AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP
OF
EMPIRE AMERICAN REALTY OPERATING
PARTNERSHIP, LP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
|
ARTICLE 1
DEFINED TERMS
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 2
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
|
13
|
|
|
Formation
|
13
|
|
|
Name
|
14
|
|
|
Registered
Office and Agent; Principal Office
|
14
|
|
|
Power of
Attorney
|
14
|
|
|
Term
|
16
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 3
PURPOSE
|
16
|
|
|
Purpose and
Business
|
16
|
|
|
Powers
|
16
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 4
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
|
17
|
|
|
Capital
Contributions of the Partners
|
17
|
|
|
Additional
Funds; Restrictions on the General Partner
|
18
|
|
|
Issuance of
Additional Partnership Interests; Admission of Additional Limited
Partners
|
19
|
|
|
Contribution
of Proceeds of Issuance of REIT Stock
|
20
|
|
|
Repurchase
of REIT Stock; Shares-In-Trust
|
20
|
|
|
No
Third-Party Beneficiary
|
21
|
|
|
No Interest;
No Return
|
21
|
|
|
No
Preemptive Rights .
|
21
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 5
DISTRIBUTIONS
|
22
|
|
|
Distributions
|
22
|
|
|
Qualification as a REIT
|
22
|
|
|
Withholding
|
23
|
|
|
Additional
Partnership Interests
|
23
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 6
ALLOCATIONS
|
23
|
|
|
Allocations
|
23
|
|
|
Revisions to
Allocations to Reflect Issuance of Partnership
Interests
|
23
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 7
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF BUSINESS
|
23
|
|
|
Management
|
23
|
|
|
Certificate
of Limited Partnership
|
28
|
|
|
Reimbursement of the General
Partner
|
28
|
|
|
Outside
Activities of the General Partner
|
29
|
|
|
Contracts
with Affiliates
|
30
|
|
|
Indemnification
|
31
|
|
|
Liability of
the General Partner
|
33
|
|
|
Other
Matters Concerning the General Partner
|
34
|
|
|
Title to
Partnership Assets
|
35
|
|
|
Reliance by
Third Parties
|
35
|
|
|
Loans By
Third Parties
|
36
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 8
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
|
36
|
|
|
Limitation
of Liability
|
36
|
|
|
Management
of Business
|
36
|
|
|
Outside
Activities of Limited Partners
|
36
|
|
|
Return of
Capital
|
37
|
|
|
Rights of
Limited Partners Relating to the Partnership
|
37
|
|
|
Exchange
Rights Agreements
|
38
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 9
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
|
38
|
|
|
Records and
Accounting
|
38
|
|
|
Fiscal
Year
|
38
|
|
|
Reports
|
38
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 10
TAX MATTERS
|
39
|
|
|
Preparation
of Tax Returns
|
39
|
|
|
Tax
Elections
|
39
|
|
|
Tax Matters
Partner
|
40
|
|
|
Organizational Expenses
|
41
|
|
|
Withholding
|
41
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 11
TRANSFERS AND WITHDRAWALS
|
42
|
|
|
Transfer
|
42
|
|
|
Transfer of
the General Partner’s General Partner Interest
|
43
|
|
|
Limited
Partners’ Rights to Transfer
|
45
|
|
|
Substituted
Limited Partners
|
46
|
|
|
Assignees
|
47
|
|
|
General
Provisions
|
47
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 12
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
|
49
|
|
|
Admission of
Successor General Partner
|
49
|
|
|
Admission of
Additional Limited Partners
|
50
|
|
|
Amendment of
Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
|
51
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 13
DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION
|
51
|
|
|
Dissolution
|
51
|
|
|
Winding
Up
|
52
|
|
|
No
Obligation to Contribute Deficit
|
54
|
|
|
Rights of
Limited Partners
|
54
|
|
|
Notice of
Dissolution
|
54
|
|
|
Termination
of Partnership and Cancellation of Certificate of Limited
Partnership
|
54
|
|
|
Reasonable
Time for Winding-Up
|
55
|
|
|
Waiver of
Partition
|
55
|
|
ARTICLE 14
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS
|
55
|
|
|
Amendments
|
55
|
|
|
Meetings of
the Partners
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE 15
GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
57
|
|
|
Addresses
and Notice
|
57
|
|
|
Titles and
Captions
|
57
|
|
|
Pronouns and
Plurals
|
58
|
|
|
Further
Action
|
58
|
|
|
Binding
Effect
|
58
|
|
|
Creditors
|
58
|
|
|
Waiver
|
58
|
|
|
Counterparts
|
58
|
|
|
Applicable
Law
|
58
|
|
|
Invalidity
of Provisions
|
58
|
|
|
Entire
Agreement
|
59
|
|
|
Merger
|
59
|
|
|
No Rights as
Stockholders
|
59
|
Exhibit
A – Partners’ Contributions
and Partnership Interests
Exhibit
B – Allocations
Exhibit
C – Exchange Rights Agreement for
Partnership Units
Exhibit
D – Certificate of Limited
Partnership
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP
OF
EMPIRE AMERICAN REALTY OPERATING
PARTNERSHIP, LP
THIS AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF EMPIRE
AMERICAN REALTY OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, LP (this “
Agreement ”), dated as of
2009, is entered into by and among EMPIRE AMERICAN REALTY
TRUST, INC., a Maryland corporation, as general partner (the
“ General Partner ”), and EMPIRE AMERICAN
ADVISORS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as Limited
Partner (the “ Initial Limited Partner ”), and
the Limited Partners party hereto from time to time.
WHEREAS, the General Partner formed Empire
American Realty Operating Partnership, LP (the “
Partnership ”) as a limited partnership on March 27,
2009 pursuant to the Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act of the
State of Delaware and filed a certificate of limited partnership
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
covenants herein contained, and other valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the
parties do hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINED TERMS
The following definitions shall be for all
purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary,
applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
“ Act ” means the
Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, as amended from
time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“ Additional Limited Partner
” means a Person that has executed and delivered an
additional limited partner signature page in the form attached
hereto, has been admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner
pursuant to Section 4.3 hereof and that is shown as such on the
books and records of the Partnership.
“ Adjusted Capital Account
Deficit ” means with respect to any Partner, the
negative balance, if any, in such Partner’s Capital Account
as of the end of any relevant fiscal year, determined after giving
effect to the following adjustments:
(a) credit
to such Capital Account any portion of such negative balance which
such Partner (i) is treated as obligated to restore to the
Partnership pursuant to the provisions of Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) of the Regulations, or (ii) is deemed to be
obligated to restore to the Partnership pursuant to the penultimate
sentences of Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5) of the
Regulations; and
(b) debit
to such Capital Account the items described in Sections
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) and (6) of the Regulations.
“ Advisory Agreement ”
means the Advisory Agreement among the Partnership and the General
Partner, as advisees, and the Initial Limited Partner, as
advisor.
“ Affiliate ”
means,
(a) with
respect to any individual Person, any member of the Immediate
Family of such Person or a trust established for the benefit of
such member, or
(b) with
respect to any Entity, any Person which, directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or
is under common control with, any such Entity. For purposes of this
definition, “control,” when used with respect to a any
Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of
such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership
of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms
“controlling” and “controlled” have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“ Agreement ” means
this Agreement of Limited Partnership, as originally executed and
as amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time,
as the context requires.
“ Articles of Incorporation
” means the General Partner’s Articles of
Incorporation, filed with the Maryland State Department of
Assessments and Taxation, or other organizational document
governing the General Partner, as amended, modified, supplemented
or restated from time to time.
“ Assignee ” means a
Person to whom one or more Partnership Units have been transferred
in a manner permitted under this Agreement, but who has not become
a Substituted Limited Partner, and who has the rights set forth in
Section 11.5.
“ Associate Limited Partner
” means Empire American ALP, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, as the holder of the 15% interest in the
liquidation distributions described in Section
13.2(a)(ii)(D)(2).
