Derivative Financial Instruments

During 2017, we entered into $150.0 million notional amount of forward-starting swaps that effectively lock the underlying 10-year treasury rate at 2.44% with respect to a planned issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership expected to occur prior to May 15, 2018.

During 2017, we also entered into floating-to-fixed interest rate swaps through January 2022 with respect to an aggregate of $50.0 million LIBOR-based borrowings. These swaps effectively fix the underlying one-month LIBOR rate at a weighted average rate of 1.693%.

During 2016, we entered into $150.0 million notional amount of forward-starting swaps that effectively locked the underlying 10-year treasury rate at 1.90% with respect to a planned issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership. Upon issuance of the $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.875% notes due 2027 during 2017, we terminated the forward-starting swaps resulting in an unrealized gain of $7.3 million in accumulated other comprehensive income.

We also have floating-to-fixed interest rate swaps through January 2019 with respect to an aggregate of $225.0 million LIBOR-based borrowings. These swaps effectively fix the underlying one-month LIBOR rate at a weighted average rate of 1.678%.


7.	Derivative Financial Instruments - Continued

The counterparties under these swaps are major financial institutions. The swap agreements contain a provision whereby if we default on certain of our indebtedness and which default results in repayment of such indebtedness being, or becoming capable of being, accelerated by the lender, then we could also be declared in default on our swaps.

Our interest rate swaps have been designated as and are being accounted for as cash flow hedges with changes in fair value recorded in other comprehensive income/(loss) each reporting period. No gain or loss was recognized related to hedge ineffectiveness or to amounts excluded from effectiveness testing on our cash flow hedges during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. We have no collateral requirements related to our interest rate swaps.

Amounts reported in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) related to derivatives will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on our variable rate debt. During 2018, we estimate that $0.9 million will be reclassified as a net decrease to interest expense.

The following table sets forth the gross fair value of our derivatives:



	December 31,
	2017		2016
Derivatives:
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in prepaid expenses and other assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	1,286	$	7,619
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities:
Interest rate swaps	$	—	$	1,870

The following table sets forth the effect of our cash flow hedges on accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) and interest expense:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges:
Amount of unrealized gains/(losses) recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) on derivatives (effective portion):
Interest rate swaps	$	1,732	$	5,703	$	(4,040	)
Amount of net losses reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) into contractual interest expense (effective portion):
Interest rate swaps	$	1,157	$	3,057	$	3,696