EX-3.1 2 dex31.htm EXHIBIT 3.1 Exhibit 3.1

Exhibit 3.1

 

FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST

 

DECLARATION OF TRUST

 

Dated May 5, 1999

 

This DECLARATION OF TRUST is made as of the date set forth above by the undersigned Trustees (as defined herein) and amends and restates the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Federal Realty Investment Trust.

 

ARTICLE I

 

NAME

 

The name of the Trust (as hereinafter defined) is:

 

Federal Realty Investment Trust

 

Under circumstances in which the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees” or “Board”) determines that the use of the name of the Trust is not practicable, the Trust may use any other designation or name for the Trust.

 

ARTICLE II

 

FORMATION

 

The Trust (the “Trust”) is a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (“Title 8”). The Trust shall not be deemed to be a general partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, joint stock company or a corporation but nothing herein shall preclude the Trust from being treated for tax purposes as an association under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

ARTICLE III

 

PURPOSES AND POWERS

 

Section 3.1 Purposes. The purposes for which the Trust has been formed are to invest in and to acquire, hold, develop, redevelop, manage, administer, control, lease and dispose of interests in property, including, without limitation or obligation, engaging in business as a real estate investment trust under the Code or any other lawful activity for which real estate investment trusts may be organized under Title 8 as now or hereafter in force.

 

Section 3.2 Powers. The Trust has all of the powers granted to real estate investment trusts by Title 8 and all other powers set forth in the Declaration of Trust which are not inconsistent with law and are appropriate to promote and attain the purposes set forth in the Declaration of Trust.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

RESIDENT AGENT

 

The name of the resident agent of the Trust in the State of Maryland is CSC Lawyers Incorporating Service Company, whose post office address is 11 E. Chase Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The resident agent is a resident of the State of Maryland. The Trust may have such offices or places of business within or outside the State of Maryland as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine.

 

ARTICLE V

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

Section 5.1 Powers. Subject to any express limitations contained in the Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws, (a) the business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees and (b) the Board shall have full, exclusive and absolute power, control and authority over any and all property of the Trust. The Board may take any action as in its sole judgment and discretion is necessary or appropriate to conduct the business and affairs of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust shall be construed with the presumption in favor of the grant of power and authority to the Board. Any construction of the Declaration of Trust or determination made in good faith by the Board concerning its powers and authority hereunder shall be conclusive. The enumeration and definition of particular powers of the Trustees included in the Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws shall in no way be construed or deemed by inference or otherwise in any manner to exclude or limit the powers conferred upon the Board or the Trustees under the general laws of the State of Maryland or any other applicable laws.

 

The Board, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, shall have and may exercise, on behalf of the Trust, without limitation, the power to terminate the status of the Trust as a real estate investment trust under the Code; to determine that compliance with any restriction or limitations on ownership and transfers of shares of the Trust’s beneficial interest set forth in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust is no longer required in order for the Trust to qualify as a REIT; to adopt, amend and repeal Bylaws; to elect officers in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws; to solicit proxies from holders of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust; and to do any other acts and deliver any other documents necessary or appropriate to the foregoing powers.

 

Section 5.2 Number and Classification. Upon acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust, the number of Trustees (hereinafter the “Trustees”) is seven, which number may be increased or decreased by the Board of Trustees; provided, however, that the total number of Trustees shall be at least three (3) and not more than fifteen (15). Except for Trustees elected solely by holders of one or more series of Preferred Shares, the Trustees shall be elected at every third annual meeting of shareholders in the manner provided in the Bylaws or, in order to fill any vacancy on the Board of Trustees, in the manner provided in the Bylaws. The names and classes of the Trustees who shall serve until the annual meeting of shareholders at which their class comes up for reelection (as provided herein) and until their successors are duly elected and qualify are:

 

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Name

    Class

Kenneth D. Brody

      I

A. Cornet de Ways Ruart

      I

Walter F. Loeb

      I

Dennis L. Berman

      II

Kristin Gamble

      II

Steven J. Guttman

    III

Mark S. Ordan

    III

 

Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares then outstanding, any vacancy on the Board of Trustees (including a vacancy created by an increase in the number of Trustees) may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees or, if the remaining Trustees fail to act or there is no remaining Trustee, by the vote of holders of at least a majority of the Common Shares entitled to vote thereon and present in person or by proxy at any meeting of the shareholders called for that purpose. It shall not be necessary to list in the Declaration of Trust the names and addresses of any Trustees hereinafter elected.

 

Class I Trustees shall hold office initially for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders in 2000, Class II Trustees shall hold office initially for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders in 2001 and Class III Trustees shall hold office initially for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders in 2002, with the Trustees of each class to hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualify. At each annual meeting of shareholders, the successors to the class of Trustees whose term expires at such meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders held in the third year following the year of their election and until their successors are duly elected and qualify.

 

Section 5.3 Resignation or Removal. Any Trustee may resign by written notice to the Board, effective upon execution and delivery to the Trust of such written notice or upon any future date specified in the notice. Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares to elect or remove one or more Trustees, a Trustee may be removed at any time, (i) with or without cause, at any meeting of the shareholders called for the purpose, either by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon if such removal is approved or recommended by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the Trustees or by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than eighty percent of the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon if such removal is not approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Trustees, or (ii) with cause, by the vote of all the other Trustees. For purposes of this Declaration, “cause”, with respect to the removal of any Trustee, shall mean only (i) conviction of a felony, (ii) declaration of unsound mind by order of a court, (iii) gross dereliction of duty, (iv) conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude, (v) commission of an act that constitutes intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law if such action in either event results both in an improper substantial personal benefit to such Trustee and a material injury to the Trust or (vi) a unanimous determination by the remaining Trustees that “cause” exists for the removal of the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE VI

 

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

 

Section 6.1 Authorized Shares. The beneficial interest of the Trust shall be divided into shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”). The Trust has authority to issue 100,000,000 common shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“Common Shares”), and 15,000,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value per share (“Preferred Shares”), of which 4,000,000 shares are Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (the “Series A Preferred Shares”). If shares of one class are classified or reclassified into shares of another class of shares pursuant to this Article VI, the number of authorized shares of the former class shall be automatically decreased and the number of shares of the latter class shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of shares of beneficial interest of all classes that the Trust has authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of shares of beneficial interest set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph. The Board of Trustees, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class or series that the Trust has authority to issue.

 

Section 6.2 Common Shares. Subject to the provisions of Article VII, each Common Share entitles the holder thereof to one vote on each matter upon which holders of Common Shares are entitled to vote. The Board of Trustees may reclassify any unissued Common Shares from time to time in one or more classes or series of Shares.

 

Section 6.3 Preferred Shares. The Board of Trustees may classify any unissued Preferred Shares and reclassify any previously classified but unissued Preferred Shares of any series from time to time, in one or more series of Shares.

 

Section 6.4 Series A Preferred Shares.

 

Section 6.4.1 Number of Shares. The number of shares of Series A Preferred Shares is 4,000,000.

