Building 178, San Diego
historic place
Building 178 is a historic place in San Diego County. It was erected in 1942 as part of the Naval Training Center, or NTC, in San Diego. This building originally served as a recreation center for Navy personnel. It featured a bowling alley in its basement. Upper levels housed dance halls, game rooms, and a commissary. After the NTC closed in 1997, Building 178 remained vacant for over two decades. Through an adaptive reuse project, it was transformed into the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, known as 'The Joan'. This center opened in September 2025 and is now the permanent home of Cygnet Theatre. Building 178 represents the preservation and repurposing of San Diego's military and architectural heritage within Arts District Liberty Station.