Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

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, 2021 owned an approximate 89.7% (90.0% at December 31, 2020) 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 the OP Unit for cash equal to the value of a share of common stock of Boston Properties, Inc. (“Common Stock”). In lieu of a cash redemption, Boston Properties, Inc. may elect to acquire the 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 time-based, restricted equity compensation and as a form of performance-based equity compensation for employees, and has previously granted LTIP Units in the form of (1) 2012 outperformance plan awards (“2012 OPP Units”) and (2) 2013 - 2021 multi-year, long-term incentive program awards (also referred to 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 the 2013 - 2018 MYLTIP Units have ended 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 2019 - 2021 MYLTIP Units differ from other LTIP Units granted to employees (including the 2012 OPP Units and the 2013 - 2018 MYLTIP Units, which have been earned). Therefore, unless specifically noted otherwise, all references to LTIP Units exclude the 2019 - 2021 MYLTIP Units. LTIP Units (including the earned 2012 OPP Units and the earned 2013 - 2018 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, 16 and 18).

At December 31, 2020 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 the 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. On March 2, 2021, Boston Properties, Inc. issued a redemption notice for 80,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, which constituted all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock, and the corresponding depositary shares, each representing 1/100th of a share of Series B Preferred Stock (the “Depositary Shares”), and recorded it as a liability. On March 31, 2021, Boston Properties, Inc. transferred the full redemption price for all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock of approximately $201.3 million, including approximately $1.3 million of accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date, to the redemption agent. On April 1, 2021, Boston Properties, Inc. redeemed 80,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock (including the corresponding 8,000,000 Depositary Shares), which represented all of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and all of the outstanding Depositary Shares. In connection with the redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Units were also redeemed (See Note 12).

Properties

At December 31, 2021, the Company owned or had joint venture interests in a portfolio of 201 commercial real estate properties (the “Properties”) aggregating approximately 52.8 million net rentable square feet of primarily Class A office properties, including nine properties under construction/redevelopment totaling approximately 3.4 million net rentable square feet. At December 31, 2021, the Properties consisted of:

•182 office properties (including nine properties under construction/redevelopment);

•12 retail properties;

•six residential properties; and

•one hotel.

The Company considers Class A office properties to be well-located buildings that are modern structures or have been modernized to compete with newer buildings and professionally managed and maintained. As such, these properties attract high-quality tenants and command upper-tier rental rates.

All references to acres and square footage in the Notes are unaudited.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are presented using the accrual basis of accounting in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. 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)

Consolidated VIEs are those for which 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 six of the seven entities that are VIEs as of December 31, 2021.

Consolidated Variable Interest Entities

As of December 31, 2021, Boston Properties, Inc. has identified six consolidated VIEs, including Boston Properties Limited Partnership. Excluding Boston Properties Limited Partnership, the VIEs consisted of the following five in-service properties: 767 Fifth Avenue (the General Motors Building), Times Square Tower, 601 Lexington Avenue, Atlantic Wharf Office Building and 100 Federal Street.

The Company consolidates these VIEs because it is the primary beneficiary.  The third parties’ interests in these consolidated entities (excluding Boston Properties Limited Partnership’s interest) are reflected as noncontrolling interests in property partnerships in the accompanying consolidated financial statements (See Note 11). 

In addition, Boston Properties, Inc.’s only 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.

Variable Interest Entities Not Consolidated

As of December 31, 2021, the Company has determined that the Platform 16 Holdings LP joint venture 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.