“ Available Cash ”
means, with respect to the applicable period of measurement (i.e.,
any period beginning on the first day of the fiscal year, quarter
or other period commencing immediately after the last day of the
fiscal year, quarter or other applicable period for purposes of the
prior calculation of Available Cash for or with respect to which a
distribution has been made, and ending on the last day of the
fiscal year, quarter or other applicable period immediately
preceding the date of the calculation), the excess, if any, as of
such date, of
(a) the
gross cash receipts of the Partnership for such period from all
sources whatsoever, including, without limitation, the
following:
(i)
all rents, revenues, income and proceeds derived by the Partnership
from its operations, including, without limitation, distributions
received by the Partnership from any Entity in which the
Partnership has an interest;
(ii) all
proceeds and revenues received by the Partnership on account of any
sales of any Partnership property or as a refinancing of or payment
of principal, interest, costs, fees, penalties or otherwise on
account of any borrowings or loans made by the Partnership or
financings or refinancings of any property of the
Partnership;
(iii) the
amount of any insurance proceeds and condemnation awards received
by the Partnership;
(iv) all
capital contributions and loans received by the Partnership from
its Partners;
(v) all
cash amounts previously reserved by the Partnership, to the extent
such amounts are no longer needed for the specific purposes for
which such amounts were reserved; and
(vi) the
proceeds of liquidation of the Partnership’s property in
accordance with this Agreement;
(b) the
sum of the following:
(i)
all operating costs and expenses, including taxes and other
expenses of the properties directly and indirectly held by the
Partnership and capital expenditures made during such period
(without deduction, however, for any capital expenditures, charges
for Depreciation or other expenses not paid in cash or expenditures
from reserves described in (viii) below);
(ii)
all costs and expenses expended or paid during such period in
connection with the sale or other disposition, or financing or
refinancing, of the property directly or indirectly held by the
Partnership or the recovery of insurance or condemnation
proceeds;
(iii) all
fees provided for under this Agreement;
(iv) all
debt service, including principal and interest, paid during such
period on all indebtedness (including under any line of credit) of
the Partnership;
(v)
all capital contributions, advances, reimbursements, loans or
similar payments made to any Person in which the Partnership has an
interest;
(vi) all
loans made by the Partnership in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement;
(vii) all
reimbursements to the General Partner or its Affiliates during such
period; and
(viii) the
amount of any new reserve or increase in reserves established
during such period which the General Partner determines is
necessary or appropriate in its sole and absolute
discretion.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Available Cash shall not include any cash received
or reductions in reserves, or take into account any disbursements
made or reserves established, after commencement of the dissolution
and liquidation of the Partnership.
“ Business Combination
” has the meaning set forth in Section
7.1(a)(iii)(C).
“ Capital Account ”
means with respect to any Partner, the Capital Account maintained
for such Partner in accordance with the following
provisions:
(a) to
each Partner’s Capital Account there shall be
credited
(i) such
Partner’s Capital Contributions;
(ii) such
Partner’s distributive share of Net Income and any items in
the nature of income or gain which are specially allocated to such
Partner pursuant to Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Exhibit B and
(iii) the
amount of any Partnership liabilities assumed by such Partner or
which are secured by any asset distributed to such
Partner;
(b) to
each Partner’s Capital Account there shall be
debited
(i)
the amount of cash and the Gross Asset Value of any property
distributed to such Partner pursuant to any provision of this
Agreement,
(ii) such
Partner’s distributive share of Net Losses and any items in
the nature of expenses or losses which are specially allocated to
such Partner pursuant to Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Exhibit B
and
(iii) the
amount of any liabilities of such Partner assumed by the
Partnership or which are secured by any asset contributed by such
Partner to the Partnership; and
(c) in
the event all or a portion of a Partnership Interest is transferred
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the transferee
shall succeed to the Capital Account of the transferor to the
extent it relates to the transferred Partnership
Interest.
The foregoing
provisions and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to
the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with
Sections 1.704-1(b) and 1.704-2 of the Regulations, and shall be
interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with such
Regulations. In the event the General Partner shall reasonably
determine that it is prudent to modify the manner in which the
Capital Accounts, or any debits or credits thereto (including,
without limitation, debits or credits relating to liabilities which
are secured by contributed or distributed assets or which are
assumed by the Partnership, the General Partner or any Limited
Partner) are computed in order to comply with such Regulations, the
General Partner may make such modification; provided that it would
not cause the amounts distributable to any Partner pursuant to
Article 13 hereof upon the dissolution of the Partnership to vary
from the amount contemplated as set forth in Section 2(g) of
Exhibit B.
“ Capital Contribution
” means, with respect to any Partner, any cash, cash
equivalents or the Gross Asset Value of property which such Partner
contributes or is deemed to contribute to the Partnership pursuant
to Article 4 hereof.
“ Capital Proceeds ”
means Available Cash attributable to any Capital
Transaction.
“ Capital Transaction
” means any sale, or other disposition (other than a deemed
disposition pursuant to Section 708(b)(1)(B) and the regulations
thereunder) of all or substantially all of the assets and
properties of the Partnership or a related series of transactions
that, taken together, result in the sale or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the assets and properties of the
Partnership.
“ Cash Available for
Distribution ” means the Available Cash other than
Available Cash attributable to a Capital Transaction.
“ Certificate ” means
the Certificate of Limited Partnership relating to the Partnership
to be filed in the form of Exhibit D hereto as soon as practicable
after the date hereof in the office of the Delaware Secretary of
State, as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms
hereof and the Act.
“ Code ” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time
to time, as interpreted by the applicable regulations thereunder.
Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code
shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding
provision of future law.
“ Common Stock ” means
a share of the common stock of the General Partner, $.01 par value.
Common Stock may be issued in one or more classes or series in
accordance with the terms of the Articles of Incorporation. If
there is more than one class or series of Common Stock, the term
“Common Stock” shall, as the context requires, be
deemed to refer to the class or series of Common Stock that
correspond to the class or series of Partnership Interests for
which the reference to Common Stock is made.
“ Common Stock Amount
” has the meaning set forth in the Exchange Rights
Agreements.
“ Consent ” means the
consent or approval of a proposed action by a Partner given in
accordance with Section 14.2 hereof.
“ Consent of the Limited
Partners ” means the Consent of Limited Partners
(excluding for this purpose any Partnership Interests held by the
General Partner, any other Person of which they own or control more
than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests and any Person
directly or indirectly owning or controlling more than fifty
percent (50%) of the outstanding voting interests of the General
Partner) holding Percentage Interests that are greater than fifty
percent (50%) of the aggregate Percentage Interest of all Limited
Partners who are not excluded for the purposes hereof.
“ Contributed Property
” means each property, partnership interest, contract right
or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Act,
contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership by any
Partner, including any interest in any successor partnership
occurring as a result of a termination of the Partnership pursuant
to Section 708 of Code.
“ Cumulative Non-Compound
Return ” means the percentage resulting from
dividing: (i) the total amount of dividends and
distributions paid by the General Partner to the Stockholders or
the total amount of distributions made by the Partnership to the
Limited Partners, in each case reduced by distributions from the
sale or refinancing of properties, from the Effective Date until
the Distribution Date, by (ii) the product of (a) the
weighted average Net Investment for such period (calculated on a
daily basis), and (b) the number of years (including the fractions
thereof) elapsed from the Effective Date until the Distribution
Date (based on a year of 365 days).
“ Debt ” means, as to
any Person, as of any date of determination, (a) all indebtedness
of such Person for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase
price of property or services; (b) all amounts owed by such
Person to banks or other Persons in respect of reimbursement
obligations under letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar
instruments guaranteeing payment or other performance of
obligations by such Person; (c) all indebtedness for borrowed money
or for the deferred purchase price of property or services secured
by any lien on any property owned by such Person, to the extent
attributable to such Person’s interest in such property, even
though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment
thereof; and (d) obligations of such Person incurred in connection
with entering into a lease which, in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, should be capitalized.
