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Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party
3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2017
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party

Note 7 - Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party:

Hekemian & Co., Inc. (“Hekemian”) currently manages all the properties owned by FREIT and its affiliates, except for the office building at The Rotunda located in Baltimore, Maryland, which is managed by an independent third party management company. The management agreement with Hekemian, effective November 1, 2001, requires the payment of management fees equal to 4% to 5% of rents collected. Such fees, charged to operations, were approximately $521,000 and $458,000, for the three-month periods ended January 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. In addition, the management agreement provides for the payment to Hekemian of leasing commissions, as well as the reimbursement of operating expenses incurred on behalf of FREIT. Such commissions and reimbursements amounted to approximately $198,000 and $152,000, for the three months ended January 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The management agreement expires on October 31, 2017, and is automatically renewed for successive periods of two years unless either party gives not less than six (6) months prior notice of non-renewal.

FREIT also uses the resources of the Hekemian insurance department to secure various insurance coverages for its properties and subsidiaries. Hekemian is paid a commission for these services. Such commissions were charged to operations and amounted to approximately $22,000 and $49,000 for three months ended January 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

From time to time, FREIT engages Hekemian to provide certain additional services, such as consulting services related to development, property sales and financing activities of FREIT. Separate fee arrangements are negotiated between Hekemian and FREIT with respect to such additional services. Grande Rotunda, LLC and Hekemian Development Resources, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hekemian (“Resources”), entered into an agency agreement pursuant to which Resources is to provide development services in connection with the development activities at the Rotunda, which is owned and operated by Grande Rotunda, LLC. Such fees incurred to Hekemian and Resources during the three months ended January 31, 2017 and 2016 pursuant to such agreement were approximately $0 and $270,000, respectively. Such fees were capitalized and included in the cost of the project.

Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and a Trustee of FREIT, is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Hekemian. Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, Jr., a Trustee of FREIT, is the President of Hekemian. Trustee fee expense (including interest) incurred by FREIT for the three months ended January 31, 2017 and 2016 was approximately $138,000 and $128,000, respectively, for Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, and $17,000 and $17,000, respectively, for Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, Jr. (See Note 13).

Rotunda 100, LLC and Damascus 100, LLC own the minority interests in Grande Rotunda, LLC and Damascus Centre, LLC, respectively. Rotunda 100, LLC owns a 40% equity interest in Grande Rotunda, LLC and Damascus 100, LLC owns a 30% equity interest in Damascus Centre, LLC, and FREIT owns a 60% equity interest in Grande Rotunda, LLC and a 70% equity interest in Damascus Centre, LLC. The equity owners of Rotunda 100, LLC and Damascus 100, LLC are principally employees of Hekemian. To incentivize the employees of Hekemian, FREIT advanced, only to employees of Hekemian, up to 50% of the amount of the equity contributions that the Hekemian employees were required to invest in Rotunda 100, LLC and Damascus 100, LLC. These advances, which amounted to $5,451,000 at both January 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, were in the form of secured loans that bear interest that will float at 225 basis points over the ninety (90) day LIBOR, as adjusted each November 1, February 1, May 1 and August 1. These loans are secured by the Hekemian employees’ interests in Rotunda 100 and Damascus 100, and are full recourse loans. The notes had maturity dates at the earlier of (a) ten (10) years after issue (Grande Rotunda, LLC – 6/19/2015, Damascus Centre, LLC – 9/30/2016), or, (b) at the election of FREIT, ninety (90) days after the borrower terminates employment with Hekemian, at which time all outstanding unpaid principal is due. On June 4, 2015, the Board approved an extension of the maturity date of the secured loans to occur the earlier of (a) June 19, 2018 or (b) five days after the closing of a permanent mortgage loan secured by the Rotunda property.

Grande Rotunda, LLC continues to incur substantial expenditures at the Rotunda property. These expenditures include tenant improvements, leasing costs and operating expenditures which, in the aggregate, exceed revenues as the property is still in the rent up phase. The construction loan is at its maximum level resulting in no additional funding available to draw. Accordingly, the equity owners in Grande Rotunda, LLC (FREIT with a 60% ownership and Rotunda 100, LLC with a 40% ownership) are contributing their respective pro-rata share of any cash needs. As of January 31, 2017, Rotunda 100, LLC has funded Grande Rotunda, LLC with approximately $1.3 million which is included in “Due to affiliate” on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.