XML 77 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Other Investments | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2014
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract] |
Other Investments | Other Investments The Company's other investments and its proportionate share of results from equity method investments were as follows ($ in thousands):
| Carrying Value as of |  | Equity in Earnings for the Three Months Ended March 31,
| March 31, 2014 |  | December 31, 2013 |  | 2014 |  | 2013
Real estate equity investments | $ | 82,546 |  |  | $ | 62,205 |  |  | $ | 245 |  |  | $ | 1,763 |
Other equity method investments | 46,605 |  |  | 45,954 |  |  | 1,036 |  |  | 1,753 |
Madison Funds | 45,520 |  |  | 67,782 |  |  | (402 | ) |  | 2,259 |
Oak Hill Funds | 20,810 |  |  | 21,366 |  |  | 2,298 |  |  | 1,157 |
LNR | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 14,746 |
Total equity method investments | $ | 195,481 |  |  | $ | 197,307 |  |  | $ | 3,177 |  |  | $ | 21,678 |
Other | 9,616 |  |  | 9,902 |  |  |  |  |
Total other investments | $ | 205,097 |  |  | $ | 207,209 |  |  |  |  |
LNR—In July 2010, the Company acquired an ownership interest of approximately 24% in LNR Property Corporation ("LNR"). LNR is a servicer and special servicer of commercial mortgage loans and CMBS and a diversified real estate investment, finance and management company. In the transaction, the Company and a group of investors, including other creditors of LNR, acquired 100% of the common stock of LNR in exchange for cash and the extinguishment of existing senior notes of LNR's parent holding company (the "Holdco Notes"). The Company contributed $100.0 million aggregate principal amount of Holdco Notes and $100.0 million in cash in exchange for an equity interest of $120.0 million. Beginning in September 2012, the Company and other owners of LNR entered into negotiations with potential purchasers of LNR. After an extensive due diligence and negotiation process, the LNR owners entered into a definitive contract to sell LNR in January 2013 at a fixed sale price which, from the Company's perspective, reflected in part the Company's then-current expectations about the future results of LNR and potential volatility in its business. The definitive sale contract provided that LNR would not make cash distributions to its owners during the fourth quarter of 2012 through the closing of the sale. Notwithstanding the fixed terms of the contract, our investment balance in LNR increased due to equity in earnings recorded which resulted in our recognition of other than temporary impairment on our investment during the year ended December 31, 2013. In April 2013, the Company completed the sale of its 24% equity interest in LNR and received $220.3 million in net proceeds. Approximately $25.2 million of net proceeds were placed in escrow for potential indemnification obligations, which was released to the Company in April 2014. The following table represents investee level summarized financial information for LNR ($ in thousands)(1):
| For the Three Months Ended December 31,
| 2012
Income Statements |
Total revenue(2) | $ | 77,780 |
Income tax (expense) benefit | $ | (279 | )
Net income attributable to LNR | $ | 189,249 |
iStar's ownership percentage | 24 | %
iStar's equity in earnings from LNR(3) | $ | 45,375 |
Explanatory Notes: _______________________________________________________________________________
(1) | The Company recorded its investment in LNR, which was sold in April 2013, on a one quarter lag. Therefore, the amounts in the Company's financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were based on balances and results from LNR for the three months ended December 31, 2012.
(2) | LNR consolidates certain commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligation trusts that are considered VIEs (and for which it is the primary beneficiary), that have been included in the amounts presented above. For the three months ended December 31, 2012, total revenue presented above includes $29.3 million of servicing fee revenue that is eliminated upon consolidation of the VIE's at the LNR level. This income is then added back through consolidation at the LNR level as an adjustment to income allocable to noncontrolling entities and has no net impact on net income attributable to LNR.
(3) | During the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Company recorded an other than temporary impairment of $30.9 million.
The following table reconciles the activity related to the Company's investment in LNR for the three months ended March 31, 2013 ($ in thousands):
| For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 |  |
Carrying value of LNR at beginning of period | $ | 205,773 |  |  |
Equity in earnings of LNR for the period | $ | 45,375 |  |  | (a)
Balance before other than temporary impairment | $ | 251,148 |  |  |
Other than temporary impairment | $ | (30,867 | ) |  | (b)
Carrying value of LNR at end of period | $ | 220,281 |  |  |
For the three months ended March 31, 2013, the amount that was recognized as income in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations is the sum of items (a) and (b), or $14.7 million. Madison Funds—As of March 31, 2014, the Company owned a 29.52% interest in Madison International Real Estate Fund II, LP, a 32.92% interest in Madison International Real Estate Fund III, LP and a 29.52% interest in Madison GP1 Investors, LP (collectively, the "Madison Funds"). The Madison Funds invest in ownership positions of entities that own real estate assets. The Company determined that these entities are variable interest entities and that the Company is not the primary beneficiary. Oak Hill Funds—As of March 31, 2014, the Company owned a 5.92% interest in OHA Strategic Credit Master Fund, L.P. ("OHASCF"). OHASCF was formed to acquire and manage a diverse portfolio of assets, investing in distressed, stressed and undervalued loans, bonds, equities and other investments. The Company determined that this entity is a variable interest entity and that the Company is not the primary beneficiary. Real estate equity investments—During the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company sold a net lease asset for net proceeds of $93.7 million to a newly formed unconsolidated entity in which the Company contributed $17.7 million for a noncontrolling equity interest of approximately 51.9%. The Company partnered with a sovereign wealth fund to form the venture in which the partners plan to contribute up to an aggregate $500 million of equity to acquire and develop net lease assets over time. The Company is responsible for sourcing new opportunities and managing the venture and its assets in exchange for a promote and management fee. Several of the Company's senior executives whose time is substantially devoted to the net lease venture own a total of 0.6% equity ownership in the venture via co-investment. These executives are also entitled to an amount equal to 50% of any promote payment received based on the 47.5% partner's interest. As of March 31, 2014, the Company had a recorded equity interest of $17.1 million. In addition, as of March 31, 2014, the Company's other real estate equity investments included equity interests in real estate ventures ranging from 31% to 76%, comprised of investments of $16.4 million in net lease assets, $15.8 million in operating properties and $33.3 million in land assets. As of December 31, 2013, the Company's real estate equity investments included $16.4 million in net lease assets, $16.0 million in operating properties and $29.8 million in land assets. One of the Company's equity investments in operating properties represents a 33% interest in residential property units. For the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Company's earnings from its interest in this property includes income from sales of residential units of $2.5 million. Other investments—The Company also had smaller investments in real estate related funds and other strategic investments in several other entities that were accounted for under the equity method or cost method.

X
- Definition This element represents the disclosures for equity method investments, cost method investments, and marketable securities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | star_OtherInvestmentsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | star_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentsAllOtherInvestmentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration