Hillcrest’s Uptown District shopping center, anchored by Ralph’s and Trader Joe’s, is getting a fresh name and a $3 million makeover to fit in better with its trendy and diverse neighborhood.

The Uptown District Shopping Center at 1030 University Avenue in Hillcrest, built in the early ’90s, is a busy location. But vacancies have been popping up in the 148,638-square-foot urban ...