EXCLUSIVE: Mortar coming to a new neighborhood

"We think it's important while the change is happening the community has a sense of ownership and don't feel that they wake up one day and the neighborhood has changed without their input," he said. "We can create a safe, walkable, viable business district that's a destination and shows the true character of the community, which is racial diversity and economic diversity. We've been looking for partners for that because we can't do it ourselves and Mortar is a perfect fit for that." Wright hopes to have a permanent relationship with Mortar in the long-term, possibly giving the group two or three storefronts for it to run classes and house businesses.