Liberty Station is alive. Finally. Sometimes promise takes a while to manifest. The concept—to turn a 361-acre 1920s naval base into a mixed-use retail center and aortic gathering place for San Diegans—was greeted with a shrug and a sigh when it opened in 2007.

Sure, the wide-open grassy promenades were perfect for kids’ birthdays and jumpy houses. But the first tenants had zero sex appeal. Trader Joe’s. Starbucks. Panera. Cold Stone Creamery. La Salsa. Chains galore.