months ended September 30, 2023, the Company incurred $2.4 million and $4.8 million, respectively, of interest expense gross of amounts capitalized on the Safe Credit Facility, which is included in “Interest expense – related party” in the Company’s combined and consolidated statements of operations.
Margin Loan Facility—On March 31, 2023, STAR Investment Holdings SPV LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("STAR SPV"), as borrower, entered into a margin loan agreement providing for a three-year, $140.0 million senior secured margin loan facility (as amended from time to time, the "Margin Loan Facility"), with Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., as administrative agent, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as calculation agent, and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., as initial lender. STAR SPV drew the full amount of the Margin Loan Facility on March 31, 2023 and directed that approximately $88.0 million of the proceeds be applied to redeem iStar’s senior unsecured notes due 2024, 2025 and 2026. The Company repaid $60.0 million principal amount of the Margin Loan Facility through September 30, 2024. The Margin Loan Facility is secured by a first priority pledge of 12.9 million Safe Shares as of September 30, 2024 and has a maturity of March 31, 2026.
Interest on the Margin Loan Facility is payable in cash; provided, that STAR SPV may, at its option, elect that the interest for any future interest period be paid-in-kind. Amounts outstanding under the Margin Loan Facility accrue interest at a rate equal to term SOFR for a three-month tenor plus a spread. Amounts outstanding under the Margin Loan Facility may be prepaid at any time upon prior notice, in whole or in part, subject to the payment of any applicable make-whole amount.
Senior Construction Mortgage Loan—In December 2023, the Venture (refer to Note 5) entered into an $80.0 million senior construction mortgage loan (the “Loan”). The Loan has a 3-year term with one 12-month extension option subject to a 1.0% fee. The Loan is interest only during the term and accrues interest at SOFR + 6.85% (with a SOFR floor of 3.65%) and features a 1.0% origination fee and a 1.85% exit fee, both on the total loan commitment. As of September 30, 2024, the Loan had an outstanding balance of $1.8 million.
Other Debt Obligations—During the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company assumed a $125.0 million loan payable to iStar. The loan had an interest rate of 8.0%. As a result, the Company recognized $2.5 million of interest expense during the three months ended March 31, 2023. The loan was repaid during the three months ended March 31, 2023.
Debt Covenants—The Safe Credit Facility requires that the Company comply with various covenants, including, without limitation, covenants restricting, subject to certain exceptions, indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers, asset sales and the payment of certain dividends. Additionally, the Safe Credit Facility includes customary representations and warranties as well as customary events of default, the occurrence of which, following any applicable grace period, would permit New Safe to, among other things, declare the principal, accrued interest and other obligations of the Company under the Safe Credit Facility to be immediately due and payable and foreclose on the collateral securing the Safe Credit Facility.
The Margin Loan Facility requires that STAR SPV comply with various covenants, including, without limitation, covenants restricting, subject to certain exceptions, indebtedness, liens, investments and the payment of dividends. Additionally, the Margin Loan Facility includes customary representations and warranties, events of default and other creditor protections for this type of facility. Upon the occurrence of certain events which are customary for this type of facility, STAR SPV may be required to prepay all amounts due under the Margin Loan Facility or post additional collateral in accordance with the Margin Loan Facility and related agreements.
A subsidiary of the Company provided a completion and carry guaranty on the Loan and is required to maintain a minimum net worth and a minimum liquidity amount both prior to and after the completion of the Project while the Loan is outstanding.