PART I

All dollar amounts and share amounts in this Form 10-K in Items 1. through 7A. are stated in thousands with the exception of per share amounts. In this report, all references to “we,” “our,” and “us” refer collectively to Retail Properties of America, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Item 1. Business

General

Retail Properties of America, Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) and is one of the largest owners and operators of high quality, strategically located shopping centers in the United States. As of December 31, 2015 , we owned 198 retail operating properties representing 28,930,000 square feet of gross leasable area (GLA). Our retail operating portfolio includes (i) power centers, (ii) neighborhood and community centers, and (iii) lifestyle centers and multi-tenant retail-focused mixed-use properties, as well as single-user retail properties.

The following table summarizes our operating portfolio as of December 31, 2015 :

In addition to our operating portfolio, we owned one development property that was not under active development as of December 31, 2015 .

Operating History

We are a Maryland corporation formed in March 2003 and have been publicly held and subject to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting requirements since 2003. We were initially formed as Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust, Inc. and on March 8, 2012, we changed our name to Retail Properties of America, Inc.

Business Objectives and Strategies

In 2012, management began a long-term portfolio repositioning effort to focus the portfolio on high quality, multi-tenant retail properties. The core objective of this effort is to become a dominant owner of multi-tenant retail properties in 10 to 15 target markets, owning 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 square feet in each market. We believe that concentrating our portfolio in multi-tenant retail properties in these target markets will allow us to optimize our local and regional operating platforms and enhance our operating performance. To date, we have identified 10 target markets: Dallas, Washington, D.C./Baltimore, New York, Atlanta, Seattle, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix and Austin, which generally feature one or more of the following characteristics:

Since the beginning of 2012, we have sold 113 properties, primarily in our non-target markets, for aggregate consideration of $1,756,593, including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint ventures and two development properties, one of which had been held in a consolidated joint venture, with a majority of the proceeds used for debt reduction and the acquisition of high quality, multi-tenant retail assets within our target markets. Since we began executing on our external growth initiatives in the fourth quarter of 2013, we have purchased 23 properties for aggregate consideration of $1,006,803, including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint ventures, resulting in an increase in consolidated GLA in our target markets by 3.5 million square feet and an increase in concentration to over 60% of multi-tenant retail annualized base rent (ABR) from our target markets as of December 31, 2015.

Competition

In seeking new investment opportunities, we compete with other real estate investors, including other REITs, pension funds, insurance companies, foreign investors, real estate partnerships, private equity funds, private individuals and other real estate companies, some of which may have a lower cost of capital than ours.

From an operational perspective, we compete with other property owners on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, location, visibility, quality and aesthetic value of construction, and strength and name recognition of tenants. These factors combine to determine the level of occupancy and rental rates that we are able to achieve at our properties. Because our revenue potential may be linked to the success of retailers, we indirectly share exposure to the same competitive factors that our retail tenants experience when trying to attract customers. These factors include other forms of retailing, including e-commerce and direct consumer sales, and general competition from other regional shopping centers. To remain competitive, we evaluate all of the factors affecting our centers and work to position them accordingly. We believe the principal factors that retailers consider in making their leasing decisions include:

Based on these factors, we believe that the size and scope of our property portfolio and operating platform, as well as the overall quality and attractiveness of our individual properties, enable us to compete effectively for retail tenants. We believe that our long-term strategy of focusing on 10 to 15 target markets enhances our ability to drive revenue growth by more thoroughly understanding the local market dynamics and by increasing our market relevancy.

Tax Status

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that we annually distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains. As a REIT, we generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax on the taxable income we distribute to our shareholders. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate tax rates. Even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we may be subject to certain state and local taxes on our income, property or net worth and U.S. federal income and excise taxes on our undistributed income. We have one wholly-owned consolidated subsidiary that has jointly elected to be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A TRS is taxed on its net income at regular corporate tax rates. The income tax expense incurred through the TRS has not had a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Regulation

General

The properties in our portfolio, including common areas, are subject to various laws, ordinances and regulations.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Our properties must comply with Title III of the ADA to the extent that such properties are “public accommodations” as defined by the ADA. The ADA may require removal of structural barriers to allow access by persons with disabilities in certain public areas of our properties where such removal is readily achievable. We believe our existing properties are substantially in compliance with the ADA and that we will not be required to incur significant capital expenditures to address the requirements of the ADA. Refer to Item 1A. “Risk Factors” for more information regarding compliance with the ADA.

Environmental Matters

Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, as a current or former owner or operator of real property, we may be liable for costs and damages resulting from the presence or release of hazardous substances, waste, or petroleum products at, on, in, under or from such property, including costs for investigation, remediation, natural resource damages or third party liability for personal injury or property damage. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence or release of such materials, and the liability may be joint and several.

