Organization	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Organization Griffin Capital Essential Asset REIT II, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), was formed on November 20, 2013 under the Maryland General Corporation Law and qualified as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) commencing with the year ended December 31, 2015. The Company was organized primarily with the purpose of acquiring single tenant net lease properties that are considered essential to the occupying tenant, and has used a substantial amount of the net proceeds from its initial public offering ("IPO") to invest in such properties. The Company’s year end is December 31. Griffin Capital Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), is the sponsor of the Company. The Sponsor, which was formerly known as Griffin Capital Corporation, began operations in 1995 to engage principally in acquiring and developing office and industrial properties. Kevin A. Shields, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company's board of directors, controls the Sponsor. Griffin Capital Essential Asset Advisor II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Advisor”), was formed on November 19, 2013. Griffin Capital Real Estate Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("GRECO"), is the sole member of the Advisor and Griffin Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("GC"), is the sole member of GRECO. The Sponsor is the sole member of GC. The Advisor is responsible for managing the Company’s affairs on a day-to-day basis and identifying and making acquisitions and investments on behalf of the Company under the terms of the Advisory Agreement (as defined below). The Company's officers are also officers of the Advisor and officers of the Sponsor. Griffin Capital Securities, LLC (the “Dealer Manager”) is a Delaware limited liability company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GC. The Dealer Manager is responsible for marketing the Company’s shares offered pursuant to the Company's public offerings. The Company’s property manager is Griffin Capital Essential Asset Property Management II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Property Manager”), which was formed on November 19, 2013 to manage the Company’s properties, or provide oversight of other property managers engaged by the Company or an affiliate of the Company. The Property Manager derives substantially all of its income from the property management services it performs for the Company. Griffin Capital Essential Asset Operating Partnership II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), was formed on November 21, 2013. On February 11, 2014, the Advisor purchased a 99% limited partnership interest and special limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership for $0.2 million and on February 11, 2014, the Company contributed the initial one thousand dollars capital contribution it received to the Operating Partnership in exchange for a 1% general partner interest. The Operating Partnership owns, and will own, directly or indirectly, all of the properties acquired by the Company. The Operating Partnership will conduct certain activities through the Company’s taxable REIT subsidiary, Griffin Capital Essential Asset TRS II, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “TRS”), formed on November 22, 2013, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Operating Partnership. The TRS had no activity as of September 30, 2018. In 2014, the Company registered $2.2 billion in common shares in its IPO, consisting of $2.0 billion in common shares to be offered to the public in the primary portion of the IPO and $200.0 million in common shares for sale pursuant to the Company's distribution reinvestment plan (“DRP”). (See Note 8, Equity, for additional details.) In September 2016, the Company's board of directors approved the close of the primary portion of the IPO effective January 20, 2017; however, the Company continued to offer shares pursuant to the DRP under the Company's IPO registration statement through May 2017. On April 6, 2017, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for the registration of 3.0 million shares for sale pursuant to the DRP. The DRP may be terminated at any time upon 10 days’ prior written notice to stockholders, which may be provided through the Company's filings with the SEC. On September 20, 2017, the Company commenced a follow-on offering of up to $2.2 billion of shares (the "Follow-On Offering"), consisting of up to $2.0 billion of shares in the Company's primary offering and $0.2 billion of shares pursuant to the DRP. Pursuant to the Follow-On Offering, the Company offered to the public four new classes of shares of common stock: Class T shares, Class S shares, Class D shares and Class I shares (the “New Shares”) with net asset value (“NAV”) based pricing. The share classes have different selling commissions, dealer manager fees and ongoing distribution fees. In connection with the Follow-On Offering, the Company reclassified all Class T and Class I shares sold in the IPO as "Class AA" and "Class AAA" shares, respectively. On September 20, 2017, the Company entered into an amended and restated advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Advisor and the Operating Partnership, which replaced the original advisory agreement and modified various provisions including the fees and expense reimbursements payable to the Advisor. See Note 10, Related Party Transactions, for additional details. On September 20, 2017, the Company, as general partner of the Operating Partnership, entered into a Third Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership (the "Third Amended and Restated Operating Partnership Agreement") on behalf of itself and the limited partners. The Third Amended and Restated Operating Partnership Agreement is substantially similar to the Company's prior limited partnership agreement, except that it has been updated to reflect changes to the distributions and fees to which the Advisor is entitled, include additional classes of Operating Partnership units, and make other conforming changes. See Note 10, Related Party Transactions, for additional details. In connection with the Follow-On Offering, the Company's board of directors adopted an amended and restated DRP effective as of September 30, 2017 to include the New Shares under the DRP. In connection with the Follow-On Offering, the Company’s board of directors adopted a share redemption program for the New Shares (the “New Share Redemption Program”). Under this program, stockholders of the New Shares are allowed to redeem their shares after a one-year holding period at a redemption price equal to the NAV per share for the applicable class generally on the 13th of the month prior to quarter end. On March 30, 2018, the board of directors of the Company amended the IPO Share Redemption Program (as defined in Note 8, Equity). The key change to the IPO Share Redemption Program is that after one year from the purchase date, a stockholder will be able to redeem at 100% of the NAV of the applicable share class. The amendment took effect on May 2, 2018. See Note 8, Equity, for additional details. On June 4, 2018, the board of directors of the Company approved the termination of the IPO Share Redemption Program, effective as of July 5, 2018. In addition, effective as of such date, the board of directors amended and restated the New Share Redemption Program in order to allow stockholders of the IPO shares to utilize the New Share Redemption Program. Accordingly, beginning in July 2018, stockholders of IPO shares will be able to continue to redeem at 100% of the NAV of the applicable share class, subject to the other limitations and conditions of the amended and restated New Share Redemption Program. On August 16, 2018, in connection with a potential strategic alternative the Company’s board of directors is contemplating, the board approved the temporary suspension of the primary portion of the Company's Follow-On Offering, effective August 17, 2018, to allow the special committee of the board to evaluate a potential strategic alternative. The board of directors intends to recommence the Follow-On Offering in the retail marketplace, if appropriate and at the appropriate time.

