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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Legal Proceedings

The Company is involved from time to time in litigation on various matters, including disputes with tenants, vendors and disputes arising out of agreements to purchase or sell properties. Given the nature of the Company’s business activities, these lawsuits are considered routine to the conduct of its business. The result of any particular lawsuit cannot be predicted, because of the very nature of litigation, the litigation process and its adversarial nature, and the jury system. The Company will establish reserves for specific legal proceedings when it determines that the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome is probable and when the amount of loss is reasonably estimable.  The Company does not expect that the liabilities, if any, that may ultimately result from such legal actions will have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company.

Letters-of-Credit

Under certain mortgages, including mortgages held by Real Estate Ventures, the Company may be required to fund required leasing and capital reserve accounts for the benefit of the mortgage lenders with a letter-of-credit.  As of September 30, 2017, there is an associated $10.0 million letter of credit for a mortgage lender. Certain of the tenant rents at properties that secure these mortgage loans are deposited into the loan servicer’s depository accounts, which are used to fund debt service, operating expenses, capital expenditures and the escrow and reserve accounts, as necessary. Any excess cash is included in cash and cash equivalents.

Environmental

As an owner of real estate, the Company is subject to various environmental laws of federal, state, and local governments. The Company’s compliance with existing laws has not had a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations, and the Company does not believe it will have a material adverse effect in the future. However, the Company cannot predict the impact of unforeseen environmental contingencies or new or changed laws or regulations on its current Properties or on properties that the Company may acquire.

Ground Rent

Future minimum rental payments by the Company under the terms of all non-cancelable ground leases of land on which properties in the Company’s consolidated portfolio are situated are expensed on a straight-line basis regardless of when payments are due. The Company’s ground leases have remaining lease terms ranging from 12 to 72 years. Minimum future rental payments on non-cancelable leases at September 30, 2017 are as follows (in thousands):

 

Year

 

Minimum Rent

 

2017 (three months remaining)

 

$

303

 

2018

 

 

1,211

 

2019

 

 

1,211

 

2020

 

 

1,211

 

2021

 

 

1,211

 

Thereafter

 

 

57,527

 

Total

 

$

62,674

 

The Company obtained ground tenancy rights related to three properties in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which provide for contingent rent participation by the lessor in certain capital transactions and net operating cash flows of the properties after certain returns are achieved by the Company. Such amounts, if any, will be reflected as contingent rent when incurred. The leases also provide for payment by the Company of certain operating costs relating to the land, primarily real estate taxes. The above schedule of future minimum rental payments does not include any contingent rent amounts or any reimbursed expenses. Reference is made in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 for further detail regarding commitments and contingencies.

Put Agreement

On May 4, 2015, the Company entered into a put agreement in the ordinary course of business that grants an unaffiliated third party the unilateral option to require the Company to purchase a property, at a predetermined price, until May 4, 2018.   In addition to the $35.0 million purchase price, the Company would be responsible for transaction and closing costs.  There can be no assurance that the counterparty will exercise the option.

Fair Value of Contingent Consideration

On April 2, 2015, the Company purchased 618 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The allocated purchase price included contingent consideration of $2.0 million payable to the seller upon commencement of development. The liability was initially recorded at fair value of $1.6 million and will accrete through interest expense to $2.0 million over the expected period until development is commenced. The fair value of this contingent consideration was determined using a probability weighted discounted cash flow model. The significant inputs to the discounted cash flow model were the discount rate and weighted probability scenarios. As the inputs are unobservable, the Company determined the inputs used to value this liability fall within Level 3 for fair value reporting. As of September 30, 2017, the liability had accreted to $1.8 million. As there were no significant changes to the inputs, the liability remains within Level 3 for fair value reporting.

Debt Guarantees

As of September 30, 2017, the Company’s unconsolidated real estate ventures had aggregate indebtedness to third parties of $915.0 million. These loans are generally mortgage or construction loans, most of which are non-recourse to the Company.  In addition, in certain instances, the Company provides non-recourse carve-out guarantees on these non-recourse loans. As of September 30, 2017, the loans for which there is recourse to the Company consists of the following: (i) a $55.4 million payment guaranty on the term loan for evo at Cira Centre South; (ii) a joint and several cost overrun guaranty on the $88.9 million construction loan for the development project undertaken by 1919 Market Street LP; and (iii) a $0.4 million payment guarantee on a loan provided to PJP VII. See Note 4, "Investment in Unconsolidated Real Estate Ventures," in the notes to the consolidated financial statements above for more information.

Other Commitments or Contingencies

On July 1, 2016, the Company closed on the acquisition of 34.6 acres of land located in Austin, Texas known as the Garza Ranch. As of September 30, 2017, the Company sold two parcels containing 8.4 acres and 1.7 acres (of the 34.6 acres) to two unaffiliated third parties. In connection with the agreements of sale, the Company entered into a development agreement and related completion guarantee to construct certain infrastructure improvements to the land on behalf of each buyer, estimated to cost $13.2 million. Total estimated costs related to the improvements are included in the sale price of each land parcel. Recognition of the sale of the land parcels is deferred until the improvements are completed. As of September 30, 2017, the costs incurred to complete the infrastructure improvements are not in excess of the fixed sale price included in each sale contract. Accordingly, there are no indicators of impairment.

On December 3, 2015, the Company entered into an agreement as development manager to construct Subaru of America’s (“Subaru”) corporate headquarters (the “Subaru Headquarters Development”), an office property containing five floors and approximately 250,000 square feet, on land owned by Subaru and located in Camden, New Jersey. In addition to development fees, the agreement provides the Company with the ability to earn additional profit if total project costs are less than the not-to-exceed (“NTE”) amount. As of September 30, 2017, the Company has recognized $2.1 million of residual profit income related to the Subaru Headquarters Development. For the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, the Company earned $0.8 million and $1.6 million, respectively. The NTE amount, currently at $79.4 million, may be adjusted by change orders agreed upon by both Subaru and the Company. If construction costs exceed the NTE amount, the Company is obligated to pay the excess and the residual profit recognized will be reversed.  As of September 30, 2017, $57.2 million of the project costs had been funded, and the Company does not expect to incur costs in excess of the NTE amount. The Company expects the development to be substantially complete during the fourth quarter of 2017.

Also on December 3, 2015, the Company entered into an agreement to construct an 83,000 square foot build-to-suit service center (the “Subaru NSTC Development”) on land parcels owned by the Company for Subaru as the single tenant. On such date, Subaru entered into an 18-year lease for the service center. The lease contains a purchase option, which allows Subaru to purchase the property at commencement of the lease, or five years subsequent to inception, at depreciated cost. The Company currently expects to deliver the building to Subaru during the third quarter of 2018.  At September 30, 2017, $12.4 million of the estimated project costs, totaling $44.3 million, had been funded, and is recorded in Other assets.

The Company invests in its properties and regularly incurs capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business to maintain the properties. The Company believes that such expenditures enhance its competitiveness. The Company also enters into construction, utility and service contracts in the ordinary course of business which may extend beyond one year. These contracts typically provide for cancellation with insignificant or no cancellation penalties.