Fordham residents criticized the New York Botanical Garden Sunday for leaving a construction project started last summer untouched for months.

Residents say the project is an eyesore in the community. The Botanical Garden broke ground at a lot on the corner of Webster Avenue and Bedford Park Boulevard to make way for a $55 million, six-story parking garage, which would allow many more garden guests, as well as Metro-North customers, to park in the neighborhood.

Neighbors say the garage was supposed to bring more visitors and more business to the area, but the Botanical Garden has ceased construction. A statement issued by the Botanical Garden says, "While we are delayed due to the economic climate, we are fully committed to the project."

A spokesman for the Botanical Garden says it should know within the next four months if it will have the proper funding to proceed with the project. The parking garage could take up to one year to complete.