Organization

Griffin Capital Essential Asset REIT II, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), was formed on November 20, 2013 under the Maryland General Corporation Law and qualified as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) commencing with the year ended December 31, 2015. The Company was organized primarily with the purpose of acquiring single tenant net lease properties that are considered essential to the occupying tenant, and has used a substantial amount of the net proceeds from its initial public offering ("IPO") to invest in such properties. The Company’s year end is December 31.

Griffin Capital Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), is the sponsor of the Company. The Sponsor, which was formerly known as Griffin Capital Corporation, began operations in 1995 to engage principally in acquiring and developing office and industrial properties. Kevin A. Shields, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company's board of directors, controls the Sponsor.

Griffin Capital Essential Asset Advisor II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Advisor”), was formed on November 19, 2013. Griffin Capital Real Estate Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("GRECO"), is the sole member of the Advisor and Griffin Capital, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("GC"), is the sole member of GRECO. The Sponsor is the sole member of GC. The Advisor is responsible for managing the Company’s affairs on a day-to-day basis and identifying and making acquisitions and investments on behalf of the Company under the terms of the Advisory Agreement (as defined below). The Company's officers are also officers of the Advisor and officers of the Sponsor.

Griffin Capital Securities, LLC (the “Dealer Manager”) is a Delaware limited liability company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GC. The Dealer Manager is responsible for marketing the Company’s shares offered pursuant to the Company's public offerings.

The Company’s property manager is Griffin Capital Essential Asset Property Management II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Property Manager”), which was formed on November 19, 2013 to manage the Company’s properties, or provide oversight of other property managers engaged by the Company or an affiliate of the Company. The Property Manager derives substantially all of its income from the property management services it performs for the Company.

Griffin Capital Essential Asset Operating Partnership II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), was formed on November 21, 2013. On February 11, 2014, the Advisor purchased a 99% limited partnership interest and special limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership for $0.2 million and on February 11, 2014, the Company contributed the initial one thousand dollars capital contribution it received to the Operating Partnership in exchange for a 1% general partner interest.