Independent environmental consultants conducted Phase I Environmental Site Assessments or similar environmental audits for all of our investment properties. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is a written report that identifies existing or potential environmental conditions associated with a particular property. These environmental site assessments generally involve a review of records and visual inspection of the property, but do not include soil sampling or ground water analysis. These environmental site assessments have not revealed, nor are we aware of, any environmental liability that we believe will have a material effect on our operations. Refer to Item 1A. “Risk Factors” for more information regarding environmental matters.

Insurance

We carry comprehensive liability and property insurance coverage inclusive of fire, extended coverage, earthquake, terrorism and loss of income insurance covering all of the properties in our portfolio under a blanket policy. We believe the policy specifications and insured limits are appropriate given the relative risk of loss, the cost of the coverage and industry practice. We believe that the properties in our portfolio are adequately insured. Terrorism insurance is carried on all properties in an amount and with deductibles that we believe are commercially reasonable. See Item 1A. “Risk Factors” for more information. The terrorism insurance is subject to exclusions for loss or damage caused by nuclear substances, pollutants, contaminants and biological and chemical weapons. Insurance coverage is not provided for losses attributable to riots or certain acts of God.

Employees

As of December 31, 2015 , we had 240 employees.

Access to Company Information

We make available, free of charge, through our website and by responding to requests addressed to our investor relations group, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports and proxy statements filed or furnished pursuant to 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These reports are available as soon as reasonably practical after such material is electronically filed or furnished to the SEC. Our website address is www.rpai.com . The information contained on our website, or other websites linked to our website, is not part of this document. Our reports may also be obtained by accessing the EDGAR database at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov .

Shareholders wishing to communicate directly with our board of directors or any committee can do so by writing to the attention of the Board of Directors or applicable committee in care of Retail Properties of America, Inc. at 2021 Spring Road, Suite 200, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

In evaluating our company, careful consideration should be given to the following risk factors, in addition to the other information included in this annual report. Each of these risk factors could adversely affect our business operating results and/or financial condition, as well as adversely affect the value of our common stock, preferred stock or unsecured debt. In addition to the following disclosures, please refer to the other information contained in this report including the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the related notes.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND OUR PROPERTIES

There are inherent risks associated with real estate investments and with the real estate industry, each of which could have an adverse impact on our financial performance and the value of our properties.

Real estate investments are subject to various risks, many of which are beyond our control. Our operating and financial performance and the value of our properties can be affected by many of these risks, including the following:

During a period of economic slowdown or recession, declining demand for real estate, or the public perception that any of these events may occur, could result in a general decline in rents or an increased incidence of defaults among our existing leases, and, consequently, our properties may fail to generate revenues sufficient to meet operating, debt service and other expenses. As a result, we may have to borrow funds to cover fixed costs, and our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. As such, the per share trading prices of our Class A common stock and Series A preferred stock, as well as the market price of our debt securities, and our ability to satisfy our principal and interest obligations and to make distributions to our shareholders may be adversely affected.

Our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by poor economic or market conditions where our properties are located, especially in the state of Texas where we have a high concentration of properties.

We are in the process of repositioning our portfolio into 10 to 15 target markets. To date, we have announced 10 of these markets, of which four are located in Texas where recent and potential future fluctuations in oil prices may adversely impact local economies. The economic conditions in markets where our properties are concentrated greatly influence our financial condition and results of operations. We are particularly susceptible to adverse economic and other developments in such areas, including increased unemployment, industry slowdowns, corporate layoffs or downsizing, relocations of businesses, decreased consumer confidence, adverse changes in demographics, increases in real estate and other taxes, increased regulation and natural disasters. As of December 31, 2015 , approximately 24.7% of our GLA and approximately 27.1% of our ABR in our retail operating portfolio was in the state of Texas. More specifically, approximately 13.9% of our GLA and approximately 17.6% of our ABR in our retail operating portfolio is located in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, which is our largest market. As such, poor economic or market conditions in Texas, particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area, and in other markets in which our properties are concentrated may adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