“ Depreciation ”
means, with respect to any asset of the Partnership for any fiscal
year or other period, the depreciation, depletion, amortization or
other cost recovery deduction, as the case may be, allowed or
allowable for federal income tax purposes in respect of such asset
for such fiscal year or other period; provided, however, that
except as otherwise provided in Section 1.704-2 of the Regulations,
if there is a difference between the Gross Asset Value (including
the Gross Asset Value, as increased pursuant to paragraph (d) of
the definition of Gross Asset Value) and the adjusted tax basis of
such asset at the beginning of such fiscal year or other period,
Depreciation for such asset shall be an amount that bears the same
ratio to the beginning Gross Asset Value of such asset as the
federal income tax depreciation, depletion, amortization or other
cost recovery deduction for such fiscal year or other period bears
to the beginning adjusted tax basis of such asset; provided,
further, that if the federal income tax depreciation, depletion,
amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such asset for
such fiscal year or other period is zero, Depreciation of such
asset shall be determined with reference to the beginning Gross
Asset Value of such asset using any reasonable method selected by
the General Partner.
“ Distribution Date ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(a).
“ Effective Date ”
means the date of first closing of the offering pursuant to the
Registration Statement on Form S-11.
“ Entity ” means any
general partnership, limited partnership, corporation, joint
venture, trust, business trust, real estate investment trust,
limited liability company, limited liability partnership,
cooperative or association.
“ ERISA ” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from
time to time (or any corresponding provisions of succeeding
laws).
“ Exchange Factor ”
has the meaning set forth in the Exchange Rights
Agreements.
“ Exchange Right ” has
the meaning set forth in the Exchange Rights Agreements.
“ Exchange Rights Agreements
” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.6.
“ First Level Return ”
means a Cumulative Non-Compounded Return of 7% per year on the Net
Investment of the Limited Partners and the Stockholders.
“ General Partner ”
means Empire American Realty Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation,
and any successor as general partner of the Partnership.
“ General Partner Interest
” means a Partnership Interest held by the General Partner,
in its capacity as general partner. A General Partner Interest may
be expressed as a number of Partnership Units.
“ Gross Asset Value ”
means, with respect to any asset of the Partnership, such
asset’s adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes,
except as follows:
(a) the
initial Gross Asset Value of any asset contributed by a Partner to
the Partnership shall be the gross fair market value of such asset,
without reduction for liabilities, as determined by the
contributing Partner and the Partnership on the date of
contribution thereof;
(b) if
the General Partner determines that an adjustment is necessary or
appropriate to reflect the relative economic interests of the
Partners, the Gross Asset Values of all Partnership assets shall be
adjusted in accordance with Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and (g)
of the Regulations to equal their respective gross fair market
values, without reduction for liabilities, as reasonably determined
by the General Partner, as of the following times:
(i) a
Capital Contribution (other than a de minimis Capital
Contribution) to the Partnership by a new or existing Partner as
consideration for a Partnership Interest; or
(ii) the
distribution by the Partnership to a Partner of more than a de
minimis amount of Partnership assets as consideration for the
repurchase of a Partnership Interest; or
(iii) the
liquidation of the Partnership within the meaning of Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g) of the Regulations;
(c) the
Gross Asset Values of Partnership assets distributed to any Partner
shall be the gross fair market values of such assets (taking
Section 7701(g) of the Code into account) without reduction for
liabilities, as determined by the General Partner as of the date of
distribution; and
(d) the
Gross Asset Values of Partnership assets shall be increased (or
decreased) to reflect any adjustments to the adjusted basis of such
assets pursuant to Sections 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code, but only
to the extent that such adjustments are taken into account in
determining Capital Accounts pursuant to Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m) of the Regulations (as set forth in Exhibit
B); provided, however, that Gross Asset Values shall not be
adjusted pursuant to this paragraph (d) to the extent that the
General Partner determines that an adjustment pursuant to paragraph
(b) above is necessary or appropriate in connection with a
transaction that would otherwise result in an adjustment pursuant
to this paragraph (d).
At all times,
Gross Asset Values shall be adjusted by any Depreciation taken into
account with respect to the Partnership’s assets for purposes
of computing Net Income and Net Loss.
“ Incapacity ” or
“ Incapacitated ” means,
(a) as
to any individual who is a Partner, death, total physical
disability or entry by a court of competent jurisdiction
adjudicating him incompetent to manage his person or his
estate;
(b) as
to any corporation which is a Partner, the filing of a certificate
of dissolution, or its equivalent, for the corporation or the
revocation of its charter;
(c) as
to any partnership which is a Partner, the dissolution and
commencement of winding up of the partnership;
(d) as
to any limited liability company which is a Partner, the
dissolution and commencement of winding up of the limited liability
company;
(e) as
to any estate which is a Partner, the distribution by the fiduciary
of the estate’s entire interest in the
Partnership;
(f)
as to any trustee of a trust which is a Partner, the termination of
the trust (but not the substitution of a new trustee);
or
(g) as
to any Partner, the bankruptcy of such Partner, which shall be
deemed to have occurred when
(i) the
Partner commences a voluntary proceeding seeking liquidation,
reorganization or other relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar law now or hereafter in effect;
(ii) the
Partner is adjudged as bankrupt or insolvent, or a final and
nonappealable order for relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar law now or hereafter in effect has been entered against the
Partner;
(iii) the
Partner executes and delivers a general assignment for the benefit
of the Partner’s creditors;
(iv) the
Partner files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to
contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the
Partner in any proceeding of the nature described in clause (ii)
above;
(v) the
Partner seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a
trustee, receiver or liquidator for the Partner or for all or any
substantial part of the Partner’s properties;
(vi) any
proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief of
or against such Partner under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar law now or hereafter in effect has not been dismissed
within one hundred twenty (120) days after the commencement
thereof;
(vii) the
appointment without the Partner’s consent or acquiescence of
a trustee, receiver or liquidator has not been vacated or stayed
within ninety (90) days of such appointment; or
(viii) an
appointment referred to in clause (vii) which has been stayed is
not vacated within ninety (90) days after the expiration of any
such stay.
“ Indemnitee ”
means
(a) any
Person made a party to a proceeding by reason of its status
as
(iii) an
investment advisor to the General Partner,
(iv) a
trustee, director or officer of the Partnership, the General
Partner, or the investment advisor to the General Partner,
or
(v) a
director, trustee, member or officer of any other Entity, each
Person serving in such capacity at the request of the Partnership
or the General Partner, or
(vi) his
or its liabilities, pursuant to a loan guarantee or otherwise, for
any indebtedness of the Partnership or any Subsidiary of the
Partnership (including, without limitation, any indebtedness which
the Partnership or any Subsidiary of the Partnership has assumed or
taken assets subject to); and
(b) such
other Persons (including Affiliates of the General Partner, a
Limited Partner or the Partnership) as the General Partner may
designate from time to time (whether before or after the event
giving rise to potential liability), in its sole and absolute
discretion.
“ Initial Limited Partner
” means the Empire American Advisors, LLC.
“ IRS ” shall mean the
Internal Revenue Service of the United States.
“ Lien ” means any
lien, security interest, mortgage, deed of trust, charge, claim,
encumbrance, pledge, option, right of first offer or first refusal
and any other right or interest of others of any kind or nature,
actual or contingent, or other similar encumbrance of any nature
whatsoever.
“ Limited Partner ”
means, prior to the admission of the first Additional Limited
Partner to the Partnership, the Initial Limited Partner, and
thereafter any Person named as a Limited Partner in Exhibit A, as
such Exhibit may be amended from time to time, upon the execution
and delivery by such Person of an additional limited partner
signature page, or any Substituted Limited Partner or Additional
Limited Partner, in such Person’s capacity as a Limited
Partner of the Partnership.
“ Limited Partner Interest
” means a Partnership Interest of a Limited Partner in the
Partnership representing a fractional part of the Partnership
Interests of all Partners and includes any and all benefits to
which the holder of such a Partnership Interest may be entitled, as
provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such
Person to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. A
Limited Partner Interest may be expressed as a number of
Partnership Units.
“ Liquidating Event ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1 hereof.
“ Liquidator ” has the
meaning set forth in Section 13.2 hereof.
