Luxury Living In Downtown

Article by: Nyle Christensen - Project Manager

When I look up at the tower at 136 E. South Temple, now known as Seraph, I think first about the people who bring this project across the finish line.

This was not a simple remodel. It was a full transformation of a 60-year-old, 25-story office tower into 217 residential units. With a large welcoming lobby, 6-floor parking garage, 17 floors of residential apartments with high-end luxury units near the top. The building has been part of the Salt Lake City skyline for decades, and now it has a new life as housing in the heart of downtown.

More than a new coat of paint

GSL Electric began work during interior demolition in the late Summer of 2023 and reached substantial completion at the end of 2025, the first tenants arrived that December. Over that stretch, dozens of our electricians contributed to the project, totaling about 80,000 labor hours. Some were there for long periods, others came in during critical phases, but every person who put time into the job helped move it forward.

Before new electrical work could really begin, our team had to identify and mark the existing power sources so demolition could proceed safely. On an older building like this, that step mattered. There were original conditions that did not always match expectations, and there were plenty of surprises hidden behind walls, ceilings, and shafts. The building had served a very different purpose for a long time, so converting it from office space to apartments required patience, coordination, and a lot of problem solving.

The electrical construction itself was demanding. We were not working on a wide-open new build. We were working inside an existing high-rise, with tight spaces, changing conditions, and a schedule that required steady effort from every trade. There were many long days, weekends, and holidays. That is not something I take lightly. I am grateful for the commitment our crew showed and for the families behind them who supported that effort.

Rising to the occasion

One of the most memorable parts of the project was setting the 47,000-pound generator. Wagstaff Crane brought in a 900-ton crane for the pick, which required shutting down South Temple. The generator had to be lifted more than 200 feet away, carried up and over the building, and set down onto a level about 60 feet high. Wagstaff said it was the largest lift they had ever performed. It was impressive to watch, but more than that, it was a reminder of how much planning goes into a moment that may only last a short time.

There were plenty of other heavy lifts as well. Several 10-foot bus ducts, each weighing around 900 pounds, had to be maneuvered into place with a combination of equipment, planning, and human effort. Work like that does not happen because of one person. It takes coordination, communication, and trust between the people in the field.

A shared effort

That was true across the whole project. Big-D led a complicated job with a lot of moving pieces, and we appreciated the collaboration with their team and with the many other contractors involved. A project like this only succeeds when the trades work together. Everyone had their own challenges, and everyone had to make adjustments along the way.

For our part, I am proud of the way GSL’s electricians handled the work. They stayed with it through difficult phases, kept showing up, and found ways to solve problems without making a lot of noise about it. That kind of steady professionalism is what stands out to me most.

Seraph is now a visible part of Salt Lake’s continued downtown growth and an important contribution to the area’s housing needs. For those of us who worked on it, it is also something more personal. We can drive by, look up at that tower, and know we had a hand in helping bring it back to life.

That is a good feeling, and it belongs to the whole team.