COPT Defense Properties Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Real Estate Joint Ventures

Real Estate Joint Ventures

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

Consolidated Real Estate Joint Ventures

The table below sets forth information pertaining to our investments in consolidated real estate joint ventures as of December 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):


		Nominal Ownership %		December 31, 2021 (1)
	Date Acquired			Total Assets		Encumbered Assets		Total Liabilities
Entity			Location
LW Redstone Company, LLC (2)	3/23/2010	85%	Huntsville, Alabama	$	478,739	$	89,589	$	93,730
Stevens Investors, LLC	8/11/2015	95%	Washington, D.C.	165,806		—		1,406
M Square Associates, LLC	6/26/2007	50%	College Park, Maryland	101,515		60,795		52,589
				$	746,060	$	150,384	$	147,725

(1)Excludes amounts eliminated in consolidation.

(2)As discussed below, we fund all capital requirements. Our partner generally receives distributions of the first $1.2 million of annual operating cash flows and we receive the remainder.

Each of these joint ventures are engaged in the development and operation of real estate. We concluded that these joint ventures are variable interest entities. We consolidate these joint ventures because of our: (1) power to direct the matters that most significantly impact their activities, including development, leasing and management of their properties; 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 them. 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 $68.1 million to the City through December 31, 2021 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 $9.0 million in invested capital upon formation and is not required to make, nor has it made, additional equity contributions. Cash flows are generally distributed to the partners as follows: (1) cumulative preferred returns of 13.5% on our partner’s invested capital; (2) cumulative preferred returns of 13.5% on our invested capital; (3) return of our invested capital; (4) return of our partner’s invested capital; and (5) 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; 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 2.3 million square feet of construction commencement through December 31, 2021. 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 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. As of December 31, 2021, we also had a $112.0 million construction loan to the joint venture, which is eliminated in consolidation, that carries an interest rate of LIBOR plus 2.35% and had a balance of $92.2 million; the loan matures on August 11, 2024, and we have priority for repayment in full of borrowings and accrued interest on the loan over partner distributions of any future refinancing proceeds or other available cash flows. 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 from December 2021 until June 2023; 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 beginning in December 2023. 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; and

•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 in proportion to their respective accrued returns and capital accounts; and (4) residual amounts distributed 50% to each member.

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

The ventures discussed above include only ones in which parties other than us 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, 2021		December 31, 2020
BRE-COPT 2 (2)	10/30/2020	10%	8	$	15,579	$	15,988
BREIT-COPT	6/20/2019	10%	9	12,460		13,315
BRE-COPT 3	6/2/2021	10%	2	11,850		—
			19	$	39,889	$	29,303

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

(2)Our investment in BRE-COPT 2 was lower than our share of the joint venture’s equity by $7.2 million as of December 31, 2021 and $7.4 million as of December 31, 2020 due to a difference between our cost basis and our share of the joint venture’s underlying equity in its net assets. We recognize adjustments to our share of the joint venture’s earnings and losses resulting from this basis difference in the underlying assets of the joint venture.

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

•BRE-COPT 2 was formed in 2020, when, as described further in Note 4, we sold a 90% interest in two properties and retained a 10% interest in the properties through the joint venture. As discussed below, this joint venture acquired an additional six properties through a transaction completed on December 22, 2020;

•BREIT-COPT was formed in 2019, when, as described further in Note 4, we sold a 90% interest in nine properties and retained a 10% interest in the properties through the joint venture; and

•BRE-COPT 3 was formed in 2021, when, as described further in Note 4, we sold a 90% interest in two properties and retained a 10% interest in the properties through the joint venture.

We concluded that these joint ventures are variable interest entities. Under the terms of the joint venture agreements, we and our partners receive returns in proportion to our investments, and our maximum exposure to losses is limited to our investments, 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.

We previously also owned a 50% interest in GI-COPT DC Partnership LLC (“GI-COPT”), an unconsolidated joint venture that owned and operated six triple-net leased, single tenant data center shell properties in Northern Virginia. On December 22, 2020, we sold, through a series of transactions, 80% of our 50% interests in the properties and associated mortgage debt that we owned through GI-COPT. We received $60 million in proceeds and a 10% retained interest in the LLCs through BRE-COPT 2, and recognized a gain of $29.4 million on the sale of these interests. GI-COPT was dissolved upon completion of these transactions.