“ Net Income ” or
“ Net Loss ” means, for each fiscal year
or other applicable period, an amount equal to the
Partnership’s taxable income or loss for such year or period
as determined for federal income tax purposes by the General
Partner, determined in accordance with Section 703(a) of the Code
(for this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss or deduction
required to be stated separately pursuant to Section 703(a) of the
Code shall be included in taxable income or loss), adjusted as
follows:
(a) by
including as an item of gross income any tax-exempt income received
by the Partnership and not otherwise taken into account in
computing Net Income or Net Loss;
(b) by
treating as a deductible expense any expenditure of the Partnership
described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code (or which is treated
as a Section 705(a)(2)(B) expenditure pursuant to Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i) of the Regulations) and not otherwise taken
into account in computing Net Income or Net Loss, including amounts
paid or incurred to organize the Partnership (unless an election is
made pursuant to Section 709(b) of the Code) or to promote the sale
of interests in the Partnership and by treating deductions for any
losses incurred in connection with the sale or exchange of
Partnership property disallowed pursuant to Section 267(a)(1) or
707(b) of the Code as expenditures described in Section
705(a)(2)(B) of the Code;
(c) by
taking into account Depreciation in lieu of depreciation,
depletion, amortization and other cost recovery deductions taken
into account in computing taxable income or loss;
(d) by
computing gain or loss resulting from any disposition of
Partnership property with respect to which gain or loss is
recognized for federal income tax purposes by reference to the
Gross Asset Value of such property rather than its adjusted tax
basis;
(e) in
the event of an adjustment of the Gross Asset Value of any
Partnership asset which requires that the Capital Accounts of the
Partnership be adjusted pursuant to Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(e),
(f) and (g) of the Regulations, by taking into account the amount
of such adjustment as if such adjustment represented additional Net
Income or Net Loss pursuant to Exhibit B; and
(f) by
not taking into account in computing Net Income or Net Loss items
separately allocated to the Partners pursuant to Paragraphs 1 and 2
of Exhibit B.
“ Net Investment ”
means (i) as it relates to the Stockholders, the original issue
price paid by such stockholders for the purchase of Common Stock;
and (ii) as it relates to the Limited Partners the total amount of
Capital Contributions; in each case reduced by distributions from
the sale or refinancing of properties.
“ Nonrecourse Deductions
” has the meaning set forth in Sections 1.704-2(b)(1) and
1.704-2(c) of the Regulations.
“ Nonrecourse Liabilities
” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.704-2(b)(3) of the
Regulations.
“ Partner ” means the
General Partner or a Limited Partner, and “Partners”
means the General Partner and the Limited Partners
collectively.
“ Partner Minimum Gain
” means an amount, with respect to each Partner Nonrecourse
Debt, equal to the Partnership Minimum Gain that would result if
such Partner Nonrecourse Debt were treated as a Nonrecourse
Liability, determined in accordance with Regulations Section
1.704-2(i)(3).
“ Partner Nonrecourse Debt
” has the meaning set forth in Regulations Section
1.704-2(b)(4).
“ Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions ” has the meaning set forth in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(2), and the amount of Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt for a
Partnership taxable year shall be determined in accordance with the
rules of Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“ Partnership ” means
the limited partnership formed under the Act and pursuant to this
Agreement, and any successor thereto.
“ Partnership Interest
” means an ownership interest in the Partnership representing
a Capital Contribution by either a Limited Partner or the General
Partner and includes any and all benefits to which the holder of
such a Partnership Interest may be entitled as provided in this
Agreement, together with all obligations of such Person to comply
with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. A Partnership
Interest may be expressed as a number of Partnership
Units.
“ Partnership Minimum Gain
” has the meaning set forth in Regulations Section
1.704-2(b)(2), and the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain, as well
as any net increase or decrease in a Partnership Minimum Gain, for
a Partnership taxable year shall be determined in accordance with
the rules of Regulations Section 1.704-2(d).
“ Partnership Record Date
” means the record date established by the General Partner
for a distribution pursuant to Section 5.1(a) hereof, which record
date shall be the same as the record date established by the
General Partner for a distribution to its stockholders of some or
all of its portion of such distribution.
“ Partnership Unit ”
means a fractional, undivided share of the Partnership Interests of
all Partners issued pursuant to Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 and
includes any classes or series of Partnership Units established
after the date hereof. The number of Partnership Units outstanding
and the Percentage Interests in the Partnership represented by such
Partnership Units are set forth in Exhibit A, as such Exhibit may
be amended from time to time. The ownership of Partnership Units
shall be evidenced by such form of certificate for Partnership
Units as the General Partner adopts from time to time unless the
General Partner determines that the Partnership Units shall be
uncertificated securities.
“ Partnership Year ”
means the fiscal year of the Partnership, as set forth in Section
9.2 hereof.
“ Percentage Interest
” means, as to a Partner, the fractional part of the
Partnership Interests owned by such Partner and expressed as a
percentage as specified in Exhibit A, as such Exhibit may be
amended from time to time.
“ Permitted Partners ”
has the meaning set forth in subparagraph 1(b) of Exhibit
B.
“ Permitted Transferee
” means any person to whom Partnership Units are Transferred
in accordance with Section 11.3 of this Agreement.
“ Person ” means an
individual or Entity.
“ Precontribution Gain
” has the meaning set forth in subparagraph 3(c) of Exhibit
B.
“ Quarter ” means each
of the three-month periods ending on March 31, June 30, September
30 and December 31.
“ Registration Statement
” means the Registration Statement on Form S-11 to be filed
by the General Partner with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
and any amendments at any time made thereto.
“ Regulations ” means
the final, temporary or proposed Income Tax Regulations promulgated
under the Code, as such regulations may be amended from time to
time (including corresponding provisions of succeeding
regulations).
“ REIT ” means a real
estate investment trust as defined in Section 856 of the
Code.
“ REIT Requirements ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.
“ REIT Stock ” has the
meaning set forth in the Exchange Rights Agreement.
“ REIT Stock Amount ”
has the meaning set forth in the Exchange Rights
Agreement.
“ Restricted Partner ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1(b) of Exhibit B.
“ Stockholder ” means
a holder of Common Stock.
“ Subsidiary ” means,
with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or other entity of which a majority of
(a) the
voting power of the voting equity securities; and/or
(b) the
outstanding equity interests (whether or not voting), is owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person.
“ Substituted Limited
Partner ” means a Person who is admitted as a Limited
Partner to the Partnership pursuant to Section 11.4
hereof.
“ Tax Items ” has the
meaning set forth in Exhibit B.
“ Transfer ” as a
noun, means any sale, assignment, conveyance, pledge,
hypothecation, gift, encumbrance or other transfer, and as a verb,
means to sell, assign, convey, pledge, hypothecate, give, encumber
or otherwise transfer.
Certain additional terms and phrases have the
meanings set forth in Exhibit B.
ARTICLE 2
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
The General Partner has formed the Partnership
by filing the Certificate on March 27, 2009 in the office of the
Delaware Secretary of State. The Partnership is a
limited partnership organized pursuant to the provision of the Act
and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement. Except as expressly provided herein to the
contrary, the rights and obligations of the Partners and the
administration and termination of the Partnership shall be governed
by the Act. The Partnership Interest of each Partner shall be
personal property for all purposes.
The name of the Partnership is Empire American
Realty Operating Partnership, LP. The
Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name
or names deemed advisable by the General Partner, including the
name of the General Partner or any Affiliate thereof. The words
“Limited Partnership,” “LP,”
“Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in
the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purposes of
complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The
General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion may change the
name of the Partnership and shall notify the Limited Partners of
such change in the next regular communication to the Limited
Partners.
|
|
Registered
Office and Agent; Principal Office
|
The address of the registered office of the
Partnership in the State of Delaware and the name and address of
the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in
the State of Delaware is the Corporation Service Company, 2711
Centerville Road Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The
principal office of the Partnership shall be 25 Philips Parkway,
Motvale, New Jersey 07645, or such other place as the General
Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited
Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place
or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General
Partner deems advisable.
