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Investments In and Advances To Affiliates
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
Investments In and Advances To Affiliates Investments in and Advances to Affiliates
Unconsolidated Affiliates

We have equity interests of up to 50.0% in various joint ventures with unrelated third parties that are accounted for using the equity method of accounting because we have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the joint venture investment. The difference between the cost of these investments and the net book value of the underlying net assets was $21.3 million and $18.9 million as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

The following table sets forth our ownership in unconsolidated affiliates as of December 31, 2024:
Joint VentureLocationOwnership
Interest
Highwoods-Markel Associates, LLCRichmond50.0%
Granite Park Six JV, LLCDallas50.0%
GPI 23 Springs JV, LLCDallas50.0%
M+O JV, LLCDallas50.0%
Midtown East Tampa, LLCTampa50.0%
Brand/HRLP 2827 Peachtree, LLCAtlanta50.0%
Plaza Colonnade, Tenant-in-CommonKansas City50.0%
Kessinger/Hunter & Company, LCKansas City26.5%

- Highwoods-Markel Associates, LLC (“Markel joint venture”)

In 1999, we formed a joint venture with Markel Corporation in which we own a 50.0% interest. The Markel joint venture was consolidated as of December 31, 2022 because we controlled the major operating and financial policies of the entity. Effective January 1, 2023, the agreement governing the joint venture was modified to require the consent of both partners for major operating and financial policies of the entity. As a result, the Markel joint venture was deconsolidated effective January 1, 2023, and this joint venture is now accounted for using the equity method of accounting. We recognized a gain on deconsolidation of $11.8 million related to adjusting our retained interest in the joint venture to fair value. The assets of the Markel joint venture can only be used to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

- Granite Park Six JV, LLC/ GPI 23 Springs JV, LLC (“Granite Park Six joint venture”/“23Springs joint venture”)

During 2022, we entered the Dallas market through the formation of two joint ventures with Granite Properties (“Granite”) to develop Granite Park Six and 23Springs. In connection with the formation, we agreed to contribute our 50.0% share of the equity required to fund each development project. The Granite Park Six joint venture has an anticipated total investment of $200.0 million and the 23Springs joint venture has an anticipated total investment of $460.0 million. As of December 31, 2024, we have funded $76.2 million of our share of the equity for the Granite Park Six joint venture and $94.0 million of our share of the equity for the 23Springs joint venture.

We determined that we have a variable interest in both the Granite Park Six and 23Springs joint ventures primarily because the entities were designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us and Granite as equity holders. The joint ventures were further determined to be variable interest entities as they require additional subordinated financial support in the form of loans because the initial equity investments provided by us and Granite were not sufficient to finance the planned investments and operations. We concluded we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of either entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entities are not consolidated.

The Granite Park Six joint venture obtained a construction loan for $115.0 million, with an interest rate of SOFR plus 394 basis points and a maturity date of January 2026. In connection with this loan, the Granite Park Six joint venture obtained interest rate hedge contracts that effectively cap the underlying SOFR rate at 3.5%. The initial contract capped the rate with respect to $95.2 million of any outstanding amounts and expired in July 2024. The new contract caps the rate with respect to $38.8 million of any outstanding amounts and expires in July 2025. During 2024, we and Granite each contributed $35.5
million to the Granite Park Six joint venture to pay down the outstanding $70.9 million balance of the construction loan. This reconsideration event did not change our initial conclusion that the Granite Park Six joint venture is a variable interest entity of which we are not the primary beneficiary. As such, the entity remains unconsolidated. As of December 31, 2024, $1.9 million was drawn on this loan.

The 23Springs joint venture obtained a construction loan for $265.0 million, with an interest rate of SOFR plus 355 basis points and a maturity date of March 2026. In connection with this loan, the 23Springs joint venture obtained interest rate hedge contracts that effectively cap the underlying SOFR rate at 3.5%. The initial contract capped the rate with respect to $83.0 million of any outstanding amounts and expired in April 2024. The new contract caps the rate with respect to $134.0 million of any outstanding amounts and expires in April 2025. As of December 31, 2024, $94.6 million was drawn on this loan.

