The CU Boulder Office of Infrastructure and Safety welcomes Derek Silva as its new executive director of Real Estate Services.
New Executive Director of Real Estate Services Derek Silva
Silva’s duties will include managing the acquisition of strategic real estate assets as well as representing the university as both a tenant and a landlord in leasing arrangements.
The hire comes at a key point in time in which the university is collaborating with the city and other stakeholders in developing its vision for the CU Boulder South property as well as working with private developers on the hotel and conference center project on the Grandview site at the northwest corner of Main Campus.
Silva started in his new position Aug. 1. He will report to Vice Chancellor of Infrastructure and Safety David Kang and take over for Jeff Lipton, who has been leading Real Estate Services for six-plus years. Lipton will remain on campus through December to assist with special projects.
“Derek fills a vital role that is both inward facing as well as outwardly focused, and both facets are crucial to CU Boulder,” Kang said. “His overarching task will be to develop and implement a sound long-term strategy for CU’s use of real estate going forward.”
Silva brings to CU Boulder nearly 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, most recently serving as assistant director of real estate for the University of Texas System (UT) in Austin, Texas. Among his accomplishments during his eight-plus years at UT were $1.25 billion in lease transactions as well as licensing of the Alamodome as the home field for the University of Texas at San Antonio football team. Prior to his time at UT, Silva spent a decade in commercial real estate in Texas.
Lipton, meanwhile, has served the university for 40 years in a variety of roles, including executive director of facilities and two stints as acting vice chancellor of administration. Over the past several months, Lipton helped usher the university through the recently approved changes in city and county land-use designation for CU Boulder South, opening the door for annexation discussions to begin.
“We’re extremely grateful for the significant contributions Jeff has made to CU Boulder,” Kang said. “His expertise and dedication have proven invaluable and will continue to reap rewards as some of our major real estate initiatives progress.”
