Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation

Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Our Consolidated Statements of Income for the three months ended March 31, 2015 were retrospectively revised from previously reported amounts to reclassify the operations for those properties classified as discontinued operations. The Company's Consolidated Financial Statements include the Operating Partnership, wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Company has the controlling interest. The Operating Partnership's Consolidated Financial Statements include wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Operating Partnership has the controlling interest. In addition, we consolidate those entities deemed to be variable interest entities in which we are determined to be the primary beneficiary. At March 31, 2016, we had involvement with, but are not the primary beneficiary in, an entity that we concluded to be a variable interest entity. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying unaudited consolidated financial information, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. We have condensed or omitted certain notes and other information from the interim Consolidated Financial Statements presented in this Quarterly Report as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

During 2015, as a result of our partner’s irrevocable exercise of a buy-sell provision in our SF-HIW Harborview Plaza, LP joint venture agreement, our partner’s right to put its 80.0% equity interest back to us became no longer exercisable. As a result, we recorded the original contribution transaction as a partial sale. Our investment in this joint venture then qualified for the equity method of accounting, which resulted in the retrospective revision of our Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Equity and Capital for prior periods. Such retrospective revision is denoted using "as revised" on our Consolidated Statements of Equity and Capital as of March 31, 2015.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

The Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") recently issued an accounting standards update that requires the use of a new five-step model to recognize revenue from customer contracts. The five-step model requires that we identify the contract with the customer, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenue when we satisfy the performance obligations. We will also be required to disclose information regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The accounting standards update is required to be adopted in 2018. Retrospective application is required either to all periods presented or with the cumulative effect of initial adoption recognized in the period of adoption. We are in the process of evaluating this accounting standards update.

The FASB recently issued an accounting standards update that amended consolidation requirements. The amendments significantly change the consolidation analysis required under GAAP and require companies to reevaluate all previous consolidation conclusions. We adopted the accounting standards update as of January 1, 2016 and there was no impact to consolidated entities included in our Consolidated Financial Statements. However, in reevaluating our previous consolidation conclusions upon adoption of the accounting standards update, we determined our 12.5% equity interest in an unconsolidated affiliate to be an interest in a variable interest entity because certain of its limited partners do not have substantive kick-out or participating rights. We do not qualify as the primary beneficiary since our obligation to absorb losses and receive benefits of the variable interest entity is less than that of the other general partner. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated. Our maximum exposure to loss with respect to this arrangement is limited to the $1.6 million carrying value of our 12.5% investment in the unconsolidated affiliate.

The FASB recently issued an accounting standards update that requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability to which they relate, consistent with debt discounts, as opposed to being presented as assets. For debt issuance costs related to revolving credit facilities, the FASB allows the presentation of debt issuance costs as an asset. We adopted the accounting standards update as of January 1, 2016 with retrospective application to our December 31, 2015 Consolidated Balance Sheets. The effect of the adoption was to reclassify debt issuance costs from deferred financing and leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization, as follows: $7.8 million to a contra account as a deduction from the related mortgages and notes payable and $2.1 million to prepaid expenses and other assets. There was no effect on our Consolidated Statements of Income.

The FASB recently issued an accounting standards update which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors.  The accounting standards update requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to the existing guidance and is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted.  We are in the process of evaluating this accounting standards update.