As of December 31, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to these arrangements was limited to the carrying value of each investment balance. Our investment balances were $76.8 million and $101.5 million as of December 31, 2024 for the Granite Park Six and 23Springs joint ventures, respectively. The assets of the Granite Park Six and 23Springs joint ventures can only be used to settle obligations of the respective joint venture, and their creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

- M+O JV, LLC (“McKinney & Olive joint venture”)

During 2022, we expanded our Dallas market presence by acquiring McKinney & Olive through the formation of another joint venture with Granite in which we own a 50.0% interest. As part of the transaction, the McKinney & Olive joint venture assumed a secured loan recorded at fair value of $137.0 million, with a stated interest rate of 4.5% and an effective interest rate of 5.3%. The remainder of the purchase price paid by the McKinney & Olive joint venture was funded with $80.0 million of short-term preferred equity contributed by us and $86.4 million of common equity contributed by each of Granite and us.

We determined that we have a variable interest in the McKinney & Olive joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us and Granite as equity holders. The McKinney & Olive joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments by us and Granite, including the additional preferred equity provided by us, were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We concluded we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated.

During 2024, the McKinney & Olive joint venture paid off at maturity the remaining $134.3 million balance on the secured mortgage loan. In connection with this loan payoff, we and Granite each contributed $62.1 million to the joint venture.

During 2023, we and Granite each contributed an additional $40.0 million of common equity to the McKinney & Olive joint venture. Such proceeds were then used by the joint venture to redeem our $80.0 million short-term preferred equity investment in full. Prior to the redemption, we received monthly distributions on the preferred equity at a rate of SOFR plus 350 basis points.

These reconsideration events did not change our initial conclusion that the McKinney & Olive joint venture is a variable interest entity of which we are not the primary beneficiary. As such, the entity remains unconsolidated.

As of December 31, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to this arrangement was limited to the carrying value of our investment balance of $182.1 million. The assets of the McKinney & Olive joint venture can only be used to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

- Midtown East Tampa, LLC (“Midtown East joint venture”)

During 2022, we formed a joint venture with The Bromley Companies (“Bromley”) in which we own a 50.0% interest to construct Midtown East, a multi-customer office development project located in the mixed-use Midtown Tampa project in Tampa’s Westshore submarket. Upon completion, the Midtown East joint venture will own 143,000 square feet of an overall 432,000 square foot tower. The rest of Midtown East will be owned by and serve as the future headquarters of Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas. The total anticipated investment for the Midtown East joint venture’s share of the overall project is $83.0 million. In connection with the formation, we agreed to contribute our 50.0% share of the equity required to fund the development project, $14.2 million of which was funded as of December 31, 2024. We also committed to provide a $52.3 million interest-only secured construction loan to the Midtown East joint venture that is scheduled to mature on the third
anniversary of completion. The loan bears interest at SOFR plus 450 basis points. As of December 31, 2024, $21.4 million was drawn on this loan.

We determined that we have a variable interest in the Midtown East joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us as both a debt and equity holder and to Bromley as an equity holder. The Midtown East joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments provided by us and Bromley were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We concluded we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated.

As of December 31, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to this arrangement was $35.5 million, which consists of the $14.1 million carrying value of our investment balance plus the $21.4 million outstanding balance of the loan we have provided to the joint venture. The outstanding balance on the loan is recorded in investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The assets of the Midtown East joint venture can only be used to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

- Brand/HRLP 2827 Peachtree LLC (“2827 Peachtree joint venture”)

During 2021, we formed a joint venture with Brand Properties, LLC (“Brand”) to construct 2827 Peachtree, a 135,000 square foot, multi-customer office building located in Atlanta’s Buckhead submarket. The 2827 Peachtree joint venture has an anticipated total investment of $79.0 million. At closing, we agreed to contribute cash of $13.3 million, which has been fully funded, in exchange for a 50.0% interest in the 2827 Peachtree joint venture. Brand contributed land valued at $7.7 million and cash of $5.6 million in exchange for the remaining 50.0% interest. We also committed to provide a $52.8 million interest-only secured construction loan to the 2827 Peachtree joint venture that was originally scheduled to mature in December 2024 with an option to extend for one year. During 2024, the joint venture exercised the option to extend the loan for one year. The loan bears interest at SOFR plus 310 basis points. As of December 31, 2024, $48.2 million was drawn on this loan.

