BOSTON — MassDevelopment announced today that Sandi Wolchansky Silk has joined the agency as Executive Vice President of Real Estate, a key leadership role overseeing its statewide development initiatives.
In her new position, Silk will lead MassDevelopment’s real estate division, including its planning and predevelopment, development, asset management, and engineering departments. She will also serve as a member of the agency’s executive team, helping align real estate strategies with Massachusetts’ broader economic development priorities.
“As the state’s land bank, MassDevelopment offers a range of resources and expertise to help communities unlock the potential of key sites and advance housing and job creation,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “We are thrilled to bring experienced real estate leader Sandi Wolchansky Silk on board to guide this work and maximize our impact across Massachusetts.”
Silk joins the agency from MURAL Real Estate Partners, a New York City–based mixed-income, mixed-use development firm, where she served as Senior Vice President and Head of Development. In that role, she oversaw major projects in Queens, New York; New Haven, Connecticut; and Atlanta, Georgia.
Over the course of her career, Silk has led complex mixed-use and multifamily developments, including transformative projects in Massachusetts Gateway Cities. She brings extensive experience structuring and executing public-private partnerships, a critical component of MassDevelopment’s work with municipalities and private-sector partners.
Her prior leadership roles include senior development positions at Jefferson Apartment Group, Federal Realty Investment Trust, JPI, and Archstone Smith Communities Trust. Silk began her career in public service as a project manager with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, where she managed the development of City Square Park in Charlestown and led park planning initiatives across southeastern Massachusetts.
Silk holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Washington, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies & Public Policy from Boston University.
She has also played a prominent leadership role in the industry. Silk served as Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Boston/New England District Council from 2022 to 2025 and currently serves as Governance Chair, District Council Counselor, and a member of its Management Committee. In addition, she is Vice Chair of the Town of Brookline’s Economic Development Advisory Board.
“Joining MassDevelopment is an exciting opportunity to leverage my experience as a developer working in Gateway Cities and other communities across Massachusetts,” Silk said. “Throughout my career, I have partnered closely with municipalities, state agencies, and community stakeholders to advance catalytic projects through strong public-private collaboration. Bringing that perspective to MassDevelopment will help strengthen the agency’s ability to deliver programs and projects that drive meaningful, lasting economic vitality throughout the Commonwealth.”
MassDevelopment serves as the state’s development finance agency and land bank, delivering financing solutions, real estate expertise, and technical assistance to businesses, nonprofits, developers, banks, and municipalities. In fiscal year 2025, the agency financed or managed 409 projects that generated more than $4.65 billion in investment across Massachusetts. Those projects are estimated to create or support 25,246 jobs and build or preserve 2,867 housing units statewide.
With Silk’s appointment, the agency aims to further strengthen its capacity to drive housing production, job creation, and transformative redevelopment projects throughout the Commonwealth.
