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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company and the operating partnership are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Any references to the number of properties, acres and square footage are unaudited and outside the scope of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm’s audit of the Company’s financial statements in accordance with the standards of the United States Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”).
Reclassification Certain amounts in the consolidated financial statements for the prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of the Company, the operating partnership and all wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries. The consolidated financial statements of the operating partnership include the accounts of the operating partnership and all wholly owned and controlled subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.

Under the consolidation guidance, the Company first evaluates an entity using the variable interest model, then the voting model. The Company ultimately consolidates all entities that the Company controls through either majority ownership or voting rights, including all variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. The Company accounts for all other unconsolidated joint ventures using the equity method of accounting. In addition, the Company continually evaluates each legal entity that is not wholly owned for reconsideration based on changing circumstances.

VIEs are defined as entities in which equity investors do not have:

•the characteristics of a controlling financial interest;

•sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties; and/or

•the entity is structured with non-substantive voting rights.
The entity that consolidates a VIE is known as its primary beneficiary and is generally the entity with both the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the VIE’s economic performance and the right to receive benefits from the VIE or the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could be significant to the VIE.
Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of commitments and contingencies at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to acquiring, developing and assessing the carrying values of its real estate properties, determining the incremental borrowing rate used in the present value calculations of its new or modified operating lessee agreements, its accrued liabilities, and its performance-based equity compensation awards. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current market conditions, and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could materially differ from these estimates.
Investment in Real Estate Properties
Acquisitions

The Company evaluates each acquisition to determine if the integrated set of assets and activities acquired meet the definition of a business and need to be accounted for as a business combination in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations. An integrated set of assets and activities would fail to qualify as a business if either (i) substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in either a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets or (ii) the integrated set of assets and activities is lacking, at a minimum, an input and a substantive process that together significantly contribute to the ability to create outputs (i.e., revenue generated before and after the transaction). An acquired process is considered substantive if (i) the process includes an organized workforce (or includes an acquired contract that provides access to an organized workforce) that is skilled, knowledgeable and experienced in performing the process, (ii) the process cannot be replaced without significant cost, effort, or delay or (iii) the process is considered unique or scarce.

Acquisitions of real estate will generally not meet the definition of a business because substantially all of the fair value is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets (i.e., land, buildings and improvements and related intangible assets or liabilities) or because the acquisition does not include a substantive process in the form of an acquired workforce or an acquired contract that cannot be replaced without significant cost, effort or delay.
When the Company acquires properties that are considered business combinations, assets acquired and liabilities assumed are fair valued at the acquisition date. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed include, but are not limited to, land, building and improvements, intangible assets related to above- and below-market leases, intangible assets related to in-place leases, debt and other assumed assets and liabilities. The initial accounting for a business combination is based on management’s preliminary assessment, which may differ when final information becomes available. Subsequent adjustments made to the initial purchase price assignment are made within the measurement period, which typically does not exceed one year, within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Acquisition-related expenses associated with business combinations are expensed in the period incurred which is included in the transaction-related expenses line item of the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

When the Company acquires properties that are considered asset acquisitions, the purchase price is allocated based on relative fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. There is no measurement period concept for asset acquisitions, with the purchase price accounting being final in the period of acquisition. Additionally, acquisition-related expenses associated with asset acquisitions are capitalized as part of the purchase price.

The Company assesses fair value based on Level 2 and Level 3 inputs within the fair value framework, which includes estimated cash flow projections that utilize appropriate discount, capitalization rates, renewal probability and available market information, which includes market rental rate and market rent growth rates. Estimates of future cash flows are based on a number of factors, including historical operating results, known and anticipated trends, and market and economic conditions.

The fair value of tangible assets of an acquired property considers the value of the property as if it were vacant. The fair values of acquired “above- and below-” market leases are based on the estimated cash flow projections utilizing discount rates that reflect the risks associated with the leases acquired. The amount recorded is based on the present value of the difference between (i) the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to each in-place lease and (ii) management’s estimate of fair market lease rates for each in-place lease, measured over a period equal to the remaining term of the lease for above-market leases and the initial term plus the extended below-market term for any leases with below-market renewal options. Other intangible assets acquired include amounts for in-place lease values that are based on the Company’s evaluation of the specific characteristics of each tenant’s lease. Factors considered include estimates of carrying costs during hypothetical expected lease-up periods, market conditions and costs to execute similar leases. In estimating carrying costs, the Company includes estimates of lost rents at market rates during the hypothetical expected lease-up periods, which are dependent on local market conditions. In estimating costs to execute similar leases, the Company considers commissions, legal and other leasing related costs. The fair value debt assumed is based on the estimated cash flow projections utilizing interest rates available for the issuance of debt with similar terms and remaining maturities.

