The Innovation and Design Building in the Boston Marine Industrial Park will add 206,388 square feet of commercial space after receiving approval from the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

The $15.5 million project will convert the space from industrial to commercial, including 50,000 square feet that will be set aside for retail and restaurants.

Since acquiring the lease rights for the complex last year, Atlanta-based developer Jamestown has been seeking to attract more tech tenants to the former military warehouses at 21, 23 and 25 Drydock Ave. and 1 Design Center Place. It offered start-up accelerator MassChallenge 25,000 square feet of space rent-free for five years as the expiration of its lease neared at One Marina Park Drive on South Boston’s Fan Pier. The accelerator moved to the Design Building in June.

Jamestown also has added amenities such as Hubway bike rental stations and daily visits by food trucks.

Beginning Thursday, the center will host the Better Business by Design exhibition in conjunction with Design Museum Boston. The exhibition will feature case studies on how design can help Massachusetts companies, and host a one-day conference featuring participating businesses on Aug. 6. Jamestown donated the ground-floor space to the local non-profit museum.