(a) Each
Limited Partner and each Assignee who accepts Partnership Units (or
any rights, benefits or privileges associated therewith) is deemed
to irrevocably constitute and appoint the General Partner, any
Liquidator, and authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact of each,
and each of those acting singly, in each case with full power of
substitution, as its true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact,
with full power and authority in its name, place and stead
to:
(i) execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate
public offices
(A) all
certificates, documents and other instruments (including, without
limitation, this Agreement and the Certificate and all amendments
or restatements thereof) that the General Partner or the Liquidator
deems appropriate or necessary to form, qualify or continue the
existence or qualification of the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have
limited liability) in the State of Delaware and in all other
jurisdictions in which the Partnership may or plans to conduct
business or own property, including, without limitation, any
documents necessary or advisable to convey any Contributed Property
to the Partnership;
(B) all
instruments that the General Partner or any Liquidator deems
appropriate or necessary to reflect any amendment, change,
modification or restatement of this Agreement in accordance with
its terms;
(C) all
conveyances and other instruments or documents that the General
Partner or any Liquidator deems appropriate or necessary to reflect
the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement, including, without limitation, a
certificate of cancellation;
(D) all
instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or
substitution of any Partner pursuant to, or other events described
in, Article 11, 12 or 13 hereof or the Capital Contribution of any
Partner;
(E) all
certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the
determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of
Partnership Interest; and
(F) amendments
to this Agreement as provided in Article 14 hereof; and
(ii) execute,
swear to, seal, acknowledge and file all ballots, consents,
approvals, waivers, certificates and other instruments appropriate
or necessary, in the sole and absolute discretion of the General
Partner or any Liquidator, to make, evidence, give, confirm or
ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action which
is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent with
the terms of this Agreement or appropriate or necessary, in the
sole discretion of the General Partner or any Liquidator, to
effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement.
Nothing
contained herein shall be construed as authorizing the General
Partner or any Liquidator to amend this Agreement except in
accordance with Article 14 hereof or as may be otherwise expressly
provided for in this Agreement.
(b)
(i) The
foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable
and a power coupled with an interest, in recognition of the fact
that each of the Partners will be relying upon the power of the
General Partner and any Liquidator to act as contemplated by this
Agreement in any filing or other action by it on behalf of the
Partnership, and it shall survive and not be affected by the
subsequent Incapacity of any Limited Partner or Assignee and the
Transfer of all or any portion of such Limited Partner’s or
Assignee’s Partnership Units and shall extend to such Limited
Partner’s or Assignee’s heirs, successors, assigns and
personal representatives.
(ii) Each
such Limited Partner or Assignee hereby agrees to be bound by any
representation made by the General Partner or any Liquidator,
acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney, and each
such Limited Partner or Assignee hereby waives any and all defenses
which may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action
of the General Partner or any Liquidator, taken in good faith under
such power of attorney.
(iii) Each
Limited Partner or Assignee shall execute and deliver to the
General Partner or the Liquidator, within fifteen (15) days after
receipt of the General Partner’s or Liquidator’s
request therefore, such further designation, powers of attorney and
other instruments as the General Partner or the Liquidator, as the
case may be, deems necessary to effectuate this Agreement and the
purposes of the Partnership.
The term of the Partnership shall commence on
the date hereof and shall continue until December 31, 2099, unless
the Partnership is dissolved sooner pursuant to the provisions of
Article 13 or as otherwise provided by law.
ARTICLE 3
PURPOSE
(a) The
purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the
Partnership is to conduct any business that may be lawfully
conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Act
including, without limitation, to engage in the following
activities:
(i) to
acquire, hold, own, develop, construct, improve, maintain, operate,
sell, lease, transfer, encumber, convey, exchange, and otherwise
dispose of or deal with the properties described in the prospectus
contained in the Registration Statement;
(ii) to
acquire, hold, own, develop, construct, improve, maintain, operate,
sell, lease, transfer, encumber, convey, exchange, and otherwise
dispose of or deal with real and personal property of all
kinds;
(iii) to
enter into any partnership, joint venture, corporation, limited
liability company, trust or other similar arrangement to engage in
any of the foregoing;
(iv) to
undertake such other activities as may be necessary, advisable,
desirable or convenient to the business of the Partnership;
and
(v) to
engage in such other ancillary activities as shall be necessary or
desirable to effectuate the foregoing purposes;
provided,
however, that such business shall be limited to and conducted in
such a manner as to permit the General Partner at all times to be
classified as a REIT, unless the General Partner determines not to
qualify as a REIT or ceases to qualify as a REIT for any reason not
related to the business conducted by the Partnership.
(b) The
Partnership shall have all powers necessary or desirable to
accomplish the purposes enumerated.
(a) The
Partnership is empowered to do any and all acts and things
necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or
convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes
and business described herein and for the protection and benefit of
the Partnership including, without limitation, full power and
authority to enter into, perform, and carry out contracts of any
kind, to borrow money and to issue evidences of indebtedness,
whether or not secured by mortgage, trust deed, pledge or other
Lien, and, directly or indirectly, to acquire, own, improve,
develop and construct real property, and lease, sell, transfer and
dispose of real property; provided, that the Partnership shall not
take, or refrain from taking, any action which, in the judgment of
the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion,
(i)
could adversely affect the ability of the General Partner to
continue to qualify as a REIT, unless the General Partner otherwise
ceases to qualify as a REIT;
(ii) could
subject the General Partner to any additional taxes under Section
857 or Section 4981 of the Code; or
(iii) could
violate any law or regulation of any governmental body or agency
having jurisdiction over the General Partner or its securities,
unless such action (or inaction) shall have been specifically
consented to by the General Partner in writing.
(b) The
General Partner also is empowered to do any and all acts and things
necessary, appropriate or advisable to ensure that the Partnership
will not be classified as a “publicly traded
partnership” for the purposes of Section 7704 of the Code,
including but not limited to imposing restrictions on exchanges of
Partnership Units.
ARTICLE 4
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
|
|
Capital
Contributions of the Partners
|
(a) The
General Partner and Initial Limited Partner have made the Capital
Contributions as set forth in Exhibit A to this
Agreement.
(b) To
the extent the Partnership acquires any property by the merger of
any other Person into the Partnership or the contribution of assets
by any other Person, Persons who receive Partnership Interests in
exchange for their interests in the Person merging into or
contributing assets to the Partnership shall become Partners and
shall be deemed to have made Capital Contributions as provided in
the applicable merger agreement or contribution agreement and as
set forth in Exhibit A, as amended to reflect such deemed Capital
Contributions.
(c) Each
Partner shall own Partnership Units in the amounts set forth for
such Partner in Exhibit A and shall have a Percentage Interest in
the Partnership as set forth in Exhibit A, which Percentage
Interest shall be adjusted in Exhibit A from time to time by the
General Partner to the extent necessary to reflect accurately
exchanges, additional Capital Contributions, the issuance of
additional Partnership Units or similar events having an effect on
any Partner’s Percentage Interest.
(d) The
number of Partnership Units held by the General Partner, in its
capacity as general partner, shall be deemed to be the General
Partner Interest.
(e) Except
as provided in Sections 4.2 and 10.5, the Partners shall have no
obligation to make any additional Capital Contributions or provide
any additional funding to the Partnership (whether in the form of
loans, repayments of loans or otherwise) and no Partner shall have
any obligation to restore any deficit that may exist in its Capital
Account, either upon a liquidation of the Partnership or
otherwise.
|
|
Additional
Funds; Restrictions on the General Partner
|
(a)
(i) The
sums of money required to finance the business and affairs of the
Partnership shall be derived from the initial Capital Contributions
made to the Partnership by the Partners as set forth in Section 4.1
and from funds generated from the operation and business of the
Partnership, including, without limitation, rents and distributions
directly or indirectly received by the Partnership from any
Subsidiary.
(ii) In
the event additional financing is needed from sources other than as
set forth in Section 4.2(a)(i) for any reason, the General Partner
may, in its sole and absolute discretion, in such amounts and at
such times as it solely shall determine to be necessary or
appropriate,
(A) cause
the Partnership to issue additional Partnership Interests and admit
additional Limited Partners to the Partnership in accordance with
Section 4.3;
(B) make
additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership (subject to the
provisions of Section 4.2(b));
(C) cause
the Partnership to borrow money, enter into loan arrangements,
issue debt securities, obtain letters of credit or otherwise borrow
money on a secured or unsecured basis;
(D) make
a loan or loans to the Partnership (subject to Section 4.2(b));
or
(E)
sell any assets or properties directly or indirectly owned by
the Partnership.
