0001104659-13-026042.txt : 20140627 0001104659-13-026042.hdr.sgml : 20140627 20130401092724 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-13-026042 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: CORRESP PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20130401 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: CommonWealth REIT CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000803649 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798] IRS NUMBER: 046558834 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: CORRESP BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: TWO NEWTON PLACE STREET 2: 255 WASHINGTON STREET CITY: NEWTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02458 BUSINESS PHONE: 6177968350 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: TWO NEWTON PLACE STREET 2: 255 WASHINGTON STREET CITY: NEWTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02458 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HRPT PROPERTIES TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19980701 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HEALTH & RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19940811 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HEALTH & REHABILITATION PROPERTIES TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 CORRESP 1 filename1.htm

 

 

 

SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP

 

 

 

 

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April 1, 2013

 

VIA EDGAR AND OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

 

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

Office of Mergers and Acquisitions

Division of Corporation Finance

100 F Street, NE

Washington, D.C. 20549-0308

 

Attention: David L. Orlic, Special Counsel

 

 

RE:

CommonWealth REIT

 

 

Revised Preliminary Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A

 

 

Filed March 27, 2013

 

 

File No. 001-09317                                        

 

Dear Mr. Orlic:

 

On behalf of CommonWealth REIT (the “Company”), please find below the responses of the Company to comments of the staff (the “Staff”) of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) contained in your letter dated March 29, 2013, in connection with the above-captioned preliminary proxy statement of the Company.  A revised preliminary consent revocation statement on Schedule 14A (as so revised, the “Consent Revocation Statement”) is being filed simultaneously with this letter.  For the convenience of the Staff, we have also sent to you a paper copy of this letter and clean and marked copies of the Consent Revocation Statement.

 

Your numbered comments with respect to the Consent Revocation Statement, as set forth in your letter dated March 29, 2013, have been reproduced below in italicized text.  The Company’s responses thereto are set forth immediately following the reproduced comments to which they relate.

 


 

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

April 1, 2013

Page 2

 

Voting Securities and Record Date, page 11

 

1.                                      Please clarify your disclosure regarding Section 2.14(a)(ii) of the bylaws to specify whether security holders must hold certificates for three years. If not, please disclose whether the process of issuing certificates to a security holder could result in a transfer of ownership under the bylaws, such that the three year holding period would restart.

 

Company Response:  In response to the Staff’s comment, the Company has revised its disclosure in the Consent Revocation Statement.

 

2.                                      Disclosure states that a security holder must provide “other reasonable evidence, satisfactory to the Board, of their continuous ownership of such Common Shares for the three-year period.” Please disclose what might qualify as reasonable evidence in this circumstance.

 

Company Response:  In response to the Staff’s comment, the Company has revised its disclosure in the Consent Revocation Statement.

 

If you have any questions regarding the responses to the comments of the Staff, or require additional information, please contact the undersigned at (617) 573-4859.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/ Margaret R. Cohen

 

 

Margaret R. Cohen

 

 

 

 

cc:

Michele Anderson

 

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

 

 

 

 

 

Michael E. McTiernan

 

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

 

 

 

 

 

Adam D. Portnoy

 

 

CommonWealth REIT

 

 

 

 

 

Brian V. Breheny

 

 

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

 

 

 

 

 

Richard J. Grossman

 

 

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP