought two troubled carryouts nearby on North 4th Street for $1.1 million to close them down. The stores were known as crime magnets. The sites have not been redeveloped.

Karac said city building inspectors have also declared the Natalia's building unsafe.

The settlement was worked out between the city and building owner Eden Tesfay of Reynoldsburg. Franklin County Environmental Judge Dan Hawkins signed the order Monday on the agreement, which contains a permanent injunction the city could lift if there is a buyer for the property.

A settlement with Natalia's operator, Tedros Werke of Columbus, was worked out in early March. The futures of the building and the business are unclear.

Gary Gillett, the attorney for Tesfay, said his client settled because a loss at trial risked a one-year shutdown that would have made it harder to sell the building.

"We don't think they had a valid case against the owner," he said. "Which is different than a valid case against the tenant."

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mferenchik@dispatch.com