Cost Capitalization

The Company capitalizes costs associated with development and redevelopment activities, capital improvements, tenant improvements and leasing activity. Costs associated with development and redevelopment that are capitalized include interest, property taxes, insurance and other costs directly related and essential to the acquisition, development or construction of a real estate project. Indirect development costs, including salaries and benefits, office rent, and associated costs for those individuals directly responsible for and who spend their time on development activities are also capitalized and allocated to the projects to which they relate. Construction and development costs are capitalized while substantial activities are ongoing to prepare an asset for its intended use. The Company considers a construction project as substantially complete and held available for occupancy upon the completion of tenant improvements but no later than one year after cessation of major construction activity. Costs incurred after a project is substantially complete and ready for its intended use, or after development activities have ceased, are expensed as they are incurred. Costs previously capitalized that related to abandoned acquisitions or developments are charged to earnings. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are expensed as they are incurred.
Operating Properties
The properties are generally carried at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The Company computes depreciation and amortization using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as represented in the table below:
Asset DescriptionEstimated useful life (years)
Building and improvements
Shorter of the ground lease term or 39
Land improvements15
Furniture and fixtures
5 to 7
Tenant improvementsShorter of the estimated useful life or the lease term

The Company amortizes above- and below-market lease intangibles over the remaining non-cancellable lease terms and bargain renewal periods, if applicable. The in-place lease intangibles are amortized over the remaining non-cancellable lease term. When tenants vacate prior to the expiration of lease, the amortization of intangible assets and liabilities is accelerated. The Company amortizes above- and below-market ground lease intangibles over the remaining non-cancellable lease terms.
Held for sale The Company classifies properties as held for sale when certain criteria set forth in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment, are met. These criteria include (i) whether the Company is committed to a plan to sell, (ii) whether the asset or disposal group is available for immediate sale, (iii) whether an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell have been initiated, (iv) whether the sale of the asset or disposal group is probable (i.e., likely to occur) and the transfer is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale within one year, (v) whether the long-lived asset or disposal group is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value, (vi) whether actions necessary to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. At the time a property is classified as held for sale, the Company reclassifies its assets and liabilities to held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for all periods presented and ceases recognizing depreciation expense. Properties held for sale are reported at the lower of their carrying value or their estimated fair value, less estimated costs to sell. According to ASC 205, Presentation of Financial Statements, the Company does not present the operating results in net loss from discontinued operations for disposals if they do not represent a strategic shift in the Company’s business.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company assesses the carrying value of real estate assets and related intangibles for impairment on a quarterly basis and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable in accordance with GAAP. Impairment losses are recorded on real estate assets held for investment when indicators of impairment are present and the future undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the assets’ carrying amount. The Company recognizes impairment losses to the extent the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the properties based on Level 1 or Level 2 inputs, less estimated costs to sell. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded $52.2 million of impairment charges related to the Campus Center office property that was held for sale at March 31, 2019 and was subsequently sold. The Company’s estimated fair value was based on the sale price (Level 2 input). No impairment indicators have been noted and the Company recorded no impairment charges during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.
Goodwill Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business acquisitions. The Company does not amortize this asset but instead analyzes it on a quarterly basis for impairment.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Cash and cash equivalents are defined as cash on hand and in banks, plus all short-term investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased. Restricted cash primarily consists of amounts held by lenders to fund reserves such as capital improvements, taxes, insurance, debt service and operating expenditures. 

The Company maintains some of its cash in bank deposit accounts that, at times, may exceed the federally insured limit. No losses have been experienced related to such accounts.
Receivables The Company’s accounting policy and methodology used to assess collectability related to rental revenues changed on January 1, 2019 when the Company adopted ASC 842. The guidance requires the Company to assess, at lease commencement and subsequently, collectability from its tenants of future lease payments. If the Company determines collectability is not probable, it recognizes an adjustment to lower income from rentals, whereas previously the Company recognized bad debt expense. In addition, for amounts deemed probable of collection, the Company also may record an allowance under other authoritative GAAP based on the evaluation of individual receivables, including specific credit enhancements and other relevant factors.
U.S. Government Securities The Company holds U.S. Government securities related to assumed debt held by a trust subsidiary. These securities are considered held to maturity investments and are carried at amortized cost on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company has both the intent and ability to hold to maturity.
Non-Real Estate Investments
The Company holds investments in an entity that does not report NAV. The Company marks this investment to fair value based on Level 2 inputs, whenever fair value is readily available or observable.

