Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Real Estate Joint Ventures

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Real Estate Joint Ventures
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
Real Estate Joint Ventures Real Estate Joint Ventures
 
Consolidated Real Estate Joint Ventures

We consolidate the real estate joint ventures described below because of our: (1) power to direct the matters that most significantly impact their activities, including development, leasing and management of the properties developed by the VIEs; and (2) right to receive returns on our fundings and, in many cases, the obligation to fund the activities of the ventures to the extent that third-party financing is not obtained, both of which could be potentially significant to the VIEs.

The table below sets forth information pertaining to our investments in consolidated real estate joint ventures as of December 31, 2019 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
Nominal Ownership %
 
 
 
December 31, 2019 (1)
 
 
Date Acquired
 
 
 
 
Total Assets
 
Encumbered Assets
 
Total Liabilities
Entity
 
 
 
Location
 
 
 
LW Redstone Company, LLC
 
3/23/2010
 
85%
 
Huntsville, Alabama
 
$
249,875

 
$
73,911

 
$
73,083

M Square Associates, LLC
 
6/26/2007
 
50%
 
College Park, Maryland
 
87,915

 
63,895

 
56,028

Stevens Investors, LLC
 
8/11/2015
 
95%
 
Washington, DC
 
126,603

 
126,112

 
56,268

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
464,393

 
$
263,918

 
$
185,379

(1) Excludes amounts eliminated in consolidation.

Each of these joint ventures are engaged in the development and operation of real estate. With regard to these joint ventures:

for LW Redstone Company, LLC, we anticipate funding certain infrastructure costs (up to a maximum of $76.0 million excluding accrued interest thereon) due to be reimbursed by the City of Huntsville as discussed further in Note 8. We had advanced $49.0 million to the City through December 31, 2019 to fund such costs. We also expect to fund additional development costs through equity contributions to the extent that third party financing is not obtained.  Our partner was credited with a $9.0 million capital account upon formation and is not required to make equity contributions. While net
cash flow distributions to the partners vary depending on the source of the funds distributed, cash flows are generally distributed as follows:
cumulative preferred returns on capital invested to fund the project’s infrastructure costs on a pro rata basis to us and our partner;
cumulative preferred returns on our capital invested to fund the project’s vertical construction;
return of our invested capital;
return of our partner’s capital;
any remaining residual 85% to us and 15% to our partner.
Our partner has the right to require us to acquire its interest for fair value beginning in March 2020; accordingly, we classify the fair value of our partner’s interest as redeemable noncontrolling interests in the mezzanine section of our consolidated balance sheets. We have the right to acquire our partner’s interest at fair value upon the earlier of five years following the project’s achievement of a construction commencement threshold of 4.4 million square feet or March 2040; the project had achieved approximately 1.5 million square feet of construction commencement through December 31, 2019. Our partner has the right to receive some or all of the consideration for the acquisition of its interests in the form of common units in COPLP;
for M Square Associates, LLC, net cash flows of this entity are distributed to the partners as follows: (1) member loans and accrued interest; (2) our preferred return and capital contributions used to fund infrastructure costs; (3) the partners’ preferred returns and capital contributions used to fund all other costs, including the base land value credit, in proportion to the accrued returns and capital accounts; and (4) residual amounts distributed 50% to each member; and
for Stevens Investors, LLC, net cash flows of this entity will be distributed to the partners as follows: (1) member loans and accrued interest; (2) pro rata return of the partners’ capital; (3) pro rata return of the partners’ respective unpaid preferred returns; and (4) varying splits of 85% to 60% to us and the balance to our partners as we reach specified return hurdles. Our partners have the right to require us to acquire some or all of their interests for fair value for a defined period of time following the property’s development completion (expected to occur in 2021) and stabilization (as defined in the operating agreement) of the joint venture’s office property; accordingly, we classify the fair value of our partners’ interest as redeemable noncontrolling interests in the mezzanine section of our consolidated balance sheets. We and our partners each have the right to acquire each other’s interests at fair value upon the second anniversary of the property’s stabilization date (as defined in the operating agreement). Our partners have the right to receive some or all of the consideration for the acquisition of their interests in the form of common units in COPLP.

We disclose the activity of our redeemable noncontrolling interests in Note 12.

The ventures discussed above include only ones in which parties other than COPLP and COPT own interests.

Unconsolidated Real Estate Joint Ventures

The table below sets forth information pertaining to our investments in unconsolidated real estate joint ventures accounted for using the equity method of accounting (dollars in thousands):
 
 
Date Acquired
 
Nominal Ownership %
 
Number of Properties
 
Carrying Value of Investment (1)
Entity
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
GI-COPT DC Partnership LLC
 
7/21/2016
 
50%
 
6

 
$
37,816

 
$
39,845

BREIT COPT DC JV LLC
 
6/20/2019
 
10%
 
9

 
14,133

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
15

 
$
51,949

 
$
39,845

(1) Included in the line entitled “investment in unconsolidated real estate joint ventures” on our consolidated balance sheets.

These joint ventures operate triple-net leased, single-tenant data center shell properties in Northern Virginia. With regard to these joint ventures:

for GI-COPT DC Partnership LLC, under the terms of the joint venture agreement, we and our partner receive returns in proportion to our investments in the joint venture; and
for BREIT-COPT, as described further in Note 4, in 2019, we sold a 90% interest in nine triple-net leased, single-tenant data center shell properties in Northern Virginia and retained a 10% interest in the properties through the joint venture. We concluded that the joint venture is a variable interest entity. Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, we and our partner receive returns in proportion to our investments, and our maximum exposure to losses is limited to our investment, subject to certain indemnification obligations with respect to nonrecourse debt secured by the properties. The nature of our
involvement in the activities of the joint venture does not give us power over decisions that significantly affect its economic performance.