Leases

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

Leases

Leases

As lessor

We lease space to tenants under operating leases. Most of the leases provide for the payment of fixed base rent payable monthly in advance. Office building leases generally require tenants to reimburse us for operating costs and real estate taxes above their base year costs. Certain leases provide for pass-through to tenants for their share of real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance. Certain leases also require additional variable rent payments based on a percentage of the tenants’ sales. None of our tenants accounted for more than 10% of total revenues in any of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. We have elected to account for lease revenues (including base and variable rent) and the reimbursement of common area maintenance expenses as a single lease component recorded as "rental revenues" on our consolidated statements of income.

Under ASC 842, we assess on an individual lease basis whether it is probable that we will collect the future lease payments. We consider the tenant's payment history and current credit status when assessing collectability. When collectability is not deemed probable we write-off the tenant's receivables, including straight-line rent receivables, and limit lease income to cash received. Changes to the collectability of our operating leases are recorded as adjustments to "rental revenues" on our consolidated statements of income, which resulted in a decrease in income of $17,237,000 for the year ended December 31, 2019. As a result, there is no allowance for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2019. Prior to the adoption of ASC 842, we maintained an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses on receivables under our lease agreements, including receivables arising from the straight-lining of rent. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 our allowance for doubtful accounts were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)
Description	Balance at Beginning of Year		Additions Charged Against Operations		Uncollectible Accounts Written-off			Balance at End of Year
Year Ended December 31, 2018
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$	6,480	$	1,910	$	(2,592	)	$	5,798
Year Ended December 31, 2017
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$	8,621	$	26	$	(2,167	)	$	6,480

As of December 31, 2019, under ASC 842, future undiscounted cash flows under non-cancelable operating leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2019
For the year ended December 31,
2020	$	1,285,867
2021	1,248,659
2022	1,181,887
2023	1,067,014
2024	894,362
Thereafter	4,435,225

As of December 31, 2018, under ASC 840, future undiscounted cash flows under non-cancelable operating leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2018
For the year ended December 31:
2019	$	1,547,162
2020	1,510,097
2021	1,465,024
2022	1,407,615
2023	1,269,141
Thereafter	5,832,467

The components of lease revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	For the Year Ended December 31, 2019
Fixed lease revenues	$	1,513,033
Variable lease revenues	206,677
Lease revenues	$	1,719,710

20.     Leases - continued

As lessee

We have a number of ground leases which are classified as operating leases. On January 1, 2019, we recorded $526,866,000 of ROU assets and lease liabilities. Our ROU assets were reduced by $37,269,000 of accrued rent expense reclassified from “other liabilities” and $4,267,000 of acquired above-market lease liabilities, net, reclassified from “deferred revenue” and increased by $23,665,000 of acquired below-market lease assets, net, reclassified from “identified intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization” and $1,584,000 of prepaid lease payments reclassified from "other assets." During the second quarter of 2019, we recorded a $75,220,000 impairment loss on our 608 Fifth Avenue ROU Asset (See Note 16 – Transaction Related Costs, Impairment Losses and Other). As of December 31, 2019, our ROU assets and lease liabilities were $379,546,000 and $498,254,000, respectively.

The discount rate applied to measure each ROU asset and lease liability is based on our incremental borrowing rate ("IBR"). We consider the general economic environment and our credit rating and factor in various financing and asset specific adjustments to ensure the IBR is appropriate to the intended use of the underlying lease. As we did not elect to apply hindsight, lease term assumptions determined under ASC 840 were carried forward and applied in calculating the lease liabilities recorded under ASC 842. Certain of our ground leases offer renewal options which we assess against relevant economic factors to determine whether we are reasonably certain of exercising or not exercising the option. Lease payments associated with renewal periods that we are reasonably certain will be exercised are included in the measurement of the corresponding lease liability and ROU asset.

The following table sets forth information related to the measurement of our lease liabilities as of December 31, 2019:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2019
Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)	40.20
Weighted average discount rate	4.84		%
Cash paid for operating leases	$	27,817

We recognize rent expense as a component of "operating" expenses on our consolidated statements of income. Rent expense is comprised of fixed and variable lease payments. Variable lease payments include percentage rent and rent resets based on an index or rate. The following table sets forth the details of rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2019:

(Amounts in thousands)	For the Year Ended December 31, 2019
Fixed rent expense	$	33,738
Variable rent expense	1,978
Rent expense	$	35,716