 

Section 6.4.2 Definitions. In this Section 6.4, the following terms shall have the following meanings herein:

 

(a) “Board of Trustees” shall mean the Board of Trustees of the Trust or any committee authorized by the Board of Trustees to perform any of its responsibilities with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

(b) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or day on which state or federally chartered banking institutions in New York City, New York are not required to be open.

 

(c) “Call Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.6(b).

 

(d) “Capital Gains Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.3(d).

 

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(e) “Dividend Payment Date” shall mean the last calendar day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next Business Day thereafter) of each January, April, July and October, commencing on October 31, 1997.

 

(f) “Dividend Periods” shall mean quarterly dividend periods commencing on February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 of each year and ending on and including the day of the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date (other than the initial Dividend Period, which shall commence on the Issue Date, and other than the Dividend Period during which any Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed pursuant to Section 6.4.6, which shall end on and include the Call Date with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares being redeemed).

 

(g) “Fully Junior Shares” shall mean the Common Shares and any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust now or hereafter issued and outstanding over which the Series A Preferred Shares has preference or priority in both (i) the payment of dividends and (ii) the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust.

 

(h) “Issue Date” shall mean the first date on which the pertinent Series A Preferred Shares are issued and sold.

 

(i) “Junior Shares” shall mean the Common Shares and any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust now or hereafter issued and outstanding over which the Series A Preferred Shares has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust.

 

(j) “Parity Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.8(b).

 

(k) “Preferred Shares” shall mean the preferred shares of the Trust, $.01 par value per share.

 

(l) “Series A Preferred Shares” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

 

(m) “Set apart for payment” shall be deemed to include, without any action other than the following, the recording by the Trust in its accounting ledgers of any accounting or bookkeeping entry which indicates, pursuant to a declaration of dividends or other distribution by the Board of Trustees, the allocation of funds to be so paid on any series or class of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust; provided, however, that if any funds for any class or series of Junior Shares or Fully Junior Shares or any class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends are placed in a separate account of the Trust or delivered to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent, then “set apart for payment” with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares shall mean placing such funds in such separate account or delivering such funds to a disbursing, paying or other similar agent.

 

(n) “Total Dividends” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.3(d).

 

(o) “Transfer Agent” means American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or such other agent or agents of the Trust as may be designated by the Board of Trustees or their designee as the transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

 

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Section 6.4.3 Dividends.

 

(a) The holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Trustees out of funds legally available for that purpose, cumulative, preferential dividends payable in cash at the rate of $1.9875 per annum per share. Such dividend shall begin to accrue and shall be fully cumulative from the Issue Date, whether or not in any Dividend Period or Periods there shall be funds of the Trust legally available for the payment of such dividends, and shall be payable quarterly, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Trustees, in arrears on Dividend Payment Dates, commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the Issue Date. Such dividends shall be payable in arrears to the holders of record of Series A Preferred Shares, as they appear on the stock records of the Trust at the close of business on the record date, not more than 50 nor less than 10 days preceding the relevant Dividend Payment Date, as shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees. Accrued and unpaid dividends for any past Dividend Periods may be declared and paid on any date and for such interim periods, without reference to any regular Dividend Payment Date, to holders of record on such date, not exceeding 50 days preceding the payment date thereof, as may be fixed by the Board of Trustees. Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares which remains payable.

 

(b) The amount of dividends referred to in Section 6.4.3(a) payable for each full Dividend Period for the Series A Preferred Shares shall be computed by dividing the annual dividend rate by four, except that the amount of dividends payable for the initial Dividend Period, and for any Dividend Period shorter than a full Dividend Period, for the Series A Preferred Shares shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of days in such Dividend Period. Holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, property or shares of stock, in excess of cumulative dividends, as herein provided, on the Series A Preferred Shares. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series A Preferred Shares that may be in arrears.

 

(c) Dividends on Series A Preferred Shares will accrue whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are declared.

 

(d) If, for any taxable year, the Trust elects to designate as “capital gain dividends” (as defined in Section 857 of the Code) any portion (the “Capital Gains Amount”) of the total dividends (within the meaning of the Code) paid or made available for the year to holders of all classes of shares of beneficial interest (the “Total Dividends”), then the portion of the Capital Gains Amount that shall be allocated to holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be in the same portion that the Total Dividends paid or made available to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares for the year bears to the Total Dividends.

 

(e) So long as any Series A Preferred Shares are outstanding, no dividends, except as described in the immediately following sentence, shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any class or series of Parity Shares for any period unless full cumulative dividends have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for such payment on the Series A Preferred Shares for all Dividend Periods terminating on or prior to the dividend payment date for such class or series of Parity Shares.

 

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When dividends are not paid in full or a sum sufficient for such payment is not set apart, as aforesaid, all dividends declared upon Series A Preferred Shares and all dividends declared upon any other class or series of Parity Shares shall be declared ratably in proportion to the respective amounts of dividends accumulated and unpaid on the Series A Preferred Shares and accumulated and unpaid on such Parity Shares.

 

(f) So long as any Series A Preferred Shares are outstanding, no dividends (other than dividends or distributions paid solely in shares of, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, Fully Junior Shares) shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment or other distribution declared or made upon Junior Shares or Fully Junior Shares, nor shall any Junior Shares or Fully Junior Shares be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired (other than a redemption, purchase or other acquisition of Common Shares made for purposes of any employee incentive or benefit plan of the Trust or any subsidiary) for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Trust, directly or indirectly (except by conversion into or exchange for shares of Fully Junior Shares), unless in each case (i) the full cumulative dividends on all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and any other Parity Shares of the Trust shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and set apart for payment for all past Dividend Periods with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares and all past dividend periods with respect to such Parity Shares and (ii) sufficient funds shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and set apart for the payment of the dividend for the current Dividend Period with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares and the current dividend period with respect to such Parity Shares.

 

(g) No dividends on Series A Preferred Shares shall be authorized by the Board of Trustees or paid or set apart for payment by the Trust at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Trust, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibits such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment or provides that such authorization, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such authorization or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.

 

Section 6.4.4 Liquidation Rights.

 

(a) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, whether voluntary or involuntary, before any payment or distribution of the assets of the Trust (whether capital or surplus) shall be made to or set apart for the holders of Junior Shares, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive Twenty Five Dollars ($25.00) per share of Series A Preferred Shares plus an amount equal to all dividends (whether or not earned or declared) accrued and unpaid thereon to the date of final distribution to such holders; but such holders shall not be entitled to any further payment. If, upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, the assets of the Trust, or proceeds thereof, distributable among the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall be insufficient to pay in full the preferential amount aforesaid and liquidating payments on any other shares of any class or series of Parity Shares, then such assets, or the proceeds thereof, shall be distributed among the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and any such other Parity Shares ratably in accordance with the respective amounts that would be payable on such Series A Preferred Shares and any such other Parity Shares if all amounts payable thereon were paid in full. For the purposes of this Section 6.4.4, (i) a consolidation or merger of the Trust with one or more corporations, real estate investment trusts, or other entities,

 

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(ii) a sale, lease or transfer of all or substantially all of the Trust’s assets, or (iii) a statutory share exchange shall not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, of the Trust.

