As with any long-term city planning strategy, Vista's city leaders knew they were going to have to wait a long time before cashing in the promised but delayed gratification of the Vista Village Redevelopment Project.

They don't have to wait long now. By December, all of the businesses who signed up to be a part of Phase One of the ambitious project will be opening their doors in a revitalized urban environment.

Dena Fuentes, Vista's director of redevelopment, said that everything was in line to complete the first phase in November. "We've been waiting for many years so everyone is really excited to see this happen," she said. "This is the realization of a vision and the commitment of elected officials. They've been working on this idea for 10 years."

Fuentes called the project "an extension of the heart of the downtown area." And that's exactly what it looks like. The street trees and wide sidewalks reveal the city's desire to create a place where people can walk -- whether it's to one of the many shops or restaurants or to see a movie.

A new 15-screen stadium-seating movie house -- the Kirkorian Theatres -- will be the anchor of the new area. It along with the rest of the phase should be open in November, as well.

The buildings and design of the area are meant to "resemble an eclectic collection of styles reminiscent of the pattern of individual infill buildings along the street blocks of the existing downtown area," according to a city press release.

The first phase of Vista Village is scheduled to be complete in November. Already Phase five of the redevelopment project has been completed.

Fuentes said there's something for everybody in the new development. Recently the Japanese Café and Sushi Bar and Juice Zone announced their intentions to locate new locations at Vista Village. Representatives of the Backstreet Brewery/Lampost Pizza also announced recently that it would vie for a bigger parcel inside the development showing an encouraging amount of optimism.

The growing list of tenants getting ready to open for business before the end of the year include: Subway Sandwiches and Salads, Coldstone Creamery, AT&T (NYSE: T), Ten Perfect Nails, La Salsa and Panda Express. A high-end deli, Panera Bread, is in final discussions to lease more than 5,000 square feet as well.

Shortly after celebrating the opening of Phase One, the developer of the Vista Village project, Regency Centers, will initiate construction on Phase Two which will include a branch of the San Diego National Bank and Chili's. Mark Harrigian, senior vice president for Regency Centers said construction has already begun on a large Staples Office Supply (Nasdaq: SPLS) as part of Phase Two.

Fuentes said Regency Centers' efficiency has facilitated impressive progress on the redevelopment. "They have been able to take the lead on all fronts: construction, leasing and financing," Fuentes said. "They have their own funding and that helps them expedite the projects they're signing up. They can set their own criteria for leasing."

Harrigian said the $34 million project will try to accomplish something mildly extraordinary in a largely suburban region. "It's a pedestrian-oriented revitalization project," he said. "Our goal is to try to create an environment and a tenant mix that balances the traditional night-time and weekend business associated with the theater and other tenants that will generate more traffic in the daytime."

Although Phase Two hasn't begun yet, Phase Five is done. A 120,000-square-foot Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) home improvement retail center has already opened there. Officials will not begin marketing and planning Phases Three and Four of the redevelopment project for an undetermined period.

"We're waiting for the opening of the first phase of the project to create momentum that will help push us into the next plans," Fuentes said. She said this fall the city will be interviewing consulting teams who will bid for the chance to present a vision of the next steps in the development to the City Council