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Organization
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Organization
2. ORGANIZATION

Sovran Self Storage, Inc. (the “Company,” “We,” “Our,” or “Sovran”), a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (a “REIT”), was formed on April 19, 1995 to own and operate self-storage facilities throughout the United States. On June 26, 1995, the Company commenced operations effective with the completion of its initial public offering. At March 31, 2014, we had an ownership interest in, leased, and/or managed 485 self-storage properties in 25 states under the name Uncle Bob’s Self Storage ®. Among our 485 self-storage properties are 25 properties that we manage for an unconsolidated joint venture (Sovran HHF Storage Holdings LLC) of which we are a 20% owner, 30 properties that we manage for an unconsolidated joint venture (Sovran HHF Storage Holdings II LLC) of which we are a 15% owner, 22 properties that we manage and have no ownership interest, and four properties we lease. Approximately 40% of the Company’s revenue is derived from stores in the states of Texas and Florida.

All of the Company’s assets are owned by, and all its operations are conducted through, Sovran Acquisition Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”). Sovran Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Subsidiary”), is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership; the Company is a limited partner of the Operating Partnership, and through its ownership of the Subsidiary and its limited partnership interest controls the operations of the Operating Partnership, holding a 99.4% ownership interest therein as of March 31, 2014. The remaining ownership interests in the Operating Partnership (the “Units”) are held by certain former owners of assets acquired by the Operating Partnership subsequent to its formation.

We consolidate all wholly owned subsidiaries. Partially owned subsidiaries and joint ventures are consolidated when we control the entity. Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, Uncle Bob’s Management, LLC (the Company’s taxable REIT subsidiary), Locke Sovran I, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary), and Locke Sovran II, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary). All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Investments in joint ventures that we do not control but for which we have significant influence over are accounted for using the equity method.

 

On June 30, 2011, the Company entered into a newly formed joint venture agreement with an owner of a self-storage facility in New Jersey (West Deptford JV LLC). As part of the agreement the Company contributed $4.2 million to the joint venture for a $2.8 million mortgage note at 8%, a 20% common interest, and a $1.4 million preferred interest with an 8% preferred return. The Company had concluded that this joint venture is a variable interest entity pursuant to the guidance in FASB ASC Topic 810, “Consolidation” on the basis that the total equity investment in the joint venture is not sufficient to permit the joint venture to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from its investors. On February 5, 2013 the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement to sell its common and preferred interests in West Deptford JV LLC to the other joint venture partner for approximately $1.4 million, resulting in a gain of $0.4 million. Simultaneous with this transaction the joint venture partner also repaid the $2.8 million mortgage note held by the Company. As a result of these transactions the Company no longer holds any ownership interest in this joint venture.

Included in the consolidated balance sheets are noncontrolling redeemable operating partnership units. These interests are presented in the “mezzanine” section of the consolidated balance sheet because they do not meet the functional definition of a liability or equity under current accounting literature. These represent the outside ownership interests of the limited partners in the Operating Partnership. At March 31, 2014, there were 198,913 noncontrolling redeemable operating partnership Units outstanding (198,913 at December 31, 2013). These unitholders are entitled to receive distributions per unit equivalent to the dividends declared per share on the Company’s common stock. The Operating Partnership is obligated to redeem each of these limited partnership Units in the Operating Partnership at the request of the holder thereof for cash equal to the fair market value of a share of the Company’s common stock, at the time of such redemption, provided that the Company at its option may elect to acquire any such Unit presented for redemption for one common share or cash. The Company accounts for these noncontrolling redeemable Operating Partnership Units under the provisions of EITF D-98, “Classification and Measurement of Redeemable Securities” which was codified in FASB ASC Topic 480-10-S99. The application of the FASB ASC Topic 480-10-S99 accounting model requires the noncontrolling interest to follow normal noncontrolling interest accounting and then be marked to redemption value at the end of each reporting period if higher (but never adjusted below that normal noncontrolling interest accounting amount). The offset to the adjustment to the carrying amount of the noncontrolling redeemable Operating Partnership Units is reflected in dividends in excess of net income. Accordingly, in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet, noncontrolling redeemable Operating Partnership Units are reflected at redemption value at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, equal to the number of Units outstanding multiplied by the fair market value of the Company’s common stock at that date. Redemption value exceeded the value determined under the Company’s historical basis of accounting at those dates.

 

(dollars in thousands)

   Three Months
Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
 

Beginning balance noncontrolling redeemable Operating Partnership Units

   $ 12,940  

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests – consolidated joint venture

     102  

Distributions

     (135

Adjustment to redemption value

     1,628  
  

 

 

 

Ending balance noncontrolling redeemable Operating Partnership Units

   $ 14,535