The Company also invests in an entity that reports NAV. The investment, which is in a real estate technology venture capital fund, involves a commitment of funding from the Company of up to $20.0 million. The Company uses NAV reported without adjustment unless it is aware of information indicating the NAV reported does not accurately reflect the fair value for the investment. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has contributed $2.8 million to this fund with $17.2 million remaining to be contributed. There has been no change in NAV since the initial investment.

Changes in fair value are included in the unrealized gain on non-real estate investment line item on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. No gain or loss has been recognized due to observable changes in fair value for the year ended December 31, 2019. To date, the Company has recognized an unrealized gain of $928 thousand related to observable changes in fair value, which was recognized in the second quarter of 2018.
Lease Accounting and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance codified in ASC 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), which amends the guidance in former ASC 840, Leases (“ASC 840”). The standard sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a lease agreement (i.e., lessees and lessors). The new standard increases transparency and comparability most significantly by requiring the recognition by lessees of right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for those leases classified as operating leases. The Company adopted ASC 842 on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective transition approach that must be applied for leases that exist or are entered into after January 1, 2019.

ASC 842 requires companies to identify lease and non-lease components of a lease agreement. Lease components relate to the right to use the leased asset whereas non-lease components relate to payments for goods or services that are transferred separately from the right to use the underlying asset.
ASC 842 provides transition practical expedients that must be elected together, which allows relief from the requirement to (i) reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are considered or contain leases; (ii) reassess the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and (iii) reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases that are in effect as of the date of adoption. The guidance also permits an entity to elect a practical expedient that provides relief from the requirement to assess whether an existing or expired land easement that was not previously accounted for as a lease under ASC 840 is considered a lease under ASC 842. For lessors, the guidance provides for a practical expedient, by class of underlying asset, to elect a combined single lease component presentation if (i) the timing and pattern of the transfer of the combined single lease component is the same, and (ii) the related lease component, if accounted for separately, would be classified as an operating lease.

The Company elected the practical expedients above. The lessor practical expedient to combine lease and non-lease components was elected only for the Company’s leases related to the office properties. For the Company’s studio properties, the timing and pattern of the transfer of the lease components and non-lease components for studio properties are not the same and therefore the Company did not elect this practical expedient for the Company’s studio properties. The standalone selling price related to the studio non-lease components is readily available and does not require estimates.
In May 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes. The amendments in this update permit use of the OIS rate based on SOFR as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Topic 815 in addition to the UST, the LIBOR swap rate, the OIS rate based on the Fed Funds Effective Rate, and the SIFMA Municipal Swap Rate. The Company adopted this guidance during the first quarter of 2019 using the prospective approach. The adoption did not have an impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements since LIBOR is still in use, however, this is expected to have an impact in later periods once SOFR is adopted.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which changes the impairment model for most financial instruments by requiring companies to recognize an allowance for expected losses, rather than incurred losses as required currently by the other-than-temporary impairment model. The accounting standard will apply to our non-real-estate investments and the Company’s receivables related to service revenues. This standard applies to net investments in leases resulting from sales-type or direct financing leases recognized by a lessor and does not apply to the receivables arising from operating leases, which are accounted for under ASC 842. The accounting standard is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted, and will be applied as a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date. The effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements will largely depend on the composition and credit quality of our financial investments and the economic conditions at the time of adoption. The Company will adopt this standard on January 1, 2020. The adoption will not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Lessee Accounting The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. The Company’s operating lease agreements relate to ground lease assets and are reflected in operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For leases with a term of 12 months or less the Company made an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize ROU assets and lease liabilities. The Company recognizes lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis over the lease term.ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Variable lease payments are excluded from the ROU assets and lease liabilities and are recognized in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company determines its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date, or the date of the ASC 842 adoption, in determining the present value of lease payments. The weighted average incremental borrowing rate used to calculate the ROU assets and liabilities was 5.7%. ROU assets also include any lease payments made and exclude lease incentives. Many of the Company’s lessee agreements include options to extend the lease, which the Company does not include in its minimum lease terms unless the option is reasonably certain to be exercised. Rental expense for lease payments related to operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The weighted average remaining lease term, as of December 31, 2019, was 32 years.
Lessor Accounting
As a lessor, the Company’s recognition of revenue remained consistent with previous guidance, apart from the narrower definition of initial direct costs that can be capitalized. With the election of the lessor practical expedient, the presentation of revenues on the Consolidated Statement of Operations has changed to reflect a single lease component that combines rental, tenant recoveries, and other tenant-related revenues for the office portfolio. For the Company’s rentals at the studio properties, total lease consideration is allocated to lease and non-lease components on a relative standalone basis. The recognition of revenues related to lease components is governed by ASC 842, while revenue related to non-lease components is subject to ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”).

