Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Investment in mortgages, loans and preferred equity interests, at amortized cost:
Commercial mortgages, mezzanine loans and preferred equity interests		$ 1,292,639	$ 1,623,583
Allowance for loan losses		(12,354)	(17,097)
Total investment in mortgages, loans and preferred equity interests, net (including $1,184,588 and $1,428,961 held by consolidated VIEs, respectively)		1,280,285	1,606,486
Investments in real estate, net of accumulated depreciation of $138,214 and $158,688, respectively (including $192,070 and $252,376 held by consolidated VIEs, respectively)	[1]	716,432	986,942
Cash and cash equivalents		110,531	87,581
Restricted cash		190,179	207,599
Accrued interest receivable		36,271	47,343
Other assets		53,878	67,566
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $22,230 and $13,234, respectively		19,267	28,864
Assets of discontinued operations (See Note 9)			1,383,547
Total assets		2,406,843	4,415,928
Liabilities and Equity
Indebtedness, net of unamortized discounts, premiums and deferred financing costs of $36,892 and $53,092, respectively (including $1,288,258 and $1,762,672 held by consolidated VIEs, respectively)		1,751,082	2,399,475
Accrued interest payable		8,347	8,595
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		20,016	22,557
Derivative liabilities			4,727
Deferred taxes, borrowers’ escrows and other liabilities		168,047	197,908
Liabilities of discontinued operations (See Note 9)			952,530
Total liabilities		1,947,492	3,585,792
Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share, 4,000,000 shares authorized, 3,536,000 and 4,000,000 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		81,581	85,395
Shareholders’ equity
Common shares, $0.03 par value per share, 200,000,000 shares authorized, 92,295,478 and 91,586,767 issued and outstanding, respectively, including 1,079,194 and 742,764 unvested restricted common share awards, respectively		2,769	2,748
Additional paid in capital		2,093,257	2,087,137
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)			(4,699)
Retained earnings (deficit)		(1,723,735)	(1,680,751)
Total shareholders’ equity		372,384	404,528
Noncontrolling interests - continuing operations		5,386	3,948
Noncontrolling interests - discontinued operations			336,265
Total noncontrolling interests		5,386	340,213
Total equity		377,770	744,741
Total liabilities and equity		2,406,843	4,415,928
7.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Shareholders’ equity
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share		53	53
Total equity		53	53
8.375% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Shareholders’ equity
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share		23	23
Total equity		23	23
8.875% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Shareholders’ equity
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share		17	17
Total equity		17	17
Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Shareholders’ equity
Preferred shares, $0.01 par value per share

[1] As of December 31, 2016, three of our multifamily properties, with a carrying amount of $62,428, and two of our parcels of land, with a carrying amount of $14,233, were considered held-for-sale.