 

(b) Subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series or class of beneficial interest ranking on a parity with or prior to the Series A Preferred Shares upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, after payment shall have been made in full to the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, as provided in this Section 6.4.4, any other series or class of Junior Shares or Fully Junior Shares shall, subject to the respective terms and provisions (if any) applying thereto, be entitled to receive any and all assets remaining to be paid or distributed, and the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to share therein.

 

Section 6.4.5 Conversion. The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust.

 

Section 6.4.6 Redemption at the Option of the Trust.

 

(a) The Series A Preferred Shares shall not be redeemable by the Trust prior to October 6, 2002. On and after October 6, 2002, the Trust, at its option, may redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at a redemption price of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) per share of Series A Preferred Shares, plus the amounts indicated in Section (b).

 

(b) Upon any redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to this Section 6.4.6, the Trust shall pay all accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, thereon ending on or prior to the date of such redemption (the “Call Date”), without interest. If the Call Date falls after a dividend payment record date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, then each holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on such dividend payment record date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided above, the Trust shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on shares of Series A Preferred Shares called for redemption.

 

(c) If full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares and any other class or series of Parity Shares of the Trust have not been declared and paid or declared and set apart for payment, the Series A Preferred Shares or Parity Shares may not be redeemed under this Section 6.4.6 in part and the Trust may not purchase or acquire the Series A Preferred Shares or any Parity Shares, otherwise than pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to all holders of Series A Preferred Shares or Parity Shares, as the case may be.

 

(d) Notice of the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares under this Section 6.4.6 shall be mailed by first-class mail to each holder of record of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed at the address of each such holder as shown on the Trust’s records, not less than 30 nor more than 90 days prior to the Call Date. Neither the failure to mail any notice required by this Section 6.4.6(d), nor any defect therein or in the mailing thereof, to any particular holder, shall affect the sufficiency of the notice or the validity of the proceedings for redemption with respect to the other holders. Any notice which was mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively

 

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presumed to have been duly given on the date mailed whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such mailed notice shall state, as appropriate: (1) the Call Date; (2) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (3) the redemption price per share; (4) the place or places at which certificates for such shares are to be surrendered; and (5) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed shall cease to accrue on such Call Date except as otherwise provided herein. Notice having been mailed as aforesaid, from and after the Call Date (unless the Trust shall fail to make available an amount of cash necessary to effect such redemption), (i) except as otherwise provided herein, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, (ii) shares of such Series A Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding, and (iii) all rights of the holders thereof as holders of Series A Preferred Shares of the Trust shall cease (except the right to receive cash payable under such redemption, without interest thereon, upon surrender and endorsement of their certificates if so required and to receive any dividends payable thereon). The Trust’s obligation to provide cash in accordance with the preceding sentence shall be deemed fulfilled if, on or before the Call Date, the Trust shall deposit with a bank or trust company (which may be an affiliate of the Trust) that has an office in Maryland and that has, or is an affiliate of a bank or trust company that has, capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, the amount of cash necessary for such redemption, in trust, with irrevocable instructions that such cash be applied to the redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption. No interest shall accrue for the benefit of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed on any cash so set aside by the Trust. Subject to applicable escheat laws, any such cash unclaimed at the end of two years from the Call Date shall revert to the general funds of the Trust, after which reversion the holders of such shares so called for redemption shall look only to the general funds of the Trust for the payment of such cash.

 

As promptly as practicable after the surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for any such shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Trust shall so require and if the notice shall so state), such shares shall be exchanged for any cash (without interest thereon) for which such shares have been redeemed. If fewer than all the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are to be redeemed, shares to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trust from outstanding Series A Preferred Shares not previously called for redemption by lot or pro rata (as nearly as may be) or by any other method determined by the Trust in its sole discretion to be equitable. If fewer than all the Series A Preferred Shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, then new certificates representing the unredeemed shares shall be issued without cost to the holder thereof.

 

Section 6.4.7 Shares to be Retired. All Series A Preferred Shares which shall have been issued and reacquired in any manner by the Trust shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, without designation as to class or series.

 

Section 6.4.8 Ranking. Any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust shall be deemed to rank:

 

(a) prior to the Series A Preferred Shares, as to the payment of dividends and as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, if the holders of such class or series shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, as the case may be, in preference or priority to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares;

 

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(b) on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares, as to the payment of dividends and as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether or not the dividend rates, dividend payment dates or redemption or liquidation prices per share thereof be different from those of the Series A Preferred Shares, if the holders of such class or series of shares and the Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends and of amounts distributable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up in proportion to their respective amounts of accrued and unpaid dividends per share or liquidation preferences, without preference or priority one over the other (“Parity Shares”);

 

(c) junior to the Series A Preferred Shares, as to the payment of dividends or as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, if such shares shall be Junior Shares; and

 

(d) junior to the Series A Preferred Shares, as to the payment of dividends and as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, if such shares shall be Fully Junior Shares.

 

Section 6.4.9 Voting. If and whenever six consecutive quarterly dividends payable on the Series A Preferred Shares or any series or class of Parity Shares shall be in arrears (which shall, with respect to any such quarterly dividend, mean that any such dividend has not been paid in full), whether or not declared, the number of trustees then constituting the Board of Trustees shall be increased by two, and the holders of Series A Preferred Shares, together with the holders of shares of every other series of Parity Shares, voting as a single class regardless of series, shall be entitled to elect the two additional trustees to serve on the Board of Trustees at any annual meeting of shareholders or special meeting held in place thereof, or at a special meeting of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares called as hereinafter provided. Whenever all arrears in dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares then outstanding shall have been paid and dividends thereon for the current quarterly dividend period shall have been paid or declared and set apart for payment, then the right of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares to elect such additional two trustees shall immediately cease (but subject always to the same provision for the vesting of such voting rights in the case of any similar future arrearages in six consecutive quarterly dividends), and the terms of office of all persons elected as trustees by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares shall immediately terminate and the number of the Board of Trustees shall be reduced accordingly. At any time after such voting rights shall have been so vested in the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares, the secretary of the Trust may, and upon the written request of any holder of Series A Preferred Shares (addressed to the secretary at the principal office of the Trust) shall, call a special meeting of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and of the Parity Shares for the election of the two trustees to be elected by them as herein provided, such call to be made by notice similar to that provided in the Bylaws of the Trust for a special meeting of the shareholders or as required by law. If any such special meeting required to be called as above provided shall not be called by the secretary within 20 days after

 

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receipt of any such request, then any holder of Series A Preferred Shares may call such meeting, upon the notice above provided, and for that purpose shall have access to the share records of the Trust. The trustees elected at any such special meeting shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the shareholders or special meeting held in lieu thereof if such office shall not have previously terminated as above provided. If any vacancy shall occur among the trustees elected by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares, a successor shall be elected by the Board of Trustees, upon the nomination of the then remaining trustee elected by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares or the successor of such remaining trustee, to serve until the next annual meeting of the shareholders or special meeting held in place thereof if such office shall not have previously terminated as provided above.