The Operating Partnership owns, and will own, directly or indirectly, all of the properties acquired by the Company. The Operating Partnership will conduct certain activities through the Company’s taxable REIT subsidiary, Griffin Capital Essential Asset TRS II, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “TRS”), formed on November 22, 2013, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Operating Partnership. The TRS had no activity as of September 30, 2018.

In 2014, the Company registered $2.2 billion in common shares in its IPO, consisting of $2.0 billion in common shares to be offered to the public in the primary portion of the IPO and $200.0 million in common shares for sale pursuant to the Company's distribution reinvestment plan (“DRP”). (See Note 8, Equity, for additional details.) In September 2016, the Company's board of directors approved the close of the primary portion of the IPO effective January 20, 2017; however, the Company continued to offer shares pursuant to the DRP under the Company's IPO registration statement through May 2017.

On April 6, 2017, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for the registration of 3.0 million shares for sale pursuant to the DRP. The DRP may be terminated at any time upon 10 days’ prior written notice to stockholders, which may be provided through the Company's filings with the SEC.

On September 20, 2017, the Company commenced a follow-on offering of up to $2.2 billion of shares (the "Follow-On Offering"), consisting of up to $2.0 billion of shares in the Company's primary offering and $0.2 billion of shares pursuant to the DRP.

Pursuant to the Follow-On Offering, the Company offered to the public four new classes of shares of common stock: Class T shares, Class S shares, Class D shares and Class I shares (the “New Shares”) with net asset value (“NAV”) based pricing. The share classes have different selling commissions, dealer manager fees and ongoing distribution fees. In connection with the Follow-On Offering, the Company reclassified all Class T and Class I shares sold in the IPO as "Class AA" and "Class AAA" shares, respectively.

On September 20, 2017, the Company entered into an amended and restated advisory agreement (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Advisor and the Operating Partnership, which replaced the original advisory agreement and modified various provisions including the fees and expense reimbursements payable to the Advisor. See Note 10, Related Party Transactions, for additional details.

On September 20, 2017, the Company, as general partner of the Operating Partnership, entered into a Third Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership (the "Third Amended and Restated Operating Partnership Agreement") on behalf of itself and the limited partners. The Third Amended and Restated Operating Partnership Agreement is substantially similar to the Company's prior limited partnership agreement, except that it has been updated to reflect changes to the distributions and fees to which the Advisor is entitled, include additional classes of Operating Partnership units, and make other conforming changes. See Note 10, Related Party Transactions, for additional details.

In connection with the Follow-On Offering, the Company's board of directors adopted an amended and restated DRP effective as of September 30, 2017 to include the New Shares under the DRP.

In connection with the Follow-On Offering, the Company’s board of directors adopted a share redemption program for the New Shares (the “New Share Redemption Program”). Under this program, stockholders of the New Shares are allowed to redeem their shares after a one-year holding period at a redemption price equal to the NAV per share for the applicable class generally on the 13th of the month prior to quarter end.

On March 30, 2018, the board of directors of the Company amended the IPO Share Redemption Program (as defined in Note 8, Equity). The key change to the IPO Share Redemption Program is that after one year from the purchase date, a stockholder will be able to redeem at 100% of the NAV of the applicable share class. The amendment took effect on May 2, 2018. See Note 8, Equity, for additional details.

On June 4, 2018, the board of directors of the Company approved the termination of the IPO Share Redemption Program, effective as of July 5, 2018. In addition, effective as of such date, the board of directors amended and restated the New Share Redemption Program in order to allow stockholders of the IPO shares to utilize the New Share Redemption Program. Accordingly, beginning in July 2018, stockholders of IPO shares will be able to continue to redeem at 100% of the NAV of the applicable share class, subject to the other limitations and conditions of the amended and restated New Share Redemption Program.

On August 16, 2018, in connection with a potential strategic alternative the Company’s board of directors is contemplating, the board approved the temporary suspension of the primary portion of the Company's Follow-On Offering, effective August 17, 2018, to allow the special committee of the board to evaluate a potential strategic alternative. The board of directors intends to recommence the Follow-On Offering in the retail marketplace, if appropriate and at the appropriate time.