We determined that we have a variable interest in the 2827 Peachtree joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us as both a debt and equity holder and to Brand as an equity holder. The 2827 Peachtree joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments provided by us and Brand were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We concluded we do not have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the entity and therefore do not qualify as the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the entity is not consolidated.

As of December 31, 2024, our risk of loss with respect to this arrangement was $60.7 million, which consists of the $12.5 million carrying value of our investment balance plus the $48.2 million outstanding balance of the loan we have provided to the joint venture. The outstanding balance on the loan is recorded in investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The assets of the 2827 Peachtree joint venture can only be used to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

- Other Activities

We receive development, management and leasing fees for services provided to certain of our joint ventures. These fees are recognized in income to the extent of our respective joint venture partner’s interest. During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recognized $0.9 million, $1.0 million and $0.6 million, respectively, of development/construction, management and leasing fees from our unconsolidated joint ventures.

Consolidated Affiliate

- HRLP MTW, LLC (“Midtown West joint venture”)

In 2019, we and Bromley formed a joint venture to construct Midtown West, a 152,000 square foot, multi-customer office building located in the mixed-use Midtown Tampa project in Tampa’s Westshore submarket. At closing, we agreed to contribute cash of $20.0 million, which has been fully funded, in exchange for an 80.0% interest in the Midtown West joint venture, and Bromley contributed land valued at $5.0 million in exchange for the remaining 20.0% interest. We also provided a
$46.3 million interest-only secured construction loan to the Midtown West joint venture. All of the amounts outstanding under this loan were repaid in 2023.

We determined that we have a variable interest in the Midtown West joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us and Bromley as equity holders. The Midtown West joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investments provided by us and Bromley were not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We, as majority owner and managing member and through our control rights as set forth in the joint venture’s governance documents, were determined to be the primary beneficiary as we have both the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the entity (primarily lease rates, property operations and capital expenditures) and significant economic exposure through our equity investment. As such, the Midtown West joint venture is consolidated and all intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated.

During 2023, the Midtown West joint venture obtained a $45.0 million, five-year secured mortgage loan from a third party lender, with an effective fixed rate of 7.29%. This loan is scheduled to mature in November 2028. The joint venture incurred $0.8 million of debt issuance costs, which will be amortized over the term of the loan. The net proceeds were used by the joint venture to repay in full the secured construction loan we provided, as discussed above. This reconsideration event did not change our initial conclusion that the Midtown West joint venture is a variable interest entity of which we are the primary beneficiary. As such, the entity remains consolidated and all intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated

The following table sets forth the assets and liabilities of the Midtown West joint venture included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets:

December 31,
20242023
Net real estate assets$58,443 $60,410 
Cash and cash equivalents $1,530 $1,096 
Restricted cash$— $2,260 
Accrued straight-line rents receivable $5,192 $5,041 
Deferred leasing costs, net$2,596 $2,783 
Prepaid expenses and other assets$104 $124 
Mortgages and notes payable, net$44,325 $44,192 
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities$1,297 $2,872 

The assets of the Midtown West joint venture can only be used to settle obligations of the joint venture, and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

Joint Venture Rights and Obligations

With respect to some of our joint ventures, we have a right to buy, and our joint venture partner has a right to sell to us, such joint venture partner’s interest under certain circumstances for fair market value during various timeframes in the future. For our Granite Park Six joint venture, such rights are exercisable during the two-year period commencing on the 10th anniversary of the completion date. For each of our 23Springs and McKinney & Olive joint ventures, such rights are exercisable during the two-year period commencing on the 12th anniversary of the stabilization date of 23Springs. For our 2827 Peachtree joint venture, such rights are exercisable during the two-year period commencing on the earlier of: (1) the stabilization date; (2) the seventh anniversary of the completion date; and (3) the maturity of the loan provided by us to the joint venture. For our Midtown West joint venture, our right to buy our partner’s interest is exercisable during the two-year period commencing on the seventh anniversary of the completion date, and our partner’s right to sell its interest to us is exercisable during the period commencing on the stabilization date and ending on the ninth anniversary of the completion date.

In addition to the foregoing, with respect to our Granite Park Six, 23Springs and Midtown West joint ventures, our joint venture partner has the right to receive additional consideration from us or the joint venture under certain circumstances if and to the extent the internal rate of return on the applicable development project exceeds certain thresholds.