Located at 7500 Poe Avenue, on the eastern side of I-75 opposite of the Miller Lane restaurant row, the restaurant has sat vacant for years.
The property’s owner, Rami Nwaisser, was expected in court Thursday for a zoning violation filed by the city last summer. Hopkins said the violation centers around the property’s signage out front, which is in a state of disrepair.
Vandalia Municipal Court records show Nwaisser received zoning violations in 2023 and 2020, as well.
“We are trying to work with the owners for a resolution to the violations but, at this point, we have no escalated the situation to a nuisance declaration,” Hopkins said this week. “We are hopeful that we can resolve these issues through our present course of action.”
Cincinnati-based Mexican restaurant chain El Rancho Grande opened in the 9,000-square-foot Poe Avenue space in 2005. It closed permanently in 2017 after a 12-year run.
Prior to that, the property operated as an Olive Garden restaurant.
The building was constructed in 1990 and sits on 2.69 acres, records show.
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