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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
There have been no material changes to the summary of significant accounting policies included in the "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" section in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (the “Annual Report”).
Basis of Quarterly Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"), for interim financial information, and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements have been condensed or omitted in accordance with such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments and eliminations (including intercompany balances and transactions), consisting of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for the fair presentation of the financial statements have been included.
The results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the corresponding full years. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 contained in our Annual Report. Our Observatory business is subject to tourism trends and the weather, and therefore does experience some seasonality. For the year ended December 31, 2023, approximately 17% of our annual Observatory revenue was realized in the first quarter, 26% was realized in the second quarter, 29% was realized in the third quarter, and 28% was realized in the fourth quarter. Our multifamily business experiences some seasonality based on general market trends in New York City – the winter months (November through January) are slower in terms of lease activity. We seek to mitigate this by staggering lease terms such that
lease expirations are matched with seasonal demand. We do not consider the balance of our business to be subject to material seasonal fluctuations.
We consolidate entities in which we have a controlling financial interest. In determining whether we have a controlling financial interest in a partially owned entity and the requirement to consolidate the accounts of that entity, we consider factors such as ownership interest, board representation, management representation, authority to make decisions, and contractual and substantive participating rights of the partners/members. For variable interest entities ("VIE"), we consolidate the entity if we are deemed to have a variable interest in the entity and through that interest we are deemed the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is the entity that has (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could be significant to the VIE. The primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the VIE. The Operating Partnership is a VIE of ESRT. As the Operating Partnership is already consolidated in the financial statements of ESRT, the identification of this entity as a VIE has no impact on our consolidated financial statements.
We will assess the accounting treatment for each investment we may have in the future. This assessment will include a review of each entity’s organizational agreement to determine which party has what rights and whether those rights are protective or participating. For all VIEs, we will review such agreements in order to determine which party has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and benefit. In situations where we or our partner could approve, among other things, the annual budget, or leases that cover more than a nominal amount of space relative to the total rentable space at each property, we would not consolidate the investment as we consider these to be substantive participation rights that result in shared power of the activities that would most significantly impact the performance and benefit of such joint venture investment.
A non-controlling interest in a consolidated subsidiary is defined as the portion of the equity (net assets) in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to a parent. Non-controlling interests are required to be presented as a separate component of equity in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and in the condensed consolidated statements of operations by requiring earnings and other comprehensive income to be attributed to controlling and non-controlling interests.
Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to use estimates and assumptions that in certain circumstances affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include allocation of the purchase price of acquired real estate properties among tangible and intangible assets, determination of the useful life of real estate properties and other long-lived assets, valuation and impairment analysis of commercial real estate properties, goodwill, right-of-use assets and other long-lived and indefinite-lived assets, estimate of tenant expense reimbursements, valuation of the allowance for doubtful accounts, and valuation of derivative instruments, ground lease liabilities, senior unsecured notes, mortgage notes payable, unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities, and equity-based compensation. These estimates are prepared using management’s best judgment, after considering past, current, and expected events and economic conditions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.