 

So long as any Series A Preferred Shares are outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of shareholders required by law or by the Declaration, the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares, at the time outstanding, acting as a single class regardless of series, given in person or by proxy, either in writing without a meeting or by vote at any meeting called for the purpose, shall be necessary for effecting or validating:

 

(a) Any amendment, alteration or repeal of any of the provisions of the Declaration that materially and adversely affects the voting powers, rights or preferences of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares or the Parity Shares; provided, however, that the amendment of the provisions of the Declaration so as to authorize or create or to increase the authorized amount of shares of any class of any Fully Junior Shares or Junior Shares that are not senior in any respect to the Series A Preferred Shares, or any shares of any class ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares or the Parity Shares, shall not be deemed to materially adversely affect the voting powers, rights or preferences of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares; and provided further, that if any such amendment, alteration or repeal would materially and adversely affect any voting powers, rights or preferences of the Series A Preferred Shares or another series of Parity Shares that are not enjoyed by some or all of the other series otherwise entitled to vote in accordance herewith, the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of all series similarly affected, similarly given, shall be required in lieu of the affirmative vote of at least 66-2/3% of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Shares otherwise entitled to vote in accordance herewith; or

 

(b) A share exchange that affects the Series A Preferred Shares, a consolidation with or merger of the Trust into another entity, or a consolidation with or merger of another entity into the Trust, unless in each such case each share of Series A Preferred Shares (i) shall remain outstanding without a material and adverse change to its terms and rights or (ii) shall be converted into or exchanged for preferred stock of the surviving entity having preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption thereof identical to that of a share of Series A Preferred Shares (except for changes that do not materially and adversely affect the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares); or

 

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(c) The authorization or creation of, or the increase in the authorized amount of, any shares of any class, or any security convertible into shares of any class, ranking prior to the Series A Preferred Shares in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust or in the payment of dividends; provided, however, that no such vote of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be required if, at or prior to the time when such amendment, alteration or repeal is to take effect, or when the issuance of any such shares or convertible securities is to be made, as the case may be, provision is made for the redemption of all Series A Preferred Shares at the time outstanding.

 

For purposes of the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.4.9, each share of Series A Preferred Shares shall have one vote per share, except that when shares of any other series of Preferred Shares shall have the right to vote with the Series A Preferred Shares as a single class on any matter, then the Series A Preferred Shares and such other series shall have with respect to such matters one vote per $25.00 of stated liquidation preference. Except as otherwise required by applicable law or as set forth herein, the Series A Preferred Shares shall not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights and powers, and the consent of the holders thereof shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action.

 

Section 6.4.10 Record Holders. The Trust and the Transfer Agent may deem and treat the record holder of any Series A Preferred Shares as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Trust nor the Transfer Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

Section 6.4.11 Sinking Fund. The Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to the benefits of any retirement or sinking fund.

 

Section 6.5 Classified or Reclassified Shares. Prior to issuance of classified or reclassified Shares of any class or series, the Board of Trustees by resolution shall (a) designate that class or series to distinguish it from all other classes and series of Shares; (b) specify the number of Shares to be included in the class or series; (c) set, subject to the provisions of Article VII and subject to the express terms of any class or series of Shares outstanding at the time, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series; and (d) cause the Trust to file articles supplementary with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”). Any of the terms of any class or series of Shares set pursuant to clause (c) of this Section 6.5 may be made dependent upon facts ascertainable outside the Declaration of Trust (including the occurrence of any event, including a determination or action by the Trust or any other person or body) and may vary among holders thereof, provided that the manner in which such facts or variations shall operate upon the terms of such class or series of Shares is clearly and expressly set forth in the articles supplementary filed with the SDAT.

 

Section 6.6 Authorization by Board of Share Issuance. The Board of Trustees may authorize the issuance from time to time of Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration (whether in cash, property, past or future services, obligation for future payment or otherwise) as the Board of Trustees may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a Share split or Share dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws of the Trust.

 

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Section 6.7 Dividends and Distributions. The Trust may pay any dividend or make any other distribution to the shareholders as authorized in the Declaration or by the Board of Trustees if, after giving effect to the dividend or distribution, the Trust would be able to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course of its business. The Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize the Trust to pay to shareholders such dividends or distributions in cash or other assets of the Trust or in securities of the Trust or from any other source as the Board of Trustees in its discretion shall determine. The Board of Trustees shall endeavor to authorize the Trust to pay such dividends and distributions as shall be necessary for the Trust to qualify as a real estate investment trust under the Code; however, shareholders shall have no right to any dividend or distribution unless and until authorized by the Board of Trustees and declared by the Trust. The exercise of the powers and rights of the Board of Trustees pursuant to this Section 6.7 shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust, no determination shall be made by the Board of Trustees nor shall any transaction be entered into by the Trust which would cause any Shares or other beneficial interest in the Trust not to constitute “transferable shares” or “transferable certificates of beneficial interest” under Section 856(a)(2) of the Code or which would cause any distribution to constitute a preferential dividend as described in Section 562(c) of the Code.

 

Section 6.8 General Nature of Shares. All Shares shall be personal property entitling the shareholders only to those rights provided in the Declaration of Trust. The shareholders shall have no interest in the property of the Trust and shall have no right to compel any partition, division, dividend or distribution of the Trust or of the property of the Trust. The death of a shareholder shall not terminate the Trust. The Trust is entitled to treat as shareholders only those persons in whose names Shares are registered as holders of Shares on the beneficial interest ledger of the Trust.

 

Section 6.9 Fractional Shares. The Trust may, without the consent or approval of any shareholder, issue fractional Shares, eliminate a fraction of a Share by rounding up or down to a full Share, arrange for the disposition of a fraction of a Share by the person entitled to it, or pay cash for the fair value of a fraction of a Share.

 

Section 6.10 Declaration and Bylaws. All shareholders are subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws of the Trust.

 

Section 6.11 Divisions and Combinations of Shares. Subject to an express provision to the contrary in the terms of any class or series of beneficial interest hereafter authorized, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to divide or combine the outstanding Shares of any class or series of beneficial interest, without a vote of shareholders, so long as the number of Shares combined into one Share in any such combination or series of combinations within any period of twelve months is not greater than five.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

RESTRICTION ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

 

Section 7.1 Definitions. For the purpose of this Article VII, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Aggregate Share Ownership Limit. The term “Aggregate Share Ownership Limit” shall mean not more than 9.8 percent in value of the aggregate of the outstanding Equity Shares. The value of the outstanding Equity Shares shall be determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

 

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Beneficial Ownership. The term “Beneficial Ownership” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares by a Person, whether the interest in Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Section 856(h)(1)(B) of the Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Business Day. The term “Business Day” shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

Charitable Beneficiary. The term “Charitable Beneficiary” shall mean one or more beneficiaries of the Charitable Trust as determined pursuant to Section 7.3.6, provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

 

Charitable Trust. The term “Charitable Trust” shall mean any trust provided for in Section 7.3.1.

