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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies.  
Commitments and Contingencies

15. Commitments and Contingencies

        We and SL Green are not presently involved in any material litigation nor, to our knowledge, is any material litigation threatened against us or our properties, other than routine litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. Management believes the costs, if any, incurred by SL Green and us related to this litigation will not materially affect our financial position, operating results or liquidity.

        SL Green entered into employment agreements with certain executives, which expire between July 2013 and January 2014. The minimum cash-based compensation, including base salary and guaranteed bonus payments, associated with these employment agreements total approximately $4.5 million for 2013. In addition these employment agreements provide for deferred compensation awards based on SL Green's stock price and which were valued at approximately $1.0 million on the grant date. The value of these awards may change based on fluctuations in SL Green's stock price.

        We maintain "all-risk" property and rental value coverage (including coverage regarding the perils of flood, earthquake and terrorism) within two property insurance portfolios and liability insurance. As of December 31, 2012, the first property portfolio maintains a blanket limit of $775.0 million per occurrence, including terrorism, for the majority of the New York City properties in our portfolio. The second portfolio maintains a limit of $750.0 million per occurrence, including terrorism, for some New York City properties and the majority of the Suburban properties. Both policies expire on December 31, 2013. Each policy includes $100.0 million of flood coverage, with a lower sublimit for locations in high hazard flood zones. We maintain liability policies which cover all our properties and provide limits of $201.0 million per occurrence and in the aggregate per location. The liability policies expire on October 31, 2013. Additional coverage may be purchased on a stand-alone basis for certain assets.

        In October 2006, SL Green formed a wholly-owned taxable REIT subsidiary, Belmont Insurance Company, or Belmont, to act as a captive insurance company and be one of the elements of our overall insurance program. Belmont is a subsidiary of ours. Belmont was formed in an effort to, among other reasons, stabilize to some extent the fluctuations of insurance market conditions. Belmont is licensed in New York to write Terrorism, NBCR (nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological), General Liability, Environmental Liability and D&O coverage. Belmont has purchased reinsurance to reinsure the retained insurance risks not covered by other insurance.

        Belmont is a form of self-insurance. We are responsible for the liquidity and capital resources of Belmont and its accounts are included in our consolidated financial statements. All losses required to be paid by Belmont are recorded as losses by us.

        Belmont had loss reserves of approximately $6.2 million and $6.4 million as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

        In June 2007, we renewed and extended the maturity date of the ground lease at 420 Lexington Avenue through December 31, 2029, with an option for further extension through 2080. Ground lease rent payments through 2029 will total approximately $10.9 million per year. Thereafter, the ground lease will be subject to a revaluation by the parties thereto.

        In October 2012, we, together with Stonehenge Partners, acquired a leasehold position at 1080 Amsterdam Avenue. The joint venture prepaid $13.0 million of ground lease rent, which will be applied against rental payments over the term of the lease. The lease will expire on July 31, 2111 or earlier per terms of lease agreement. Land was estimated to be approximately 40% of the fair market value of the property. The portion of the lease attributed to land was classified as an operating lease and the remainder as a capital lease which had a cost basis of $28.1 million at December 31, 2012.

        The property located at 711 Third Avenue operates under an operating sub-lease, which expires in 2083. Under the sub-lease, we were responsible for ground rent payments of $1.55 million annually through July 2011 on the 50% portion of the fee we do not own. The ground rent was reset in July 2011. Following the reset, we are responsible for ground rent payments of $5.25 million annually through July 2016 and then $5.5 million annually thereafter on the 50% portion of the fee we do not own.

        The property located at 461 Fifth Avenue operates under a ground lease (approximately $2.1 million annually) with a term expiration date of 2027 and with two options to renew for an additional 21 years each, followed by a third option for 15 years. We also have an option to purchase the ground lease for a fixed price on a specific date.

        The property located at 625 Madison Avenue operates under a ground lease (approximately $4.6 million annually) with a term expiration date of 2022 and with two options to renew for an additional 23 years.

        The property located at 1185 Avenue of the Americas operates under a ground lease (approximately $6.9 million annually) with a term expiration of 2020 and with an option to renew for an additional 23 years.

        In April 1988, the SL Green predecessor entered into a lease agreement for the property at 673 First Avenue, which has been capitalized for financial statement purposes. Land was estimated to be approximately 70% of the fair market value of the property. The portion of the lease attributed to land was classified as an operating lease and the remainder as a capital lease. The initial lease term was 49 years with an option for an additional 25 years. In November 2012, we extended the lease to August 2087, an additional 50 years past its scheduled 2037 expiration date, with an effective date of September 2012. We continue to lease the property located at 673 First Avenue, which has been classified as a capital lease with a cost basis of $12.2 million and cumulative amortization of $6.3 million and $6.0 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

        The following is a schedule of future minimum lease payments under capital leases and noncancellable operating leases with initial terms in excess of one year as of December 31, 2012 (amounts in thousands):

December 31,
  Capital lease   Non-cancellable
operating leases
 

2013

  $ 1,555   $ 37,431  

2014

    1,705     37,531  

2015

    1,743     37,757  

2016

    1,857     38,315  

2017

    2,007     38,561  

Thereafter

    99,828     1,482,791  
           

Total minimum lease payments

    108,695   $ 1,672,386  
             

Less amount representing interest

    (71,177 )      
             

Present value of net minimum lease payments

  $ 37,518