Developers of the Rose Garden in Danville are confident that the mixed-use project will make the town rosier.

The site, located along the southeast corner of Camino Ramon and Sycamore Valley Road, is currently under construction with the first tenants expected to open in February or March.

"It's going to be a nice collection of smaller, independent retailers that all have a little bit of a unique concept," said Brad Blake, chief executive officer of Blake Hunt Ventures, which is co-owner of the project with Castle Companies.

Blake said he had been eyeing the spot for more than 10 years until he recently had the opportunity to work with the town of Danville on a site plan.

The first part of the project involved construction of a new Navlet's Garden Center, which is now open and takes up two-and-a-half acres of the nearly 10-acre site.

Included in the project is 48,500 square feet of specialty retail, 10,600 square feet of office space and about 350 parking spaces. A later phase in the plan will add 56 apartment units.

The completed project is meant to feel more like a "lifestyle village" than a shopping center, said Craig Semmelmeyer, principal with Main Street Property Services Inc., which is the retail leasing agent for the Rose Garden.

One tenant getting top billing for the project is the Burke Williams Spa, which currently has nine facilities in California, including San Jose's Santana Row and San Francisco.

"Their drawing power is tremendous," Advertisement Semmelmeyer said. "It's going to set a tone for this project."

Slated to open in the spring, the second-floor 17,500-square-foot spa will offer massage, skin care and salon treatments.

Restaurants planning to move in include San Ramon's Cafe Esin, Bittersweet Chocolate Cafe, Amici's Pizzeria and Amaranta Cocina Mexicana.

One shop lined up for the Rose Garden is the Baby & Kids Company, based in Mill Valley.

Both Blake and Semmelmeyer touted the center's proximity along the regional Iron Horse Trail, which will have a path that leads directly to Rose Garden.

"It's only going to enhance the value of that area because it brings some services and amenities closer (to residents)," Blake said.

The hope is that Rose Garden will keep Danville residents shopping locally and also draw from along the Interstate 680 corridor from Pleasanton to Walnut Creek and beyond.

While the project has the potential to detract business from downtown Danville, Rose Garden representatives said they see the center enhancing the town's retail viability and took measures to work with the city to minimize competition.

"I think this is ultimately going to be complementary (to downtown)," Semmelmeyer said.