 

Common Share Ownership Limit. The term “Common Share Ownership Limit” shall mean not more than 9.8 percent (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the aggregate number of the outstanding Common Shares. The number and value of outstanding Common Shares shall be determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

 

Constructive Ownership. The term “Constructive Ownership” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares by a Person, whether the interest in Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Declaration of Trust. The term “Declaration of Trust” shall mean this Declaration of Trust as accepted for record by the SDAT, and any amendments thereto.

 

Equity Shares. The term “Equity Shares” shall mean Shares of all classes or series, including, without limitation, Common Shares and Preferred Shares.

 

Excepted Holder. The term “Excepted Holder” shall mean a shareholder of the Trust for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by this Article VII or by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2.7.

 

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Excepted Holder Limit. The term “Excepted Holder Limit” shall mean, provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with the requirements established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2.7, and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 7.2.8, the percentage limit established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2.7.

 

Initial Date. The term “Initial Date” shall mean the date upon which this Declaration of Trust containing this Article VII is accepted for record by the SDAT.

 

Market Price. The term “Market Price” on any date shall mean, with respect to any class or series of outstanding Equity Shares, the Closing Price for such Equity Shares on such date. The “Closing Price” on any date shall mean the last sale price for such Equity Shares, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for such Equity Shares, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or, if such Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which such Equity Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System or, if such system is no longer in use, the principal other automated quotation system that may then be in use or, if such Equity Shares are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Equity Shares selected by the Board of Trustees or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Equity Shares, the fair market value of Equity Shares, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

 

NYSE. The term “NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Person. The term “Person” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust (including a trust qualified under Sections 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code), a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, association, private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, joint stock company or other entity and also includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a group to which an Excepted Holder Limit applies.

 

Prohibited Owner. The term “Prohibited Owner” shall mean, with respect to any purported Transfer, any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 7.2.1, would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares, and if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of Equity Shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

 

REIT. The term “REIT” shall mean a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Section 856 of the Code.

 

 

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Restriction Termination Date. The term “Restriction Termination Date” shall mean the first day after the Initial Date on which the Board of Trustees determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Trust to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance with the restrictions and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of Equity Shares set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Trust to qualify as a REIT.

 

SDAT. The term “SDAT” shall mean the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland.

 

Transfer. The term “Transfer” shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Equity Shares or the right to vote or receive dividends on Equity Shares, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares or any interest in Equity Shares or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Constructively Owned or Beneficially Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

Trustee. The term “Trustee” shall mean the Person unaffiliated with the Trust and a Prohibited Owner, that is appointed by the Trust to serve as trustee of the Charitable Trust.

 

Section 7.2 Equity Shares.

 

Section 7.2.1 Ownership Limitations. During the period commencing on the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

 

(a) Basic Restrictions.

 

(i) (1) No Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, (2) no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Common Shares in excess of the Common Share Ownership Limit and (3) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

 

(ii) No Person shall Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares to the extent that such Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares would result in the Trust being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including, but not limited to, Beneficial or Constructive Ownership that would result in the Trust owning (actually or Constructively) an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code if the income derived by the Trust from such tenant would cause the Trust to fail to satisfy any of the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code).

 

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(iii) Notwithstanding any other provisions contained herein (but subject to Section 7.4), any Transfer of Equity Shares (whether or not such Transfer is the result of a transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system) that, if effective, would result in Equity Shares being beneficially owned by less than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares.

 

(b) Transfer in Trust. If any Transfer of Equity Shares (whether or not such Transfer is the result of a transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system) occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii),

 

(i) then that number of Equity Shares the Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii)(rounded to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 7.3, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer, and such Person shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares; or

 

(ii) if the transfer to the Charitable Trust described in clause (i) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii), then the Transfer of that number of Equity Shares that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii) shall be void ab initio, and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares.

 

Section 7.2.2 Remedies for Breach. If the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 7.2.1 or that a Person intends to acquire or has attempted to acquire Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of any Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2.1 (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof shall take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Trust to redeem Equity Shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Trust or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however, that any Transfers or attempted Transfers or other events in violation of Section 7.2.1 shall automatically result in the transfer to the Charitable Trust described above, and, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof.

 

Section 7.2.3 Notice of Restricted Transfer. Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares that will or may violate Section 7.2.1(a), or any Person who would have owned Equity Shares that resulted in a transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.2.1(b), shall immediately give written notice to the Trust of such event, or in the case of such a proposed or attempted

 

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transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Trust such other information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Trust’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 7.2.4 Owners Required To Provide Information. From the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date:

 

(a) every owner of more than five percent (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) of the outstanding Equity Shares, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, shall give written notice to the Trust stating the name and address of such owner, the number of Equity Shares and other Equity Shares Beneficially Owned and a description of the manner in which such shares are held. Each such owner shall provide to the Trust such additional information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership on the Trust’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit.

 

(b) each Person who is a Beneficial or Constructive Owner of Equity Shares and each Person (including the shareholder of record) who is holding Equity Shares for a Beneficial or Constructive Owner shall provide to the Trust such information as the Trust may request, in good faith, in order to determine the Trust’s status as a REIT and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

 

Section 7.2.5 Remedies Not Limited. Subject to Section 5.1 of the Declaration of Trust, nothing contained in this Section 7.2 shall limit the authority of the Board of Trustees to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Trust and the interests of its shareholders in preserving the Trust’s status as a REIT.

 

Section 7.2.6 Ambiguity. In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 7.2, Section 7.3 or any definition contained in Section 7.1, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it. In the event Section 7.2 or 7.3 requires an action by the Board of Trustees and the Declaration of Trust fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Sections 7.1, 7.2 or 7.3.

 

Section 7.2.7 Exceptions.

 

(a) Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii), the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion, may exempt a Person from the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit and the Common Share Ownership Limit, as the case may be, and may establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person if:

 

(i) the Board of Trustees obtains such representations and undertakings from such Person as are reasonably necessary to ascertain that no individual’s Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of such Equity Shares will violate Section 7.2.1(a)(ii);

 

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(ii) such Person does not and represents that it will not own, actually or Constructively, an interest in a tenant of the Trust (or a tenant of any entity owned or controlled by the Trust) that would cause the Trust to own, actually or Constructively, more than a 9.8% interest (as set forth in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in such tenant and the Board of Trustees obtains such representations and undertakings from such Person as are reasonably necessary to ascertain this fact (for this purpose, a tenant from whom the Trust (or an entity owned or controlled by the Trust) derives (and is expected to continue to derive) a sufficiently small amount of revenue such that, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, rent from such tenant would not adversely affect the Trust’s ability to qualify as a REIT, shall not be treated as a tenant of the Trust); and

 

(iii) such Person agrees that any violation or attempted violation of such representations or undertakings (or other action which is contrary to the restrictions contained in Sections 7.2.1 through 7.2.6) will result in such Equity Shares being automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust in accordance with Sections 7.2.1(b) and 7.3.