(iii) In
no event shall any Limited Partners be required to make any
additional Capital Contributions or any loan to, or otherwise
provide any financial accommodation for the benefit of, the
Partnership.
(b) The
General Partner shall not issue any debt securities, any preferred
stock or any common stock (including additional REIT Stock (other
than (i) as payment of the REIT Stock Amount or (ii) in connection
with the conversion or exchange of securities of the General
Partner solely in conversion or exchange for other securities of
the General Partner)) or rights, options, warrants or convertible
or exchangeable securities containing the right to subscribe for or
purchase any of the foregoing (collectively, “
Securities ”), other than to all holders of REIT
Stock, unless the General Partner shall
(i) in
the case of debt securities, lend to the Partnership the proceeds
of or consideration received for such Securities on the same terms
and conditions, including interest rate and repayment schedule, as
shall be applicable with respect to or incurred in connection with
the issuance of such Securities and the proceeds of, or
consideration received from, any subsequent exercise, exchange or
conversion thereof (if applicable);
(ii) in
the case of equity Securities senior or junior to the REIT Stock as
to dividends and distributions on liquidation, contribute to the
Partnership the proceeds of or consideration (including any
property or other non-cash assets) received for such Securities and
the proceeds of, or consideration received from, any subsequent
exercise, exchange or conversion thereof (if applicable), and
receive from the Partnership, interests in the Partnership in
consideration therefore with the same terms and conditions,
including dividend, dividend priority and liquidation preference,
as are applicable to such Securities; and
(iii) in
the case of REIT Stock or other equity Securities on a parity with
the REIT Stock as to dividends and distributions on liquidation,
(including, without limitation, REIT Stock or other Securities
granted as a stock award to directors and officers of the General
Partner or directors, officers or employees of its Affiliates in
consideration for services or future services, and REIT Stock
issued a pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan or issued to
enable the General Partner make distributions to satisfy the REIT
Requirements), contribute to the Partnership the proceeds of or
consideration (including any property or other non-cash assets,
including services) received for such Securities and the proceeds
of, or consideration received from, any subsequent exercise,
exchange or conversion thereof (if applicable), and receive from
the Partnership a number of additional Partnership Units in
consideration therefore equal to the product of
(A) the
number of shares of REIT Stock or other equity Securities issued by
the General Partner, multiplied by
(B) a
fraction the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which
is the Exchange Factor in effect on the date of such
contribution.
|
|
Issuance of
Additional Partnership Interests; Admission of Additional Limited
Partners
|
(a) In
addition to any Partnership Interests issuable by the Partnership
pursuant to Section 4.2, the General Partner is authorized to cause
the Partnership to issue additional Partnership Interests (or
options therefore) in the form of Partnership Units or other
Partnership Interests in one or more series or classes, or in one
or more series of any such class senior, on a parity with, or
junior to the Partnership Units to any Persons at any time or from
time to time, on such terms and conditions, as the General Partner
shall establish in each case in its sole and absolute discretion
subject to Delaware law, including, without limitation, (i) the
allocations of items of Partnership income, gain, loss, deduction
and credit to each class or series of Partnership Interests, (ii)
the right of each class or series of Partnership Interests to share
in Partnership distributions, and (iii) the rights of each
class or series of Partnership Interest upon dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership; provided, that , no such
Partnership Interests shall be issued to the General Partner unless
either (a) the Partnership Interests are issued in connection with
the grant, award, or issuance of REIT Stock or other equity
interests in the General Partner having designations, preferences
and other rights such that the economic interests attributable to
such REIT Stock or other equity interests are substantially similar
to the designations, preferences and other rights (except voting
rights) of the Partnership Interests issued to the General Partner
in accordance with this Section 4.3(a) or (b) the additional
Partnership Interests are issued to all Partners holding
Partnership Interests in the same class in proportion to their
respective Percentage Interests in such class, without any approval
being required from any Limited Partner or any other Person; and
provided, however , that
(i) such
issuance does not cause the Partnership to become, with respect to
any employee benefit plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section
4975 of the Code, a “party in interest” (as defined in
Section 3(14) of ERISA) or a “disqualified person” (as
defined in Section 4975(e) of the Code); and
(ii) such
issuance would not cause any portion of the assets of the
Partnership to constitute assets of any employee benefit plan
pursuant to Section 2510.3-101 of the regulations of the United
States Department of Labor.
(b) Subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 4.3(a), the General Partner
may take such steps as it, in its sole and absolute discretion,
deems necessary or appropriate to admit any Person as a Limited
Partner of the Partnership or to issue any Partnership Interests,
including, without limitation, amending the Certificate, Exhibit A
or any other provision of this Agreement.
|
|
Contribution
of Proceeds of Issuance of REIT Stock
|
In connection with any offering, grant, award,
or issuance of REIT Stock or securities, rights, options, warrants
or convertible or exchangeable securities pursuant to Section 4.2,
the General Partner shall make aggregate Capital Contributions to
the Partnership of the proceeds raised in connection with such
offering, grant, award, or issuance, including any property issued
to the General Partner pursuant to a merger or contribution
agreement in exchange for Common Stock; provided, however, that if
the proceeds actually received by the General Partner are less than
the gross proceeds of such offering, grant, award, or issuance as a
result of any underwriter’s discount, commission, or fee or
other expenses paid or incurred in connection with such offering,
grant, award, or issuance, then the General Partner shall be deemed
to have made a Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the
amount of the gross proceeds of such issuance and the Partnership
shall be deemed simultaneously to have paid pursuant to Section
7.3(c) for the amount of such underwriter’s discount or other
expenses.
|
|
Repurchase
of REIT Stock; Shares-In-Trust
|
(a) In
the event that the General Partner shall elect to purchase from its
stockholders REIT Stock for the purpose of delivering such REIT
Stock to satisfy an obligation under any distribution reinvestment
program adopted by the General Partner, any employee stock purchase
plan adopted by the General Partner, or any other obligation or
arrangement undertaken by the General Partner in the future, the
purchase price paid by the General Partner for such REIT Stock and
any other expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection
with such purchase shall be considered expenses of the Partnership
and shall be reimbursed to the General Partner, subject to the
condition that:
(i) if
such REIT Stock subsequently is to be sold by the General Partner,
the General Partner shall pay to the Partnership any proceeds
received by the General Partner from the sale of such REIT Stock
(provided that an exchange of REIT Stock for Partnership Units
pursuant to the applicable Exchange Rights Agreement would not be
considered a sale for such purposes); and
(ii) if
such REIT Stock is not re-transferred by the General Partner within
30 days after the purchase thereof, the General Partner shall cause
the Partnership to cancel a number of Partnership Units held by the
General Partner (as applicable) equal to the product of
(x) the
number of shares of such REIT Stock, multiplied by
(y) a
fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of
which is the Exchange Factor in effect on the date of such
cancellation.
(b) In
the event the General Partner purchases Shares-in-Trust (as from
time to time defined in the Articles of Incorporation, as may be
amended from time to time), the Partnership will purchase from the
General Partner a number of Partnership Units equal to the product
of
(i) the
number of Shares-in-Trust purchased by the General Partner,
multiplied by
(ii) a
fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of
which is the Exchange Factor in effect on the date of such
purchase.
|
|
No
Third-Party Beneficiary
|
No creditor or other third party having dealings
with the Partnership shall have the right to enforce the right or
obligations of any Partner to make Capital Contributions or loans
or to pursue any other right or remedy hereunder or at law or in
equity, it being understood and agreed that the provisions of this
Agreement shall be solely for the benefit of, and may be enforced
solely by, the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns.
(a) No
Partner shall be entitled to interest on its Capital Contribution
or on such Partner’s Capital Account.
(b) Except
as provided herein or by law, no Partner shall have any right to
demand or receive the return of its Capital Contribution from the
Partnership.
Subject to any preemptive rights that may be
granted pursuant to Section 4.3 hereof, no Person shall have any
preemptive or other similar right with respect to
(a) additional
Capital Contributions or loans to the Partnership; or
(b) issuance
or sale of any Partnership Units or other Partnership
Interests.