The new standard defines initial direct costs as only the incremental costs of signing a lease. Internal direct compensation costs and external legal fees related to the execution of successful lease agreements that no longer meet the definition of initial direct costs under ASC 842 are accounted for as office operating expense or studio operating expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. Additionally, the Company may elect the practical expedients only for leases that have commenced before the effective date of the adoption of ASC 842. As a result of the adoption, the Company recognized $1.8 million as a cumulative adjustment to accumulated deficit for costs associated with leases that have not commenced as of January 1, 2019, that were previously capitalized and no longer meet the definition of initial direct costs in accordance with ASC 842. The Company recognized $0.3 million as cumulative adjustments to accumulated deficit related to other transition adjustments.
Revenue Recognition
The Company has compiled an inventory of its sources of revenues and has identified the following material revenue streams: (i) rental revenues (ii) tenant recoveries and other tenant-related revenues (iii) ancillary revenues (iv) other revenues and (v) sale of real estate.

Revenue StreamComponents
Financial Statement Location (1)
Rental revenuesOffice rentals, stage rentals and storage rentalsOffice and studio segments: rental
Tenant recoveries and other tenant-related revenuesReimbursement of real estate taxes, insurance, repairs and maintenance, other operating expenses and must-take parking revenuesOffice segment: rental
Studio segment: rental and service revenues and other
Ancillary revenuesRevenues derived from tenants’ use of lighting, equipment rental, power, HVAC and telecommunications (i.e., telephone and internet)Studio segment: service revenues and other
Other revenuesParking revenue that is not associated with lease agreements and otherOffice and studio segments: service revenues and other
Sale of real estateGains on sales derived from cash consideration less cost basisGains on sale of real estate
_________________
1.The financial statement locations stated above are for the year ended December 31, 2019, after the adoption of ASC 842, and do not reflect the locations for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The Company’s 2019 revenues are accounted for under ASU 842 while the 2018 and 2017 rental revenues are accounted for under ASC 840. The Company continues to recognize rental revenue from tenants on a straight-line basis over the lease term when collectability is probable and the tenant has taken possession of or controls the physical use of the leased asset. If the lease provides for tenant improvements, the Company determines whether the tenant improvements, for accounting purposes, are owned by the tenant or the Company. When the Company is the owner of the tenant improvements, the tenant is not considered to have taken physical possession or have control of the physical use of the leased asset until the tenant improvements are substantially completed. When the tenant is the owner of the tenant improvements, any tenant improvement allowance that is funded is treated as a lease incentive and amortized as a reduction of revenue over the lease term. Tenant improvement ownership is determined based on various factors including, but not limited to:

•whether the lease stipulates how and on what a tenant improvement allowance may be spent;

•whether the tenant or landlord retains legal title to the improvements at the end of the lease term;

•whether the tenant improvements are unique to the tenant or general-purpose in nature; and

•whether the tenant improvements are expected to have any residual value at the end of the lease.

The Company recognizes tenant recoveries related to reimbursement of real estate taxes, insurance, repairs and maintenance, and other operating expenses are recognized as revenue in the period during which the applicable expenses are incurred. The reimbursements are recognized and presented gross, as the Company is generally the primary obligor with respect to purchasing goods and services from third-party suppliers, has discretion in selecting the supplier and bears the associated credit risk.

Other tenant-related revenues includes parking stipulated in lease agreements as must-take parking rentals. These revenues are recognized over the term of the lease.

