5. Investments in Unconsolidated Real Estate Joint Ventures

The Company had the following investments in unconsolidated real estate joint ventures (in thousands):



		September 30,	December 31,
		2014	2013
Altis at Kendall Square, LLC	$	1,164	1,300
New Urban/BBX Development, LLC		(11)	54
Sunrise and Bayview Partners, LLC		1,745	-
Hialeah Communities, LLC		4,860	-
PGA Design Center Holdings, LLC		1,949	-
Investments in unconsolidated real estate joint ventures	$	9,707	1,354

Altis at Kendall Square, LLC (“Kendall Commons”)

In March 2013, the Company invested $1.3 million in a joint venture to develop 321 apartment units. The Company is entitled to receive 13% of the joint venture distributions until a 15% internal rate of return has been attained and then the Company will be entitled to receive 9.75% of any joint venture distributions thereafter.

The Company analyzed the amended and restated operating agreement of Kendall Commons and determined that we are not the primary beneficiary and therefore the investment in the real estate joint venture is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This conclusion was based primarily on the determination that the Company only has limited protective rights under the operating agreement, is not the manager of the joint venture and the manager of the joint venture is entitled to 83% of the joint venture’s distributions.

New Urban/BBX Development, LLC (“Village at Victoria Park”)

In December 2013, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with New Urban Communities to develop 2 acres of vacant land located near downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida as 30 single-family homes. The closing of the joint venture was subject to obtaining third party acquisition, development and construction financing. The Company and New Urban Communities each have a 50% membership interest in the joint venture and New Urban Communities serves as the developer and the manager.

In April 2014, the joint venture obtained an acquisition, development and construction loan from a financial institution and the Company and New Urban Communities each contributed $692,000 to the joint venture as a capital contribution. The joint venture purchased the two acre site from the Company for $3.6 million consisting of $1.8 million in cash (less $0.2 million in selling expenses) and a $1.6 million promissory note. The promissory note bears interest at 8% per annum and is subordinated to the financial institution acquisition, development and construction loan. The Company recognized a partial gain of $188,000 on the sale of the vacant land to the joint venture.

The Company analyzed the Village at Victoria Park’s operating agreement and determined that we are not the primary beneficiary and therefore the investment in the real estate joint venture was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This conclusion was based primarily on the determination that New Urban Communities has the power to direct activities of the joint venture that most significantly affect the joint venture’s performance as it is the developer and manager of the project. Additionally, New Urban Communities also receives significant benefits from the joint venture in excess of its 50% membership interest in the form of development and administrative fees.

Sunrise and Bayview Partners

In June 2014, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with an affiliate of Procacci Development Corporation (“PDC”) and the Company and PDC each contributed $1.8 million in the Sunrise and Bayview Partners joint venture. The Company and PDC each have a 50% interest in the joint venture. In July 2014, the joint venture borrowed $5.0 million from PDC and acquired for $8.0 million three acres of real estate in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from an unrelated third party. The property is improved with an approximate 84,000 square foot office building along with a convenience store and gas station. The joint venture refinanced the PDC borrowings with a financial institution and the Company provided the financial institution with a guarantee of 50% of the outstanding balance of the joint venture’s $5.0 million loan.

The Company analyzed the Sunrise and Bayview Partners operating agreement and determined that we are not the primary beneficiary and therefore the investment in the real estate joint venture was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This conclusion was based primarily on the determination that PDC has the power to direct activities of the joint venture that most significantly affect the joint venture’s performance as it is managing the property, including locating tenants, executing leases, collecting rent payments and conducting development activities. Additionally, PDC also receives significant benefits from the joint venture in excess of its 50% membership interest in the form of development and property management fees.

PGA Design Center Holdings, LLC (“PGA Design Center”)

In December 2013, the Company purchased for $6.1 million a commercial property with three existing buildings consisting of 145,000 square feet of mainly furniture retail space. In January 2014, the Company entered into a joint venture with Stiles Development, and in connection with the formation of the joint venture, the Company sold the commercial property to the joint venture in exchange for $2.9 million in cash and a 40% interest in the joint venture. The joint venture intends to seek governmental approvals to change the use of a portion of the property from retail to office and subsequently sell or lease the property. The property contributed to the joint venture excluded certain residential development entitlements with an estimated value of $1.2 million which were transferred to adjacent parcels owned by the Company.

The Company analyzed the PGA Design Center’s operating agreement and determined that we are not the primary beneficiary and therefore the investment in the real estate joint venture was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This conclusion was based primarily on the determination that Stiles Development has a 60% interest in the joint venture and is also the managing member. As such, Stiles Development is the joint venture member that has the majority of the power to direct the activities of the joint venture that most significantly impact its economic performance and through its 60% membership interest has the obligation to absorb the majority of the losses and the right to receive the majority of the benefits of the joint venture.

Hialeah Communities, LLC

In July 2014, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with CC Bonterra to develop approximately 394 homes in a portion of the newly proposed Bonterra community in Hialeah Florida. The Company transferred approximately 50 acres of land at an agreed upon value of approximately $15.6 million subject to an $8.3 million mortgage which was assumed by the joint venture. In exchange, the Company received $2.2 million in cash and a joint venture interest with an agreed upon assigned initial capital contribution value of $4.9 million. The Company is entitled to receive 57% of the joint venture distributions until it receives its aggregate capital contributions plus a 9% per annum return on capital. Any distributions thereafter are shared 45% by the Company and 55% by CC Bonterra. The Company contributes 57% of the capital and remains liable as a co-borrower on the $8.3 million mortgage that was assumed by the joint venture. The Company recognized a partial gain of $229,000 on the transfer of the land to the joint venture.

The Company analyzed the Hialeah Communities operating agreement and determined that it is not the primary beneficiary and therefore the investment in the real estate joint venture was accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This conclusion was based primarily on the determination that CC Bonterra as the managing member and developer of the homes has the power to direct activities of the joint venture that most significantly affect the joint venture’s performance. Additionally, CC Bonterra also receives significant benefits from the joint venture in excess of its 43% membership interest in the form of development and administrative fees as wells as 55% of joint venture profits.

In September 2014, the Company contributed additional capital to the joint venture of $1.8 million with CC Bonterra contributing $1.4 million. The joint venture advanced $2.3 million of the funds to a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and purchased property adjacent to the project for $0.9 million. The wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company used the funds received from the joint venture to purchase additional property adjacent to the project.