CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Rental income	$ 248,549	$ 251,031	$ 226,910
Expenses:
Real estate taxes	29,906	28,389	25,710
Utility expenses	17,916	19,369	17,116
Other operating expenses	50,425	45,982	41,134
Depreciation and amortization	68,696	66,593	55,699
Loss on impairment of real estate		2,016
Acquisition related costs	811	1,344	2,439
General and administrative	14,826	15,809	12,710
Total expenses	182,580	179,502	154,808
Operating income	65,969	71,529	72,102
Dividend income	811
Interest and other income	14	69	37
Interest expense (including net amortization of debt premiums and discounts and deferred financing fees of $1,376, $1,310, and $1,340, respectively)	(37,008)	(28,048)	(16,831)
(Loss) gains on early extinguishment of debt	34	(1,307)
Loss on distribution to common shareholders of The RMR Group Inc. common stock	(12,368)
Loss on issuance of shares by Select Income REIT	(42,145)	(53)
Loss on impairment of Select Income REIT investment	(203,297)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of investees	(227,990)	42,190	55,308
Income tax expense	(86)	(117)	(133)
Equity in earnings of an investee	18,640	10,963	334
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(209,436)	53,036	55,509
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(525)	3,498	(889)
Net income (loss)	(209,961)	56,534	54,620
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Unrealized loss on investment in available for sale securities	(9,391)
Equity in unrealized loss of investees	(5,513)	(12)	(50)
Other comprehensive loss	(14,904)	(12)	(50)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (224,865)	$ 56,522	$ 54,570
Weighted average common shares outstanding (basic) (in shares)	70,700	61,313	54,606
Weighted average common shares outstanding (diluted) (in shares)	70,700	61,399	54,685
Per common share amounts (basic and diluted):
Income (loss) from continuing operations (basic) (in dollars per share)	$ (2.96)	$ 0.87	$ 1.02
Income (loss) from continuing operations (diluted) (in dollars per share)	(2.96)	0.86	1.02
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (basic and diluted)	(0.01)	0.06	(0.02)
Net income (loss) (basic and diluted) (in dollars per share)	$ (2.97)	$ 0.92	$ 1.00