STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 20
Preserving the fabric of a neighborhood
Westwood conservation overlay district thrives
WESTWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
It ’ s a neighborhood where professors walk to work at the Oklahoma State University campus , doctors walk to work at Stillwater Medical Center , children walk to Westwood Elementary School and OSU students ride their bikes to campus .
More than 500 single-family residences are located here .
The neighborhood as it stands today – located southwest of Oklahoma State university – runs from West Admiral Ave . to West Sixth Ave . ( north-south ) and from S . Orchard St . to S . Western Rd . ( east-west ).
For many years , the neighborhood had a nice blend of renters and owners . But about 25 years ago , the Westwood neighborhood was different .
Bob and Diane Graalman , co-presidents of the Westwood Neighborhood Association , have lived in the same house for 43 years , so they ’ ve seen a lot of changes over time . The first 10 to 15 years were as “ pleasant as any I ’ ve had ,” Bob said .
“ I suppose for me , the moment arrived when I realized that , I didn ' t feel comfortable walking at night ,” Graalman said .
Graalman said there was a lot of yard parking and boisterous parties , and although Graalman felt the neighborhood could handle some of that , he wanted some-
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 20