2014 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS | |
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Retail Spin-off
On April 11, 2014, we announced a plan to spin off our shopping center business, consisting of 80 strip centers, four malls and a warehouse park adjacent to our East Hanover strip center, into a new publicly traded REIT (“SpinCo”). The spin-off is expected to be effectuated through a pro rata distribution of SpinCo’s shares to Vornado common shareholders and Vornado Realty L.P. common unitholders, and is intended to be treated as tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. On June 26, 2014, SpinCo filed its initial registration statement on Form 10 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We expect the spin-off to be completed by the end of 2014, subject to certain conditions, including the SEC declaring SpinCo’s registration statement effective, filing and approval of SpinCo’s listing application with the NYSE, receipt of third party consents, and formal approval and declaration of the distribution by Vornado’s Board of Trustees. Vornado may, at any time and for any reason until the proposed transaction is complete, abandon the separation or modify or change its terms. Vornado will retain, for disposition in the near term, 22 small retail assets which do not fit SpinCo’s strategy, and the Springfield Town Center, which is under contract for disposition.
Acquisitions
Since January 1, 2014, we have completed the following acquisitions:
· On June 26, 2014, we invested an additional $22,700,000 to increase our ownership in One Park Avenue to 55.0% from 46.5% through a joint venture with an institutional investor, who increased his ownership interest to 45.0%. The transaction was based on a property value of $560,000,000. The property is encumbered by a $250,000,000 interest-only mortgage loan that bears interest at 4.995% and matures in March 2016.
· On July 9, 2014, we entered into an agreement, in partnership with Crown Acquisitions (“Crown”), to acquire the retail condominium of the St. Regis Hotel and the adjacent retail townhouse, for approximately $700,000,000. The property has 100 feet of frontage on Fifth Avenue on the Southeast corner of 55th Street. We will own between 67% and 80% of the venture, with Crown owning the balance. The final ownership percentages will be based on the amount of debt financing put on the property and Crown’s short-term option to invest additional capital. The purchase is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2014, subject to customary closing conditions.
· On July 23, 2014, a joint venture in which we are a 50% partner entered into a 99-year ground lease for 61 Ninth Avenue located on the Southwest corner of Ninth Avenue and 15th Street in Manhattan. The venture’s current plans are to construct an office and retail building of approximately 130,000 square feet. Total development costs are currently estimated to be approximately $125,000,000.
· On August 1, 2014, we acquired the land under our 715 Lexington Avenue retail property located on the Southeast corner of 58th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, for $63,000,000.
2014 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS | |
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Dispositions
Since January 1, 2014, we have sold or entered into agreements to sell the following:
· On February 24, 2014, we completed the sale of Broadway Mall in Hicksville, Long Island, New York for $94,000,000. The sale resulted in net proceeds of $92,174,000 after closing costs.
· On July 8, 2014, we completed the sale of Beverly Connection, a 335,000 square foot power shopping center in Los Angeles, California, for $260,000,000, of which $239,000,000 was cash and $21,000,000 was 10-year mezzanine seller financing. The sale resulted in a net gain of approximately $44,000,000, which will be recognized in the third quarter of 2014.
· On March 2, 2014, we entered into an agreement to transfer upon completion, the redeveloped Springfield Town Center, a 1,350,000 square foot mall located in Springfield, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (NYSE: PEI) (“PREIT”) in exchange for $465,000,000 comprised of $340,000,000 of cash and $125,000,000 of PREIT operating partnership units. The redevelopment is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014 and the closing will be no later than March 31, 2015.
Financing Activities
Since January 1, 2014, we have executed the following capital market transactions:
· On January 31, 2014, we completed a $600,000,000 loan secured by our 220 Central Park South development site. The loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.75% (2.90% at June 30, 2014) and matures in January 2016, with three one-year extension options.
· On April 16, 2014, we completed a $350,000,000 refinancing of 909 Third Avenue, a 1.3 million square foot Manhattan office building. The seven-year interest only loan bears interest at 3.91% and matures in May 2021. We realized net proceeds of approximately $145,000,000 after defeasing the existing 5.64%, $193,000,000 mortgage, defeasance cost and other closing costs.
· On June 16, 2014, we completed a green bond public offering of $450,000,000 2.50% senior unsecured notes due June 30, 2019. The notes were sold at 99.619% of their face amount to yield 2.581%.
· On July 16, 2014, we completed a $130,000,000 financing of Las Catalinas, a 494,000 square foot mall located in Caguas, Puerto Rico, in the San Juan area. The 10-year fixed rate loan bears interest at 4.43% and amortizes based on a 30-year schedule beginning in year six.
Vornado Capital Partners Real Estate Fund (the “Fund”)
· On June 26, 2014, the Fund sold its 64.7% interest in One Park Avenue to a newly formed joint venture that we and an institutional investor own 55% and 45%, respectively. This transaction was based on a property value of $560,000,000. From the inception of this investment through its disposition, the Fund realized a $75,069,000 net gain.
· On June 24, 2014, the Fund and its 50% joint venture partner entered into an agreement to sell Georgetown Park, a 305,000 square foot retail property, for $272,500,000.