Ancillary revenues and guest parking revenues have been accounted for under ASC 606 since the Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018. This standard requires the Company to recognize revenues based on a five-step model and results in the consideration being recognized once the performance obligations are satisfied. These revenues have single performance obligations and are recognized at the point in time when services are rendered. The timing and pattern of revenue recognition as it relates to ancillary revenues and guest parking revenues have not changed from those under ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.
The following table summarizes the Company’s revenue streams that are accounted for under ASC 606:


Year Ended December 31,
201920182017
Ancillary revenues$27,951  $24,138  $18,899  
Other revenues$28,066  $25,298  $23,204  
Studio-related tenant recoveries(1)
$2,261  N/A  N/A  
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1.Studio-related tenant recoveries are accounted for under ASC 606 effective January 1, 2019.

The following table summarizes the Company’s receivables that are accounted for under ASC 606:
December 31, 2019December 31, 2018
Ancillary revenues$1,652  $3,752  
Other revenues$2,417  $959  
Studio-related tenant recoveries(1)
$26  N/A  
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1.Studio-related tenant recoveries are accounted for under ASC 606 effective January 1, 2019.
Sales of real estate have been accounted for under ASC 610, Other Income, since the Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018. As a result of the adoption, there was no change in respect to the timing and pattern of revenue recognition. This standard requires the Company to apply certain recognition and measurement principles in accordance with ASC 606 when it de-recognizes nonfinancial assets and in-substance nonfinancial assets, and the counterparty is not a customer. This is the case for the Company’s sales of real estate, and as a result the Company is required to evaluate the sales of real estate based on transfer of control. If a real estate sale contract includes ongoing involvement by the seller with the sold property, the seller must evaluate each promised good or service under the contract to determine whether it represents a performance obligation, constitutes a guarantee or prevents the transfer of control. The timing and pattern of revenue recognition might change as it relates to gains of sale of real estate if the sale includes continued involvement that represents a separate performance obligation.
Deferred Financing Costs and Debt Discount/Premium Deferred financing costs are amortized over the contractual loan term into interest expense on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Deferred financing costs, and related amortization, related to the unsecured revolving credit facility and undrawn term loans are presented within prepaid expenses and other assets, net in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. All other deferred financing costs, and related amortization, are included within the respective debt line item in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Debt discounts and premiums are amortized and accreted on a straight-line basis over the contractual loan term, which approximates the effective interest method, into interest expense on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Discounts are recorded as additional interest expense and premiums are recorded as a reduction to interest expense.
Derivative Instruments The Company manages interest rate risk associated with borrowings by entering into derivative instruments. The Company recognizes all derivative instruments on the Consolidated Balance Sheets on a gross basis at fair value. Derivative instruments that are not effective hedges are adjusted to fair value and the changes in fair value are reflected as income or expense. If the derivative instrument is an effective hedge, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value are either offset against the change in fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities, or firm commitments through earnings, or recognized in other comprehensive income (loss), which is a component of equity. In 2018, the Company early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. As a result of the adoption, the Company no longer recognizes unrealized gains or losses related to ineffective portions of derivatives in earnings.
Stock-Based Compensation Compensation cost of restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance units under the Company’s equity incentive award plans are accounted for under ASC 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). The Company accounts for forfeitures of awards as they occur. With the adoption of ASU 2018-07, Compensation, in 2018, share-based payments granted to non-employees are accounted for in the same manner as share-based payments granted to employees.
Income Taxes
The Company’s property-owning subsidiaries are limited liability companies and are treated as pass-through entities or disregarded entities (or, in the case of the entities that own the 1455 Market, Hill7 and Ferry Building properties, REITs) for federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal income taxes in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for the activities of these entities.

The Company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2010. The Company believes that it has operated in a manner that has allowed the Company to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes commencing with such taxable year, and the Company intends to continue operating in such manner. To qualify as a REIT, the Company is required to distribute at least 90% of its net taxable income, excluding net capital gains, to the Company’s stockholders and to meet the various other requirements imposed by the Code relating to such matters as operating results, asset holdings, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership.

Provided that it continues to qualify for taxation as a REIT, the Company is generally not subject to corporate level income tax on the earnings distributed currently to its stockholders. If the Company fails to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, and is unable to avail itself of certain savings provisions set forth in the Code, all of its taxable income would be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates, including any applicable alternative minimum tax. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, the Company would be ineligible to elect to be treated as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year for which the Company loses its qualification. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances the Company would be entitled to this statutory relief.

