Vote for PlanPhilly’s Patrick Kerkstra for Best Reporter in 2010

For the past six months, PlanPhilly has been hard at work at Desolate to Dynamic, an ongoing series highlighting the dramatic change that has occurred in Eastern North Philadelphia since the 90s. Over its course, a small team of four has produced six stories, seven videos, eight interactive graphics and more than 100 photographs to show the planning, patience and politics that made it possible to reclaim the once abandoned neighborhood. That reporting is led by Patrick Kerkstra, a former Inquirer reporter who joined forces with PlanPhilly because of his interest in online journalism and his intrigue in the development of Eastern North Philadelphia.

This week, Patrick’s work was nominated for “General Excellence in Writing for a City Publication,” in the 2010 Philebrity Awards. We hope that with your vote, Patrick can win.

Our next edition of the Desolate to Dynamic series will show service access and service deserts in Philadelphia later in December. A final piece, tying together all of the series editions, will be published in early 2011. We hope to be working with Patrick throughout 2011 and together, we are exploring additional investigative opportunities.

We hope you’ll give the series a read and vote for Patrick today!

Series Landing Page

Part 1: SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST: HOW CENTER CITY’S RELENTLESS EXPANSION REMADE A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD

Part 2: VACANT LAND, FOCUSED PLANS

Part 3: VACANCY VICTORIES ARE RARE, BUT CITY SAYS REFORM IS COMING

Part 4: A NEW FACE ON RACE RELATIONS

Part 5: APM SET ITS OWN RULES

Part 6: A SURPRISING MIX OF BRICKS, MORTAR AND IMAGINATION

Part 7: Service access and service deserts (December)

Final (Early 2011)