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Organization | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Organization | 1. Organization Boston Properties, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Boston Properties, Inc. is the sole general partner of Boston Properties Limited Partnership, its operating partnership and at December 31, 2016 owned an approximate 89.5% (89.5% at December 31, 2015) general and limited partnership interest in Boston Properties Limited Partnership. Unless stated otherwise or the context requires, the “Company” refers to Boston Properties, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including Boston Properties Limited Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries. Partnership interests in Boston Properties Limited Partnership include:
• | common units of partnership interest (also referred to as “OP Units”),
• | long term incentive units of partnership interest (also referred to as “LTIP Units”), and
• | preferred units of partnership interest (also referred to as “Preferred Units”).
Unless specifically noted otherwise, all references to OP Units exclude units held by Boston Properties, Inc. A holder of an OP Unit may present such OP Unit to Boston Properties Limited Partnership for redemption at any time (subject to restrictions agreed upon at the time of issuance of OP Units to particular holders that may restrict such redemption right for a period of time, generally one year from issuance). Upon presentation of an OP Unit for redemption, Boston Properties Limited Partnership is obligated to redeem such OP Unit for cash equal to the value of a share of common stock of Boston Properties, Inc. (“Common Stock”) at such time. In lieu of a cash redemption, Boston Properties, Inc. may elect to acquire such OP Unit for one share of Common Stock. Because the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at all times equals the number of OP Units that Boston Properties, Inc. owns, one share of Common Stock is generally the economic equivalent of one OP Unit, and the quarterly distribution that may be paid to the holder of an OP Unit equals the quarterly dividend that may be paid to the holder of a share of Common Stock. The Company uses LTIP Units as a form of equity-based award for annual long-term incentive equity compensation. The Company has also issued LTIP Units to employees in the form of (1) 2012 outperformance plan awards (“2012 OPP Units”) and (2) 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 multi-year, long-term incentive program awards (also referred to as “2013 MYLTIP Units,” “2014 MYLTIP Units,” “2015 MYLTIP Units” and “2016 MYLTIP Units,” respectively, and collectively as “MYLTIP Units”), each of which, upon the satisfaction of certain performance and vesting conditions, is convertible into one OP Unit. The three-year measurement periods for the 2012 OPP Units and 2013 MYLTIP Units expired on February 6, 2015 and February 4, 2016, respectively, and Boston Properties, Inc.’s total stockholder return (“TSR”) was sufficient for employees to earn and therefore become eligible to vest in a portion of the awards. Unless and until they are earned, the rights, preferences and privileges of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 MYLTIP Units differ from other LTIP Units granted to employees (including, as of February 6, 2015, the 2012 OPP Units and, as of February 4, 2016, the 2013 MYLTIP Units). Therefore, unless specifically noted otherwise, all references to LTIP Units exclude the 2014, 2015 and 2016 MYLTIP Units. LTIP Units (including the 2012 OPP Units and the 2013 MYLTIP Units), whether vested or not, will receive the same quarterly per unit distributions as OP Units, which equal per share dividends on Common Stock (See Notes 11, 17 and 20). At December 31, 2016, there was one series of Preferred Units outstanding (i.e., Series B Preferred Units). The Series B Preferred Units were issued to Boston Properties, Inc. on March 27, 2013 in connection with its issuance of 80,000 shares (8,000,000 depositary shares each representing 1/100th of a share) of 5.25% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”). Boston Properties, Inc. contributed the net proceeds from the offering to Boston Properties Limited Partnership in exchange for 80,000 Series B Preferred Units having terms and preferences generally mirroring those of the Series B Preferred Stock (See Note 12). Properties At December 31, 2016, the Company owned or had interests in a portfolio of 174 commercial real estate properties (the “Properties”) aggregating approximately 47.7 million net rentable square feet of primarily Class A office properties, including eight properties under construction/redevelopment totaling approximately 4.0 million net rentable square feet. At December 31, 2016, the Properties consisted of:
• | 164 Office properties (including six properties under construction/redevelopment);
• | one hotel;
• | five retail properties; and
• | four residential properties (including two properties under construction).
The Company considers Class A office properties to be well located buildings that are professionally managed and maintained, attract high-quality tenants and command upper-tier rental rates, and that are modern structures or have been modernized to compete with newer buildings. Basis of Presentation Boston Properties, Inc. does not have any other significant assets, liabilities or operations, other than its investment in Boston Properties Limited Partnership, nor does it have employees of its own. Boston Properties Limited Partnership, not Boston Properties, Inc., generally executes all significant business relationships other than transactions involving securities of Boston Properties, Inc. All majority-owned subsidiaries and joint ventures over which the Company has financial and operating control and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company has determined it is the primary beneficiary are included in the consolidated financial statements. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company accounts for all other unconsolidated joint ventures using the equity method of accounting. Accordingly, the Company’s share of the earnings of these joint ventures and companies is included in consolidated net income. Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis” (“ASU 2015-02”). ASU 2015-02 affects reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 (1) modifies the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are VIEs or voting interest entities, (2) eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership and (3) affects the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships. The Company reviewed all of its legal entities in accordance with ASU 2015-02 and concluded that certain of its legal entities, including Boston Properties Limited Partnership, which had been consolidated in accordance with the voting interest model, are now variable interest entities under the VIE model, as discussed below. The adoption of the guidance did not alter any of the Company’s consolidation conclusions, but resulted in additional disclosures. Consolidated VIEs are those where the Company is considered to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE. The primary beneficiary is the entity that has a controlling financial interest in the VIE, which is defined by the entity having both of the following characteristics: (1) the power to direct the activities that, when taken together, most significantly impact the VIE’s performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive the returns from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary for seven of the eight entities that are VIEs. Consolidated Variable Interest Entities As of December 31, 2016, Boston Properties, Inc. has identified seven consolidated VIEs, including Boston Properties Limited Partnership. Excluding Boston Properties Limited Partnership, the VIEs are (1) the following 5 in-service properties: 767 Fifth Avenue (the General Motors Building), Time Square Tower, 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street and (2) the entity that owns Salesforce Tower, which is currently under development. The Company consolidates these VIEs as it is the primary beneficiary. The third parties’ interests in these consolidated entities, with the exception of Boston Properties Limited Partnership, are reflected as noncontrolling interests in property partnerships in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements (See Note 11). In addition, Boston Properties, Inc.’s significant asset is its investment in Boston Properties Limited Partnership and, consequently, substantially all of Boston Properties, Inc.’s assets and liabilities are the assets and liabilities of Boston Properties Limited Partnership. All of Boston Properties, Inc.’s debt is an obligation of Boston Properties Limited Partnership. Variable Interest Entities Not Consolidated The Company has determined that its BNY Tower Holdings LLC joint venture, which owns Dock 72 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, is a VIE. The Company does not consolidate this entity as the Company does not have the power to direct the activities that, when taken together, most significantly impact the VIE’s performance and, therefore, the Company is not considered to be the primary beneficiary.

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