ARTICLE 5
DISTRIBUTIONS
(a)
Cash Available for Distribution . Subject to the
provisions of Sections 5.3, 5.4 and 12.2(c), the General Partner
shall cause the Partnership to distribute, at such times as the
General Partner shall determine (each a “ Distribution
Date ”), an amount of Cash Available for Distribution,
determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion to the
Limited Partners and the General Partner, as of the applicable
Partnership Record Date, in accordance with each such
Partner’s respective Percentage Interest. In no
event may any Partner receive a distribution pursuant to this
Section 5.1(a) with respect to a Partnership Unit if such Partner
is entitled to receive a distribution with respect to REIT Stock
for which such a Partnership Unit has been exchanged.
(b)
Capital Proceeds . Subject to the provisions of
Sections 5.3, 5.4 and 12.2(c), Net Capital Proceeds shall be
distributed as follows:
(i) First,
100% to the General Partner and Limited Partners in accordance with
each such Partner’s respective Percentage Interest
until , in the aggregate, the Limited Partners receive
distributions from the Partnership and the Stockholders receive
dividends from the General Partner in an amount equal to the sum of
(i) the Net Investment and (ii) any cumulative shortfall in the
Limited Partners’ and the Stockholders’ receipt of the
First Level Return pursuant to Sections 5.1(a) and 5.1(b);
and
(ii) Thereafter,
(A) 15% to the Associate Limited Partner, and (B) 85% to the
General Partner and Limited Partners in accordance with each such
Partner’s respective Percentage Interest.
The General Partner shall use its best efforts
to cause the Partnership to distribute sufficient amounts under
this Article 5 to enable the General Partner to pay dividends to
the Stockholders that will enable the General Partner to
(a) satisfy
the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code and
Regulations (“ REIT Requirements ”),
and
(b) avoid
any federal income or excise tax liability;
provided , however , the General Partner shall not
be bound to comply with this covenant to the extent such
distributions would
(x) violate
applicable Delaware law or
(y) contravene
the terms of any notes, mortgages or other types of debt
obligations to which the Partnership may be subject in conjunction
with borrowed funds.
With respect to any withholding tax or other
similar tax liability or obligation to which the Partnership may be
subject as a result of any act or status of any Partner or to which
the Partnership becomes subject with respect to any Partnership
Unit, the Partnership shall have the right to withhold amounts
distributable pursuant to this Article V to such Partner or with
respect to such Partnership Units, to the extent of the amount of
such withholding tax or other similar tax liability or obligation
pursuant to the provisions contained in Section 10.5.
|
|
Additional
Partnership Interests
|
If the Partnership issues Partnership Interests
in accordance with Section 4.2 or 4.3, the distribution priorities
set forth in Section 5.1 shall be amended, as necessary, to reflect
the distribution priority of such Partnership Interests and
corresponding amendments shall be made to the provisions of Exhibit
B.
ARTICLE 6
ALLOCATIONS
The Net Income, Net Loss and other Partnership
items shall be allocated pursuant to the provisions of Exhibit
B.
|
|
Revisions to
Allocations to Reflect Issuance of Partnership
Interests
|
If the Partnership issues Partnership Interests
to the General Partner or any additional Limited Partner pursuant
to Article IV, the General Partner shall make such revisions to
this Article 6 and Exhibit B as it deems necessary to reflect the
terms of the issuance of such Partnership Interests, including
making preferential allocations to classes of Partnership Interests
that are entitled thereto. Such revisions shall not require the
consent or approval of any other Partner.
ARTICLE 7
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF
BUSINESS
(a) (i) Except
as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, full, complete
and exclusive discretion to manage and control the business and
affairs of the Partnership are and shall be vested in the General
Partner, and no Limited Partner shall have any right to participate
in or exercise control or management power over the business and
affairs of the Partnership.
(ii) The
General Partner may not be removed by the Limited Partners with or
without cause.
(iii) In
addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner
of a limited partnership under applicable law or which are granted
to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement,
the General Partner, subject to Section 7.11, shall have full power
and authority to do all things deemed necessary or desirable by it
to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers
set forth in Section 3.2 hereof and to effectuate the purposes set
forth in Section 3.1 hereof, including, without
limitation:
(A) (1) the
making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money,
including, without limitation, making prepayments on loans and
borrowing money to permit the Partnership to make distributions to
its Partners in such amounts as will permit the General Partner (so
long as the General Partner qualifies as a REIT) to avoid the
payment of any federal income tax (including, for this purpose, any
excise tax pursuant to Section 4981 of the Code) and to make
distributions to its stockholders in amounts sufficient to permit
the General Partner to maintain REIT status,
(2) the
assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness
and other liabilities,
(3) the
issuance of evidence of indebtedness (including the securing of the
same by deed, mortgage, deed of trust or other lien or encumbrance
on the Partnership’s assets) and
(4) the
incurring of any obligations it deems necessary for the conduct of
the activities of the Partnership, including the payment of all
expenses associated with the General Partner;
(B) the
making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of
periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having
jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership or the
General Partner;
(C) the
acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation or exchange of all or substantially all of the assets
of the Partnership (including the exercise or grant of any
conversion, option, privilege, or subscription right or other right
available in connection with any assets at any time held by the
Partnership) or the merger, consolidation or other combination
(each a “ Business Combination ”) of the
Partnership with or into another Entity on such terms as the
General Partner deems proper, provided that the General Partner
shall be required to send to each Limited Partner a notice of such
proposed Business Combination no less than 15 days prior to the
record date for the vote of the General Partner’s
stockholders on such Business Combination, if any;
(D) the
use of the assets of the Partnership (including, without
limitation, cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms
of this Agreement and on any terms it sees fit, including, without
limitation,
(1) the
financing of the conduct of the operations of the General Partner,
the Partnership or any of the Partnership’s
Subsidiaries,
(2) the
lending of funds to other Persons (including, without limitation,
the Subsidiaries of the Partnership and/or the General Partner) and
the repayment of obligations of the Partnership and its
Subsidiaries and any other Person in which it has an equity
investment, and
(3) the
making of capital contributions to its Subsidiaries;
(E) the
expansion, development, construction, leasing, repair, alteration,
demolition or improvement of any property in which the Partnership
or any Subsidiary of the Partnership owns an interest;
(F) the
negotiation, execution, and performance of any contracts,
conveyances or other instruments that the General Partner considers
useful or necessary to the conduct of the Partnership’s
operations or the implementation of the General Partner’s
powers under this Agreement, including contracting with
contractors, developers, consultants, accountants, legal counsel,
other professional advisors and other agents and the payment of
their expenses and compensation out of the Partnership’s
assets;
(G) the
distribution of Partnership cash or other Partnership assets in
accordance with this Agreement;
(H) holding,
managing, investing and reinvesting cash and other assets of the
Partnership;
(I)
the collection and receipt of revenues and income of the
Partnership;
(J)
the establishment of one or more divisions of the
Partnership, the selection and dismissal of employees of the
Partnership (including, without limitation, employees having titles
such as “president,” “vice president,”
“secretary” and “treasurer” of the
Partnership), and agents, outside attorneys, accountants,
consultants and contractors of the Partnership, and the
determination of their compensation and other terms of employment
or engagement;
(K) the
maintenance of such insurance for the benefit of the Partnership
and the Partners and directors and officers thereof as it deems
necessary or appropriate;
(L)
the formation of, or acquisition of an interest (including
non-voting interests in entities controlled by Affiliates of the
Partnership or third parties) in, and the contribution of property
to, any further Entities or other relationships that it deems
desirable, including, without limitation, the acquisition of
interests in, and the contributions of funds or property to, or
making of loans to, its Subsidiaries and any other Person from time
to time, or the incurrence of indebtedness on behalf of such
Persons or the guarantee of the obligations of such Persons;
provided that, as long as the General Partner has determined to
elect to qualify as a REIT or to continue to qualify as a REIT, the
Partnership may not engage in any such formation, acquisition or
contribution that would cause the General Partner to fail to
qualify as a REIT;
(M) the
control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the
Partnership, including
(1) the
settlement, compromise, submission to arbitration or any other form
of dispute resolution, or abandonment of, any claim, cause of
action, liability, debt or damages, due or owing to or from the
Partnership,
(2) the
commencement or defense of suits, legal proceedings, administrative
proceedings, arbitration or other forms of dispute resolution,
