Inspiration to Make an Old Building New Again

"If you dream it then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." - Zig Zigler

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Troy Clark feels one of his biggest dreams has been achieved. The success of The Allure in LaPorte is something he’d only hoped for. After completing his first full year in business, he enjoys helping others get what they’re hoping for.

Troy’s journey with “the old Eagle’s building” began on the MLS (multiple listing service) website. As an investor, he set up his first appointment to see it. Surprisingly, he wasn’t thinking a banquet hall—instead, he first thought the old building built in 1920 could be turned into an antique shop or apartments. But there were already great shops in LaPorte and historically the facility had been used as a banquet hall. Large gatherings would work because the layout was set up that way already.

But what kind of banquet hall would he have? All three floors of the building could be re-done, but that large of a project would be
the long-term goal. Meanwhile, it was decided that renting out the lower level while he worked on the main level and third floor would be a wise choice.

Fellow investors asked ‘Why LaPorte?’ The answer: it’s really a hidden gem—there’s gorgeous architecture here that isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Clark also began to notice there were no banquet halls like the one he wanted to create in LaPorte. He wanted to offer something to brides and the community, a facility with his twist on it.

He did have worries along the way. What if no one likes it? Will it be successful as a business? We have to pay it off… but how? Staff? Catering? Clark knew it could work but some critics thought he’d bitten off way more than he could chew, saying it would be a “learning experience” for him.

Alas, inside every great artist lies the ability to lay aside the logical and focus on the inspiration, we joke. Troy had an idea of what he wanted to do and an auction at Blue Chip Casino solidified it. He began collecting pieces and putting things together. Before he knew it, the project had become very “green” because iron, ceiling tiles and chandeliers all came from somewhere else and would have otherwise ended up in landfills.  

On May 28, 2009, Clark’s vision was manifested into reality at The Allure’s ribbon cutting ceremony. He described the feeling of everything coming together as a powerful, surreal experience.

People define success in different ways. For Clark, watching this building turn from an ugly duckling to a beautiful butterfly was true success. Since the completion of the remodel, he is often asked ‘What inspires you now?’ His answer varies from topics of furniture and décor to nature and architecture. Clark enjoys any challenge as a sort of litmus test of seeing if he can make a vision a reality.

“That’s the fun of doing it,” he said. “And I like the freedom of doing it on my own rather than for someone else. I know what I like.”

If other people like it, that’s an added bonus for Clark. The Allure will celebrate its second anniversary in May. So far, other people have liked it. For Clark, that’s the true inspiration.