As of December 31, 2019, future lease payments under operating ground leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2019
For the year ended December 31,
2020	$	28,192
2021	29,711
2022	30,640
2023	31,085
2024	31,551
Thereafter	1,054,881
Total undiscounted cash flows	1,206,060
Present value discount	(707,806		)
Lease liabilities	$	498,254

20.     Leases - continued

As lessee - continued

As of December 31, 2018, under ASC 840, future lease payments under operating ground leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2018
For the year ended December 31,
2019	$	46,147
2020	45,258
2021	42,600
2022	43,840
2023	44,747
Thereafter	1,612,627

Certain of our ground leases are subject to fair market rent resets based on a percentage of the appraised value of the underlying assets at specified future dates. Fair market rent resets do not give rise to remeasurement of the related right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. Fair market rent resets, which may be material, will be recognized in the periods in which they are incurred.

Farley Office and Retail Building

The future lease payments detailed previously exclude the ground and building lease at the Farley Office and Retail Building (the "Project"). We have a 95.0% ownership interest in a joint venture with Related which was designated by ESD, an entity of New York State, to develop the Project. The Project will include a new Moynihan Train Hall and approximately 844,000 rentable square feet of commercial space, comprised of approximately 730,000 square feet of office space and approximately 114,000 square feet of retail space. The joint venture has a 99-year triple-net lease with ESD for the commercial space at the Project. For GAAP purposes the lease has not yet commenced since construction of the Project is ongoing. The lease calls for annual rent payments of $5,000,000 plus fixed payments in lieu of real estate taxes ("PILOT") through June 2030. Following the fixed PILOT payment period, the PILOT is calculated in a manner consistent with buildings subject to New York City real estate taxes and assessments. As of December 31, 2019, future rent and fixed PILOT payments are $556,852,000.

The joint venture has entered into a development agreement with ESD to build the adjacent Moynihan Train Hall, with Vornado and Related each guaranteeing the joint venture's obligations. The joint venture has entered into a design-build contract with Skanska Moynihan Train Hall Builders pursuant to which they will build the Moynihan Train Hall, thereby fulfilling all of the joint venture's obligations to ESD. The obligations of Skanska Moynihan Train Hall Builders have been bonded by Skanska USA and bear a full guaranty from Skanska AB. As a result of our involvement in the construction of the asset, we have been deemed the accounting owner of the property in accordance with ASC 842-40-55.

Leases

Leases

As lessor

We lease space to tenants under operating leases. Most of the leases provide for the payment of fixed base rent payable monthly in advance. Office building leases generally require tenants to reimburse us for operating costs and real estate taxes above their base year costs. Certain leases provide for pass-through to tenants for their share of real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance. Certain leases also require additional variable rent payments based on a percentage of the tenants’ sales. None of our tenants accounted for more than 10% of total revenues in any of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. We have elected to account for lease revenues (including base and variable rent) and the reimbursement of common area maintenance expenses as a single lease component recorded as "rental revenues" on our consolidated statements of income.

Under ASC 842, we assess on an individual lease basis whether it is probable that we will collect the future lease payments. We consider the tenant's payment history and current credit status when assessing collectability. When collectability is not deemed probable we write-off the tenant's receivables, including straight-line rent receivables, and limit lease income to cash received. Changes to the collectability of our operating leases are recorded as adjustments to "rental revenues" on our consolidated statements of income, which resulted in a decrease in income of $17,237,000 for the year ended December 31, 2019. As a result, there is no allowance for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2019. Prior to the adoption of ASC 842, we maintained an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses on receivables under our lease agreements, including receivables arising from the straight-lining of rent. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 our allowance for doubtful accounts were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)
Description	Balance at Beginning of Year		Additions Charged Against Operations		Uncollectible Accounts Written-off			Balance at End of Year
Year Ended December 31, 2018
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$	6,480	$	1,910	$	(2,592	)	$	5,798
Year Ended December 31, 2017
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$	8,621	$	26	$	(2,167	)	$	6,480

As of December 31, 2019, under ASC 842, future undiscounted cash flows under non-cancelable operating leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2019
For the year ended December 31,
2020	$	1,285,867
2021	1,248,659
2022	1,181,887
2023	1,067,014
2024	894,362
Thereafter	4,435,225

As of December 31, 2018, under ASC 840, future undiscounted cash flows under non-cancelable operating leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2018
For the year ended December 31:
2019	$	1,547,162
2020	1,510,097
2021	1,465,024
2022	1,407,615
2023	1,269,141
Thereafter	5,832,467

The components of lease revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019 were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	For the Year Ended December 31, 2019
Fixed lease revenues	$	1,513,033
Variable lease revenues	206,677
Lease revenues	$	1,719,710

