SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- If Syracuse resident Ray Bohne got his way, a parking lot in his neighborhood would have been up years ago.
"Give us our neighborhood back. Make them get parking for their employees," he said.
TWC News is told those employees are mostly downtown and National Grid workers. The problem, residents say: Those workers are taking up the space residents say they need and deserve.
"Where you gonna park? There's no place to park. Company comes over? They have no place to park. You have a delivery coming here," said Park Avenue resident Joe Hall. "They can't park until they park illegal, then they back up traffic. It gets frustrating."
Parking along Park Avenue is on an even-odd schedule and it's free, so for many downtown workers, like those at National Grid, it's just the obvious choice.
"In terms of on-street parking question, it's something that comes with city living," explained National Grid spokesperson Virginia Limmiatus. "It is legal parking, and like I said, if it isn't a National Grid employee, it's someone else who is taking up that spot."
Residents, though, say National Grid should be required to provide free parking for their employees. They believe that's the only way to get their neighborhood back.
"There's got to be land around here for them to build garages or whatever," said Julie Harrington.
"If you have a certain amount of apartments, you have to supply parking for your tenants. Now, if you've got a certain amount of employees, I would think you would have to have parking for them too," added Bohne.
National Grid, though, says they have more than enough spots for newer employees who want to pay. Others have to wait until they are tenured in and get one for free.
TWC News did reach out to the city, but they did not have a comment.