 

(b) Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 7.2.7(a), the Board of Trustees may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Trust’s status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board of Trustees may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception.

 

(c) Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii), an underwriter which participates in a public offering or a private placement of Equity Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares) in excess of the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, the Common Share Ownership Limit or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement.

 

(d) The Board of Trustees may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (1) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or (2) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Common Share Ownership Limit.

 

Section 7.2.8 Increase in Aggregate Share Ownership and Common Share Ownership Limits. The Board of Trustees may from time to time increase the Common Share Ownership Limit and the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit.

 

Section 7.2.9 Legend. Each certificate for Equity Shares issued after the effective date of this Declaration as accepted for record by the SDAT shall bear substantially the following legend:

 

The shares represented by this certificate are subject to restrictions on Beneficial and Constructive Ownership and Transfer for the purpose of the Trust’s maintenance of its status as a Real Estate Investment Trust (a “REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Subject to certain further restrictions and except as expressly provided in the

 

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Trust’s Declaration of Trust, (i) no Person may Beneficially or Constructively Own Common Shares of the Trust in excess of 9.8 percent (in value or number of shares) of the outstanding Common Shares of the Trust unless such Person is an Excepted Holder (in which case the Excepted Holder Limit shall be applicable); (ii) no Person may Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares of the Trust in excess of 9.8 percent of the value of the total outstanding Equity Shares of the Trust, unless such Person is an Excepted Holder (in which case the Excepted Holder Limit shall be applicable); (iii) no Person may Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares that would result in the Trust being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise cause the Trust to fail to qualify as a REIT; and (iv) no Person may Transfer Equity Shares if such Transfer would result in Equity Shares of the Trust being owned by fewer than 100 Persons. Any Person who Beneficially or Constructively Owns or attempts to Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares which cause or will cause a Person to Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess or in violation of the above limitations must immediately notify the Trust. If any of the restrictions on transfer or ownership are violated, the Equity Shares represented hereby will be automatically transferred to a Trustee of a Charitable Trust for the benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. In addition, upon the occurrence of certain events, attempted Transfers in violation of the restrictions described above may be void ab initio. All capitalized terms in this legend have the meanings defined in the Trust’s Declaration of Trust, as the same may be amended from time to time, a copy of which, including the restrictions on transfer and ownership, will be furnished to each holder of Equity Shares of the Trust on request and without charge.

 

Instead of the foregoing legend, the certificate may state that the Trust will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on transferability to a shareholder on request and without charge.

 

Section 7.3 Transfer of Equity Shares in Trust.

 

Section 7.3.1 Ownership in Trust. Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 7.2.1(b) that would result in a transfer of Equity Shares to a Charitable Trust, such Equity Shares shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Trustee as trustee of a Charitable Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 7.2.1(b). The Trustee shall be appointed by the Trust and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Trust as provided in Section 7.3.6.

 

Section 7.3.2 Status of Shares Held by the Trustee. Equity Shares held by the Trustee shall be issued and outstanding Equity Shares of the Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Trustee, shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the Charitable Trust.

 

Section 7.3.3 Dividend and Voting Rights. The Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to Equity Shares held in the Charitable Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or

 

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other distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Trustee shall be paid with respect to such Equity Shares to the Trustee upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Trustee. Any dividends or distributions so paid over to the Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Charitable Trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Trustee, the Trustee shall have the authority (at the Trustee’s sole discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Trustee and (ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Trust has already taken irreversible trust action, then the Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VII, until the Trust has received notification that Equity Shares have been transferred into a Charitable Trust, the Trust shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other shareholder records for purposes of preparing lists of shareholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of shareholders.

 

Section 7.3.4 Sale of Shares by Trustee. Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, the Trustee of the Charitable Trust shall sell the shares held in the Charitable Trust to a person, designated by the Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 7.2.1(a). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 7.3.4. The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (1) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust and (2) the price per share received by the Trustee from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Charitable Trust. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (i) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Charitable Trust and (ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 7.3.4, such excess shall be paid to the Trustee upon demand.

 

Section 7.3.5 Purchase Right in Shares Transferred to the Trustee. Equity Shares transferred to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Trust, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the Charitable Trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the Market Price at the time of such devise or gift) and (ii) the Market Price on the date the Trust, or its designee, accepts such offer. The Trust shall have the right to accept such offer until the Trustee has sold the shares held in the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 7.3.4. Upon such a sale to the Trust, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

 

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Section 7.3.6 Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries. By written notice to the Trustee, the Trust shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Charitable Trust such that (i) Equity Shares held in the Charitable Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 7.2.1(a) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary and (ii) each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

 

Section 7.4 NYSE Transactions. Nothing in this Article VII shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VII and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VII.

 

Section 7.5 Enforcement. The Trust is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article VII.

 

Section 7.6 Non-Waiver. No delay or failure on the part of the Trust or the Board of Trustees in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

SHAREHOLDERS

 

Section 8.1 Meetings. There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders, to be held on proper notice at such time (after the delivery of the annual report) and convenient location as shall be determined by or in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws, for the election of the Trustees, if required, and for the transaction of any other business within the powers of the Trust. Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders may be called in the manner provided in the Bylaws. If there are no Trustees, the officers of the Trust shall promptly call a special meeting of the shareholders entitled to vote for the election of successor Trustees. Any meeting may be adjourned and reconvened as the Trustees determine or as provided in the Bylaws.

 

Section 8.2 Voting Rights. Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding, the shareholders shall be entitled to vote only on the following matters: (a) election of Trustees as provided in Section 5.2 and the removal of Trustees as provided in Section 5.3; (b) amendment of the Declaration of Trust as provided in Article X; (c) termination of the Trust as provided in Section 12.2; (d) to the extent required by Title 8, merger or consolidation of the Trust, or the sale or disposition of substantially all of the property of the Trust, as provided in Article XI; and (e) such other matters with respect to which the Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution declaring that a proposed action is advisable and directing that the matter be submitted to the shareholders for approval or ratification. Except with respect to the foregoing matters, no action taken by the shareholders at any meeting shall in any way bind the Board of Trustees.

 

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Section 8.3 Preemptive and Appraisal Rights. Except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of classified or reclassified Shares pursuant to Section 6.5, or as may otherwise be provided by contract, no holder of Shares shall, as such holder, (a) have any preemptive right to purchase or subscribe for any additional Shares of the Trust or any other security of the Trust which it may issue or sell or (b), except as expressly required by Title 8, have any right to require the Trust to pay him the fair value of his Shares in an appraisal or similar proceeding.

