We’ve heard buzz about this place for months, and starting tomorrow we’ll be able to check out Morgan’s Pier in person. Located at in the shadow of the Ben Franklin Bridge at 221 N Columbus Blvd., in a space that was formerly Octo and before that Rock Lobster (and before that, Hooters?), Morgan’s Pier will try to turn the “tide” that’s resulted in so much turnover here over the years.

From the north

And considering the people behind this concept, we’re inclined to believe that they will be successful. This spot will be brought to us by many of the folks who operate the wonderful new venue, Union Transfer. Included in the ownership group are Avram Hornik, of Four Corners Management, Sean Agnew, of R5 Productions, and Dave Pianka of Making Time. David Katz, of Meme is the man behind the menu.

Putting on the final touches

The concept here is a beer garden with tasty food, as well as DJ’s spinning and live music performances. Needless to say, this sounds like a bit of a step up from nearby Dave & Busters.

This new spot speaks to a renewed vibrancy for this immediate area. Directly across the street, a new residential building has been proposed (more on that soon). Race Street Pier opened about a year ago, to numerous accolades. Down the street, Live Arts new home, coming soon, will include performance space, as well as a bar and restaurant. And the Race Street Connector makes it all more accessible from Old City.

Something tells us that things are only going to continue looking up for this area, which has plenty of room for growth in the years to come. And as for Morgan’s Pier, we’d suggest checking it out sooner rather than later- we suspect it will get pretty crowded as the summer heats up.