20.     Leases - continued

As lessee

We have a number of ground leases which are classified as operating leases. On January 1, 2019, we recorded $526,866,000 of ROU assets and lease liabilities. Our ROU assets were reduced by $37,269,000 of accrued rent expense reclassified from “other liabilities” and $4,267,000 of acquired above-market lease liabilities, net, reclassified from “deferred revenue” and increased by $23,665,000 of acquired below-market lease assets, net, reclassified from “identified intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization” and $1,584,000 of prepaid lease payments reclassified from "other assets." During the second quarter of 2019, we recorded a $75,220,000 impairment loss on our 608 Fifth Avenue ROU Asset (See Note 16 – Transaction Related Costs, Impairment Losses and Other). As of December 31, 2019, our ROU assets and lease liabilities were $379,546,000 and $498,254,000, respectively.

The discount rate applied to measure each ROU asset and lease liability is based on our incremental borrowing rate ("IBR"). We consider the general economic environment and our credit rating and factor in various financing and asset specific adjustments to ensure the IBR is appropriate to the intended use of the underlying lease. As we did not elect to apply hindsight, lease term assumptions determined under ASC 840 were carried forward and applied in calculating the lease liabilities recorded under ASC 842. Certain of our ground leases offer renewal options which we assess against relevant economic factors to determine whether we are reasonably certain of exercising or not exercising the option. Lease payments associated with renewal periods that we are reasonably certain will be exercised are included in the measurement of the corresponding lease liability and ROU asset.

The following table sets forth information related to the measurement of our lease liabilities as of December 31, 2019:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2019
Weighted average remaining lease term (in years)	40.20
Weighted average discount rate	4.84		%
Cash paid for operating leases	$	27,817

We recognize rent expense as a component of "operating" expenses on our consolidated statements of income. Rent expense is comprised of fixed and variable lease payments. Variable lease payments include percentage rent and rent resets based on an index or rate. The following table sets forth the details of rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2019:

(Amounts in thousands)	For the Year Ended December 31, 2019
Fixed rent expense	$	33,738
Variable rent expense	1,978
Rent expense	$	35,716

As of December 31, 2019, future lease payments under operating ground leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2019
For the year ended December 31,
2020	$	28,192
2021	29,711
2022	30,640
2023	31,085
2024	31,551
Thereafter	1,054,881
Total undiscounted cash flows	1,206,060
Present value discount	(707,806		)
Lease liabilities	$	498,254

20.     Leases - continued

As lessee - continued

As of December 31, 2018, under ASC 840, future lease payments under operating ground leases were as follows:

(Amounts in thousands)	As of December 31, 2018
For the year ended December 31,
2019	$	46,147
2020	45,258
2021	42,600
2022	43,840
2023	44,747
Thereafter	1,612,627

Certain of our ground leases are subject to fair market rent resets based on a percentage of the appraised value of the underlying assets at specified future dates. Fair market rent resets do not give rise to remeasurement of the related right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. Fair market rent resets, which may be material, will be recognized in the periods in which they are incurred.

Farley Office and Retail Building

The future lease payments detailed previously exclude the ground and building lease at the Farley Office and Retail Building (the "Project"). We have a 95.0% ownership interest in a joint venture with Related which was designated by ESD, an entity of New York State, to develop the Project. The Project will include a new Moynihan Train Hall and approximately 844,000 rentable square feet of commercial space, comprised of approximately 730,000 square feet of office space and approximately 114,000 square feet of retail space. The joint venture has a 99-year triple-net lease with ESD for the commercial space at the Project. For GAAP purposes the lease has not yet commenced since construction of the Project is ongoing. The lease calls for annual rent payments of $5,000,000 plus fixed payments in lieu of real estate taxes ("PILOT") through June 2030. Following the fixed PILOT payment period, the PILOT is calculated in a manner consistent with buildings subject to New York City real estate taxes and assessments. As of December 31, 2019, future rent and fixed PILOT payments are $556,852,000.

The joint venture has entered into a development agreement with ESD to build the adjacent Moynihan Train Hall, with Vornado and Related each guaranteeing the joint venture's obligations. The joint venture has entered into a design-build contract with Skanska Moynihan Train Hall Builders pursuant to which they will build the Moynihan Train Hall, thereby fulfilling all of the joint venture's obligations to ESD. The obligations of Skanska Moynihan Train Hall Builders have been bonded by Skanska USA and bear a full guaranty from Skanska AB. As a result of our involvement in the construction of the asset, we have been deemed the accounting owner of the property in accordance with ASC 842-40-55.