 

Section 8.4 Extraordinary Actions. Except as specifically provided in Section 5.3 (relating to removal of Trustees) and in Section 10.3, notwithstanding any provision of law permitting or requiring any action to be taken or authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if taken or approved by the affirmative vote of holders of Shares entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

Section 8.5 Board Approval. The submission of any action to the shareholders for their consideration shall first be approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

Section 8.6 Action By Shareholders without a Meeting. Any action by Shareholders may be taken without a meeting, if a majority of Shares entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion of Shares as shall be required to take such action) consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

LIABILITY LIMITATION, INDEMNIFICATION

AND TRANSACTIONS WITH THE TRUST

 

Section 9.1 Limitation of Shareholder Liability. No shareholder shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment or obligation of any kind of, against or with respect to the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder, nor shall any shareholder be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any person in connection with the property or the affairs of the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder.

 

Section 9.2 Limitation of Trustee and Officer Liability. To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of trustees and officers of a real estate investment trust, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 9.2, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust inconsistent with this Section 9.2, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption. In the absence of any Maryland statute limiting the liability of trustees and officers of a Maryland real estate investment trust for money damages in a suit by or on behalf of the Trust or by any shareholder, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages except to the extent that (a) the Trustee or officer actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, for the amount of the benefit or profit in money, property or services actually received; or (b) a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the Trustee or officer is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the Trustee’s or officer’s action or failure to act was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.

 

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Section 9.3 Indemnification. The Trust shall have the power, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to obligate itself to indemnify, and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to, (a) any individual who is a present or former shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust or (b) any individual who, while a Trustee of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another real estate investment trust, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of such status. The Trust shall have the power, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust.

 

Section 9.4 Transactions Between the Trust and its Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents. Subject to any express restrictions in the Declaration of Trust or adopted by the Trustees in the Bylaws or by resolution, the Trust may enter into any contract or transaction of any kind with any person, including any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust or any person affiliated with a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, whether or not any of them has a financial interest in such transaction.

 

ARTICLE X

 

AMENDMENTS

 

Section 10.1 General. The Trust reserves the right from time to time to make any amendment to the Declaration of Trust, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in the Declaration of Trust, of any Shares. All rights and powers conferred by the Declaration of Trust on shareholders, Trustees and officers are granted subject to this reservation. An amendment to the Declaration of Trust (a) shall be signed and acknowledged by at least a majority of the Trustees, or an officer duly authorized by at least a majority of the Trustees, (b) shall be filed for record as provided in Section 13.5 and (c) shall become effective as of the later of the time the SDAT accepts the amendment for record or the time established in the amendment, not to exceed 30 days after the amendment is accepted for record. All references to the Declaration of Trust shall include all amendments thereto.

 

Section 10.2 By Trustees. The Trustees may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time, in the manner provided by Title 8, without any action by the shareholders, to qualify as a real estate investment trust under the Code or under Title 8 and as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust.

 

Section 10.3 By Shareholders.

 

(a) Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust and in subsection (b) of this Section 10.3, any amendment to the Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if approved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

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(b) Any amendment to the Declaration of Trust which has been unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees shall require only the affirmative vote of a majority of all votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF TRUST PROPERTY

 

Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, the Trust may (a) merge the Trust with or into another entity or merge another entity into the Trust, (b) consolidate the Trust with one or more other entities into a new entity or (c) sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the property of the Trust. Any such action must be approved by the Board of Trustees and, after notice to all shareholders entitled to vote on the matter, by the affirmative vote of two- thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

ARTICLE XII

 

DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST

 

Section 12.1 Duration. The Trust shall continue perpetually unless terminated pursuant to Section 12.2 or pursuant to any applicable provision of Title 8.

 

Section 12.2 Termination.

 

(a) Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, after approval by a majority of the entire Board of Trustees, the Trust may be terminated at any meeting of shareholders, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Upon the termination of the Trust:

 

(i) The Trust shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs.

 

(ii) The Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust and all of the powers of the Trustees under the Declaration of Trust shall continue, including the powers to fulfill or discharge the Trust’s contracts, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining property of the Trust to one or more persons at public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business.

 

(iii) After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trust may distribute the remaining property of the Trust among the shareholders so that after payment in full or the setting apart for payment of such preferential amounts, if any, to which the holders of any Shares at the time outstanding shall be entitled, the remaining property of the Trust shall, subject to any participating or similar rights of Shares at the time outstanding, be distributed ratably among the holders of Common Shares at the time outstanding.

 

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(b) After termination of the Trust, the liquidation of its business and the distribution to the shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and file with the Trust’s records a document certifying that the Trust has been duly terminated, and the Trustees shall be discharged from all liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and interests of all shareholders shall cease.

 

ARTICLE XIII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 13.1 Governing Law. The Declaration of Trust is executed by the undersigned Trustees and delivered in the State of Maryland with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity, construction and effect of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of laws provisions thereof.

 

Section 13.2 Reliance by Third Parties. Any certificate shall be final and conclusive as to any person dealing with the Trust if executed by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust, or any executive officer of the Trust, or a Trustee, and if certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees, officers of the Trust or shareholders; (b) the due authorization of the execution of any document; (c) the action or vote taken, and the existence of a quorum, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees or shareholders; (d) a copy of the Declaration of Trust or of the Bylaws as a true and complete copy as then in force; (e) an amendment to the Declaration of Trust; (f) the termination of the Trust; or (g) the existence of any fact relating to the affairs of the Trust. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trust on its behalf or by any officer, employee or agent of the Trust.

 

Section 13.3 Severability.

 

(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Board of Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any one or more of such provisions (the “Conflicting Provisions”) are in conflict with the Code, Title 8 or other applicable federal or state laws, the Conflicting Provisions, to the extent of the conflict, shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust, even without any amendment of the Declaration of Trust pursuant to Article X and without affecting or impairing any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or rendering invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination. No Trustee shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination. In the event of any such determination by the Board of Trustees, the Board shall amend the Declaration of Trust in the manner provided in Section 10.2.

 

(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such holding shall apply only to the extent of any such invalidity or unenforceability and shall not in any manner affect, impair or render invalid or unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.

 

Page 26

Section 13.4 Construction. In the Declaration of Trust, unless the context otherwise requires, words used in the singular or in the plural include both the plural and singular and words denoting any gender include all genders. The title and headings of different parts are inserted for convenience and shall not affect the meaning, construction or effect of the Declaration of Trust. In defining or interpreting the powers and duties of the Trust and its Trustees and officers, reference may be made by the Trustees or officers, to the extent appropriate and not inconsistent with the Code or Title 8, to Titles 1 through 3 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, in accordance with the provisions of Title 3, Subtitles 6 and 7, of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Trust shall be included within the definition of “corporation” for purposes of such provisions.

