Developer Dave Smith has an eye for historical buildings.

It’s what drew him to the old Renton City Hall on Wells Avenue.

Now that sense of history has earned him the Renton Historical Society’s George and Annie Lewis Custer Award for Heritage Citizenship. The award will be presented to Smith Wednesday night at the society’s annual meeting.

“I was flattered by the recognition and the award,” said Smith of Seattle, a partner and realtor in Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc., a commercial real estate brokerage and investment firm in Seattle.

Smith said he wasn’t seeking recognition. “I was happy to make a big improvement to downtown Renton,” he said.

Smith spotted the old City Hall – built in 1924 as Renton’s first dedicated City Hall – on a drive through downtown Renton in mid-2009. There was a for-lease sign; Smith decided to buy the whole building from the Barei family of Renton.

In the intervening months, he made major upgrades to the building’s electrical, plumbing, cable and heating systems. He uncovered the building’s brick facade, covered for years by green glass tiles.

Smith consulted historic photographs in the Renton History Museum’s collection to assist with the rehabilitation.

Smith is about ready to welcome a local salon and spa that will mean the two-story building at 227 Wells Ave. is fully leased. It’s known as the Louisa Building.

Smith’s next-newest tenant is the Renton-based Razor Planet, an Internet company that develops software for church Web sites locally and nationally. The company has leased the entire second floor of the building.

Another new tenant is the Old Renton Book Exchange. Holdover tenants are the Renton Coin Shop and A&M Stamps.

Smith is the first developer to win the award, named for a pioneering Renton couple. George Custer was a builder himself, leaving behind a legacy of commercial buildings and homes in Renton and beyond built in the first half of the last century.

The award is designed to recognize individuals who have made “distinguished contributions” to documenting or preserving Renton’s history or educating the public about it, said Elizabeth Stewart, director of the Renton Historical Museum.

Previous winners include famed Renton artist Doug Kyes, former Renton Mayor Don Custer (who is related to George Custer) and City Council member Terri Briere. Briere was recognized for efforts to preserve the sign from the Roxy Theater in Renton, now on display at the museum.

“He was selected for his willingness to improve downtown Renton by returning this beautiful building to its former glory,” Stewart said of Smith.

Stewart points out that Smith’s efforts are a “great example of what you can do with buildings downtown.”

“We hope that others will follow his example, frankly,” she said.