The Company may acquire direct or indirect interests in one or more Subsidiary REITs. A Subsidiary REIT is subject to the various REIT qualification requirements and other limitations described herein that are applicable to the Company. If a subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, then (i) that Subsidiary REIT would become subject to federal income tax, (ii) shares in such REIT would cease to be qualifying assets for purposes of the asset tests applicable to REITs and (iii) it is possible that the Company would fail certain of the asset tests applicable to REITs, in which event the Company would fail to qualify as a REIT unless the Company could avail itself of certain relief provisions. 

The Company believes that its operating partnership is properly treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. As a partnership, the Company’s operating partnership is not subject to federal income tax on its income. Instead, each of its partners, including the Company, is allocated, and may be required to pay tax with respect to, its share of the operating partnership’s income. As such, no provision for federal income taxes has been included for the operating partnership.  

The Company has elected, together with two of the Company’s subsidiaries, to treat such subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”) for federal income tax purposes. Certain activities that the Company may undertake, such as non-customary services for the Company’s tenants and holding assets that the Company cannot hold directly, will be conducted by a TRS. A TRS is subject to federal and, where applicable, state income taxes on its net income. The Company’s TRS did not have significant tax provisions or deferred income tax items for 2019, 2018 or 2017.

The Company is subject to the statutory requirements of the states in which it conducts business.

The Company periodically evaluates its tax positions to determine whether it is more likely than not that such positions would be sustained upon examination by a tax authority for all open tax years, as defined by the statute of limitations, based on their technical merits. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has not established a liability for uncertain tax positions.

The Company and its TRS file income tax returns with the U.S. federal government and various state and local jurisdictions. The Company and its TRS are no longer subject to tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2015. Generally, the Company has assessed its tax positions for all open years, which include 2015 to 2018, and concluded that there are no material uncertainties to be recognized.
Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities
Under GAAP, the Company is required to measure certain financial instruments at fair value on a recurring basis. In addition, the Company is required to measure other financial instruments and balances at fair value on a non-recurring basis (e.g., carrying value of impaired real estate and long-lived assets). Fair value is defined as the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The GAAP fair value framework uses a three-tiered approach. Fair value measurements are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

•Level 1: unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities;

•Level 2: quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-derived valuations in which significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets; and

•Level 3: prices or valuation techniques where little or no market data is available that requires inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

When available, the Company utilizes quoted market prices from an independent third-party source to determine fair value and classifies such items in Level 1 or Level 2. In instances where the market for a financial instrument is not active, regardless of the availability of a nonbinding quoted market price, observable inputs might not be relevant and could require the Company to make a significant adjustment to derive a fair value measurement. Additionally, in an inactive market, a market price quoted from an independent third party may rely more on models with inputs based on information available only to that independent third party. When the Company determines the market for a financial instrument owned by the Company to be illiquid or when market transactions for similar instruments do not appear orderly, the Company uses several valuation sources (including internal valuations, discounted cash flow analysis and quoted market prices) and establishes a fair value by assigning weights to the various valuation sources.

Changes in assumptions or estimation methodologies can have a material effect on these estimated fair values. In this regard, the derived fair value estimates cannot be substantiated by comparison to independent markets and, in many cases, may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument.

The Company considers the following factors to be indicators of an inactive market: (i) there are few recent transactions, (ii) price quotations are not based on current information, (iii) price quotations vary substantially either over time or among market makers (for example, some brokered markets), (iv) indexes that previously were highly correlated with the fair values of the asset or liability are demonstrably uncorrelated with recent indications of fair value for that asset or liability, (v) there is a significant increase in implied liquidity risk premiums, yields, or performance indicators (such as delinquency rates or loss severities) for observed transactions or quoted prices when compared with the Company’s estimate of expected cash flows, considering all available market data about credit and other nonperformance risk for the asset or liability, (vi) there is a wide bid-ask spread or significant increase in the bid-ask spread, (vii) there is a significant decline or absence of a market for new issuances (that is, a primary market) for the asset or liability or similar assets or liabilities, and (viii) little information is released publicly (for example, a principal-to-principal market).

The Company considers the following factors to be indicators of non-orderly transactions: (i) there was not adequate exposure to the market for a period before the measurement date to allow for marketing activities that are usual and customary for transactions involving such assets or liabilities under current market conditions, (ii) there was a usual and customary marketing period, but the seller marketed the asset or liability to a single market participant, (iii) the seller is in or near bankruptcy or receivership (that is, distressed), or the seller was required to sell to meet regulatory or legal requirements (that is, forced), and (iv) the transaction price is an outlier when compared with other recent transactions for the same or similar assets or liabilities.