 

Section 13.5 Recordation. The Trust was formerly governed by the laws of the District of Columbia pursuant to a declaration of trust first made May 25, 1962, filed in the office of, and recorded by, the Recorder of Deeds, Washington, D.C., as subsequently amended. This Declaration of Trust has been filed with and accepted for record by the SDAT whereupon the Trust, as formerly existing as a common law business trust under the laws of the District of Columbia, shall cease to be governed by the laws of the District of Columbia and shall thereupon be subject to Title 8. Any amendment hereto shall be filed with and accepted for record with the SDAT and may also be filed or recorded in such other places as the Trustees deem appropriate, but failure to file for record this Declaration of Trust or any amendment hereto in any office other than the office of the SDAT shall not affect or impair the validity or effectiveness of the Declaration of Trust or any amendment hereto. A restated declaration of trust shall, upon filing, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein and may thereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration of Trust and the various amendments thereto.

 

Section 13.6 Shares, Share Certificates and Rights. All issued and outstanding Common Shares of beneficial interest, no par value, of the Trust, as existing as a common law business trust under the laws of the District of Columbia immediately prior to the acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the SDAT, shall upon the acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the SDAT, without further action, be reclassified and continue to exist as Common Shares (as herein defined) of the Trust as existing under Title 8 and the laws of Maryland; and all issued and outstanding Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, no par value, of the Trust, as existing as a common law business trust under the laws of the District of Columbia immediately prior to the acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the SDAT, shall upon acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the SDAT, and without further action, be reclassified and continue to exist as Series A Preferred Shares (as herein defined) of the Trust as existing under Title 8 and the laws of the State of Maryland. Certificates for Common Shares of beneficial interest, and certificates for Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, respectively, each no par value, of the Trust as existing as a common law business trust under the laws of the District of Columbia immediately prior to the acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the SDAT, shall, upon acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the SDAT, and thereafter, represent Common Shares and Series A Preferred Shares of the Trust as existing under Title 8 and the laws of the State of Maryland. All options, rights, warrants to purchase or subscribe for Common Shares of beneficial interest, no par value, of the Trust, as existing as a common law business trust under the laws of the District of Columbia immediately prior to the filing of this Declaration of Trust with the SDAT, shall upon acceptance for record of this Declaration of Trust by the

 

Page 27

SDAT, without any further action, entitle the holders thereof to purchase or subscribe for a like number of Common Shares of the Trust as existing under Title 8 and the laws of the State of Maryland, on the same terms.

 

Section 13.7 Unsolicited Takeovers. The Trust shall not elect to be subject to any provision of Subtitle 8 (“Corporations and Real Estate Investment Trusts — Unsolicited Takeovers”) of Title 3 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

 

This Declaration of Trust is executed by the Trustees and delivered in the State of Maryland with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity, construction and effect of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of laws provisions thereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Declaration of Trust has been executed on this 5th day of May, 1999 by the undersigned Trustees, who acknowledge that this document is their act, that to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief, the matters and facts set forth herein are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

 

 

  

 

Steven J. Guttman   A. Cornet De Ways Ruart

 

 

  

 

 

Mark S. Ordan   Walter F. Loeb

 

 

  

 

 

Kenneth D. Brody   Dennis L. Berman

 

 

    
Kristin Gamble    

 

Page 28

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF

DECLARATION OF TRUST OF

FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST

 

The undersigned, having been authorized by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Federal Realty Investment Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), does hereby certify pursuant to the provisions of Article X of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on May 21, 1999, and in accordance with the applicable provisions of Maryland law that:

 

A. The Board has adopted resolutions to amend the Declaration of Trust as hereinafter set forth and has declared that such amendment is advisable.

 

B. Pursuant to Section 10.3(b) of the Declaration of Trust, the amendment to the Declaration of Trust set forth below shall be approved by the shareholders of the Trust by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

C. The amendment has been approved by the shareholders of the Trust by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting of the shareholders of the Trust held on May 5, 2004.

 

Therefore, the Declaration of Trust is hereby amended as follows.

 

1. Section 5.2 is hereby amended by deleting the proviso at the end of the first sentence thereof and replacing it with the following: “provided, however, that the total number of Trustees shall be at least three (3) and not more than ten (10).”

 

2. Section 5.3 is hereby amended by deleting the second sentence in its entirety and inserting in its place, as the second sentence thereof, the following:

 

Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares to elect or remove one or more Trustees, a Trustee may be removed at any time, (i) with or without cause, at any meeting of the shareholders called for the purpose, by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the Shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, or (ii) with cause, by the vote of all the other Trustees.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment to be signed and executed in its corporate name by Donald C. Wood, its President and Chief Executive Officer, attested by Dawn M. Becker, its Secretary, and its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed on this 6th day of May, 2004.

 

ATTEST:   FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust
By:  

 

   By:  

 

    Dawn M. Becker       Donald C. Wood
    Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary       President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Corporate Seal]

 

I, Donald C. Wood, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Trust, acknowledge: (a) that I have been authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Trust to file these Articles of Amendment with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation; (b) that these Articles of Amendment are the act of the Trust; and (c) that, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, these matters and facts are, to the best of my knowledge, information and belief, true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties of perjury.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand as of the 6th day of May, 2004.

 

FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST
By:  

 

    Donald C. Wood
    President and Chief Executive Officer

 

2

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION

OF

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF

DECLARATION OF TRUST OF

FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST

 

The undersigned, having been authorized by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Federal Realty Investment Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), does hereby certify pursuant to the provisions of Article X of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on May 21, 1999, and in accordance with the applicable provisions of Maryland law that:

 

A. Articles of Amendment of Declaration of Trust of Federal Realty Investment Trust (the “Articles of Amendment”) were filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on May 7, 2004.

 

B. Paragraph 1 of the Articles of Amendment as filed on May 7, 2004 amended Section 5.2 of the Declaration of Trust by deleting the proviso at the end of the first sentence thereof and replacing it with the following: “provided, however, that the total number of Trustees shall be at least three (3) and not more than ten (10).”

 

C. Paragraph 1 of the Articles of Amendment as filed on May 7, 2004 contained a typographical error.

 

Therefore, the Articles of Amendment are hereby corrected as follows.

 

1. Section 5.2 of the Declaration of Trust is hereby amended by deleting the proviso at the end of the first sentence thereof and replacing it with the following: “provided, however, that the total number of Trustees shall be at least five (5) and not more than ten (10).”

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused this Certificate of Correction of the Articles of Amendment to be signed and executed in its corporate name by Donald C. Wood, its President and Chief Executive Officer, attested by Dawn M. Becker, its Secretary, and its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed on this 17th day of June, 2004.

 

ATTEST:   FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust
By:  

 

   By:  

 

    Dawn M. Becker       Donald C. Wood
    Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary       President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Corporate Seal]

I, Donald C. Wood, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Trust, acknowledge: (a) that I have been authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Trust to file this Certificate of Correction of Articles of Amendment with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation; (b) that this Certificate of Correction of Articles of Amendment are the act of the Trust; and (c) that, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, these matters and facts are, to the best of my knowledge, information and belief, true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties of perjury.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand as of the 17th day of June, 2004.

 

FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST
By:  

 

    Donald C. Wood
    President and Chief Executive Officer

 

2