and
(3) the
representation of the Partnership in all suits or legal
proceedings, administrative proceedings, arbitrations or other
forms of dispute resolution, the incurring of legal expenses, and
the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and
contingencies to the extent permitted by law;
(N) the
undertaking of any action in connection with the
Partnership’s direct or indirect investment in its
Subsidiaries or any other Person (including, without limitation,
the contribution or loan of funds by the Partnership to such
Persons);
(O) the
determination of the fair market value of any Partnership property
distributed in kind using such reasonable method of valuation as
the General Partner, in its sole discretion, may adopt;
(P) the
exercise, directly or indirectly, through any attorney-in-fact
acting under a general or limited power of attorney, of any right,
including the right to vote, appurtenant to any asset or investment
held by the Partnership;
(Q) the
exercise of any of the powers of the General Partner enumerated in
this Agreement on behalf of or in connection with any Subsidiary of
the Partnership or any other Person in which the Partnership has a
direct or indirect interest, or jointly with any such Subsidiary or
other Person;
(R) the
exercise of any of the powers of the General Partner enumerated in
this Agreement on behalf of any Person in which the Partnership
does not have an interest pursuant to contractual or other
arrangements with such Person;
(S) the
making, execution and delivery of any and all deeds, leases, notes,
mortgages, deeds of trust, security agreements, conveyances,
contracts, guarantees, warranties, indemnities, waivers, releases
or legal instruments or agreements in writing necessary or
appropriate, in the judgment of the General Partner, for the
accomplishment of any of the foregoing;
(T) the
issuance of additional Partnership Units in connection with Capital
Contributions by Additional Limited Partners and additional Capital
Contributions by Partners pursuant to Article 4 hereof;
(U) the
opening of bank accounts on behalf of, and in the name of, the
Partnership and its Subsidiaries; and
(V) the
amendment and restatement of Exhibit A to reflect accurately at all
times the Capital Contributions and Percentage Interests of the
Partners as the same are adjusted from time to time to the extent
necessary to reflect redemptions, Capital Contributions, the
issuance of Partnership Units, the admission of any Additional
Limited Partner or any Substituted Limited Partner or otherwise,
which amendment and restatement, notwithstanding anything in this
Agreement to the contrary, shall not be deemed an amendment of this
Agreement, as long as the matter or event being reflected in
Exhibit A otherwise is authorized by this Agreement.
(b)
(i) Each
of the Limited Partners agree that the General Partner is
authorized to execute, deliver and perform the above-mentioned
agreements and transactions on behalf of the Partnership without
any further act, approval or vote of the Partners, notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement to the fullest extent
permitted under the Act or other applicable law, rule or
regulation.
(ii) The
execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner or the
Partnership of any agreement authorized or permitted under this
Agreement shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of
any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the
Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement or of
any duty stated or implied by law or equity.
(c) At
all times from and after the date hereof, the General Partner at
the expense of the Partnership, may or may not, cause the
Partnership to obtain and maintain
(i) casualty,
liability and other insurance on the properties of the
Partnership;
(ii) liability
insurance for the Indemnitees hereunder; and
(iii) such
other insurance as the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion, determines to be appropriate and reasonable.
(d) At
all times from and after the date hereof, the General Partner may
cause the Partnership to establish and maintain at any and all
times working capital accounts and other cash or similar balances
in such amount as the General Partner, in its sole and absolute
discretion, deems appropriate and reasonable from time to
time.
(e)
(i) In
exercising its authority under this Agreement, the General Partner
may, but shall be under no obligation to, take into account the tax
consequences to any Partner (including the General Partner) of any
action taken (or not taken) by it. The General Partner and the
Partnership shall not have liability to any Limited Partner for
monetary damages or otherwise for losses sustained, liabilities
incurred or benefits not delivered by such Limited Partner in
connection with such decisions, provided that the General Partner
has acted in good faith pursuant to its authority under this
Agreement. The Limited Partners expressly acknowledge that the
General Partner is acting on behalf of the Partnership, the General
Partner, and the General Partner’s stockholders,
collectively.
(ii) The
General Partner and the Partnership shall not have liability to the
any Limited Partner under any circumstances as a result of an
income tax liability incurred by such Limited Partner as a result
of an action (or inaction) by the General Partner taken pursuant to
its authority under and in accordance with this
Agreement.
|
|
Certificate
of Limited Partnership
|
(a) The
General Partner has previously filed the Certificate with the
Secretary of State of Delaware as required by the Act.
(b)
(i)
The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause
to be filed such other certificates or documents as may be
reasonable and necessary or appropriate for the formation,
continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership
(or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited
liability) in the State of Delaware and any other state, or the
District of Columbia, in which the Partnership may elect to do
business or own property.
(ii) To
the extent that such action is determined by the General Partner to
be reasonable and necessary or appropriate, the General Partner
shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate and do
all of the things to maintain the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have
limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware and each
other state, or the District of Columbia, in which the Partnership
may elect to do business or own property.
(iii) Subject
to the terms of Section 8.5(a)(iv) hereof, the General Partner
shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a
copy of the Certificate or any amendment thereto to any Limited
Partner.
|
|
Reimbursement of the General
Partner
|
(a) Except
as provided in this Section 7.3 and elsewhere in this Agreement
(including the provisions of Articles 5 and 6 regarding
distributions, payments, and allocations to which it may be
entitled), the General Partner shall not be compensated for its
services as general partner of the Partnership.
(b)
(i)
The Partnership shall be responsible for and shall pay all
expenses relating to the Partnership’s organization, the
ownership of its assets and its operations. The General Partner
shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as it
may determine in its sole and absolute discretion, for all expenses
that it incurs on behalf of the Partnership relating to the
ownership and operation of the Partnership’s assets, or for
the benefit of the Partnership, including all expenses associated
with compliance by the General Partner and the Initial Limited
Partner with laws, rules and regulations promulgated by any
regulatory body, expenses related to the operations of the General
Partner and to the management and administration of any
Subsidiaries of the General Partner or the Partnership or
Affiliates of the Partnership, such as auditing expenses and filing
fees and any and all salaries, compensation and expenses of
officers and employees of the General Partner, but excluding any
portion of expenses reasonably attributable to assets not owned by
or for the benefit of, or to operations not for the benefit of, the
Partnership or Affiliates of the Partnership; provided, that the
amount of any such reimbursement shall be reduced by any interest
earned by the General Partner with respect to bank accounts or
other instruments or accounts held by it in its name.
(ii) Such
reimbursement shall be in addition to any reimbursement made as a
result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.6
hereof.
(iii) The
General Partner shall determine in good faith the amount of
expenses incurred by it related to the ownership and operation of,
or for the benefit of, the Partnership. If certain expenses are
incurred for the benefit of the Partnership and other entities
(including the General Partner), such expenses will be allocated to
the Partnership and such other entities in such a manner as the
General Partner in its reasonable discretion deems fair and
reasonable. All payments and reimbursements hereunder shall be
characterized for federal income tax purposes as expenses of the
Partnership incurred on its behalf, and not as expenses of the
General Partner.
(c)
(i) Expenses
incurred by the General Partner relating to the organization or
reorganization of the Partnership and the General Partner the
issuance of Common Stock in connection with the Consolidation and
any issuance of additional Partnership Interests, REIT Stock or
rights, options, warrants, or convertible or exchangeable
securities pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof and all costs and
expenses associated with the preparation and filing of any periodic
reports by the General Partner under federal, state or local laws
or regulations (including, without limitation, all costs, expenses,
damages, and other payments resulting from or arising in connection
with litigation related to any of the foregoing) are primarily
obligations of the Partnership.
(ii) To
the extent the General Partner pays or incurs such expenses, the
General Partner shall be reimbursed for such expenses.
|
|
Outside
Activities of the General Partner
|
(a) Without
the Consent of the Limited Partners, the General Partner shall not
directly or indirectly enter into or conduct any business other
than in connection with the ownership, acquisition, and disposition
of Partnership Interests and the management of its b