A shift in retail shopping from brick and mortar stores to online shopping may have an adverse impact on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Many retailers operating brick and mortar stores have made online sales a vital piece of their business. Although many of the retailers operating in our properties sell groceries and other necessity-based soft goods or provide services, including entertainment and dining options, the shift to online shopping may cause certain of our tenants to reduce the size or number of their retail locations in the future. As a result, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We may choose to not renew leases or be unable to renew leases, lease vacant space or re-lease space as leases expire. In addition, rents associated with new or renewed leases may be less than expiring rents (lease roll-down) or, to facilitate leasing, we may choose to incur significant capital expenditures to improve our properties, which could adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Approximately 5.1% of the total GLA in our retail operating portfolio was vacant as of December 31, 2015 , excluding leases signed but not commenced. In addition, leases accounting for approximately 29.2% of the ABR in our retail operating portfolio as of December 31, 2015 are scheduled to expire between 2016 and 2018 . We may choose to not renew leases based on various strategic factors such as operating strength of the occupying tenant or its retail category, merchandising composition of the property or other leasing opportunities available to us. In our efforts to lease space, we compete with numerous developers, owners and operators of retail properties, many of whom own properties similar to, and in the same sub-markets as our properties. As a result, we cannot assure you that leases will be renewed or that current or future vacancies will be re-leased at rental rates equal to or above the current average rental rates without significant down time, or that substantial rent abatements, tenant improvements, lease inducements, early termination rights or below-market renewal options will not be offered to attract new tenants or retain existing tenants. Additionally, we may incur significant capital expenditures or accommodate requests for renovations and other improvements to make our properties more attractive to tenants. If we choose to not renew leases or are unable to renew leases, lease vacant space or re-lease space as leases expire and rents associated with new or renewed leases are less than expiring rents or we incur significant capital expenditures to improve our properties, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our inability to collect rents from tenants or collect balances due on our leases from any tenants in bankruptcy may negatively impact our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Substantially all of our income is derived from rentals of real property. If sales generated by stores operating in our properties decline sufficiently or if tenants encounter other significant financial hardships, tenants may be unable to pay their existing minimum rents or other charges, or tenants may decline to extend or renew a lease upon its expiration on terms favorable to us, or at all, or may even exercise early termination rights (to the extent available). If a significant number of our tenants are unable to make their rental payments to us or otherwise meet their lease obligations, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In addition, although minimum rent is generally supported by long-term lease contracts, tenants who file bankruptcy have the legal right to reject any or all of their leases and close related stores. In the event that a tenant with a significant number of leases in our properties files bankruptcy and rejects its leases, we could experience a significant reduction in our revenues and we may not be able to collect all pre-petition amounts owed by that party, which may adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

If any of our anchor tenants experience a downturn in their business or terminate their leases, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Anchor tenants occupy a significant amount of the square footage and pay a significant portion of the total rent in our retail operating portfolio. Specifically, our 20 largest tenants based on ABR represent 40.3% of GLA and 33.9% of ABR as of December 31, 2015 . In addition, anchor tenants and “shadow” anchors, retailers in or adjacent to our properties that occupy space we do not own, contribute to the success of other tenants by drawing customers to a property. The bankruptcy, insolvency or downturn in business of one of our anchor tenants could result in another tenant vacating its space, defaulting on its lease obligations, terminating its lease or renewing its lease at lower rental rates. As a result, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

If small shop tenants are not successful and, consequently, terminate their leases, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Small shop tenants, those that occupy less than 10,000 square feet, in our retail operating portfolio represent 28.9% of GLA, but 41.3% of ABR as of December 31, 2015 . Such tenants generally have more limited resources than larger tenants and, as a result,

may be more vulnerable to negative economic conditions. If a significant number of our small shop tenants experience financial difficulties or are unable to remain open, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Many of the leases at our retail properties contain provisions, which, if triggered, may allow tenants to pay reduced rent, cease operations or terminate their leases, any of which could adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Some anchor tenants have the right to vacate their space and continue to pay rent through the end of their lease term, which inhibits our ability to re-lease the space during that period. Additionally, many of the leases at our retail properties contain provisions that condition a tenant’s obligation to remain open, the amount of rent payable by the tenant or potentially the tenant’s obligation to remain in the lease, depending on certain factors, including: (i) the presence and continued operation of a certain anchor tenant or tenants, (ii) minimum occupancy levels at the applicable property or (iii) tenant sales amounts. If such a provision is triggered by a failure of any of these or other applicable conditions, a tenant could have the right to cease operations at the applicable property, have its rent reduced or terminate its lease early. A tenant ceasing operations as a result of these provisions could cause a decrease in customer traffic and related decreased sales for other tenants at that property. To the extent these provisions result in lower revenue, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our expenses may remain constant or increase, even if income from our properties decreases, causing our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations to be adversely affected.

Certain costs associated with our business, such as real estate taxes, state and local taxes, insurance, utilities, mortgage payments and corporate expenses, are relatively inflexible and generally do not decrease when a property is not fully occupied, rental rates decrease, a tenant fails to pay rent or other circumstances cause our revenues to decrease. If we are unable to reduce our operating costs in response to revenue declines, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. In addition, inflationary or other price increases could result in increased operating costs, and increases in assessed valuations or changes in tax rates could result in increased real estate taxes for us and our tenants, and to the extent to which we are unable to recover such increases in operating expenses and real estate taxes from tenants, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We depend on external sources of capital that are outside of our control, which may affect our ability to execute on strategic opportunities, satisfy our debt obligations and make distributions to our shareholders.

In order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are generally required under the Code to annually distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding any net capital gains. In addition, as a REIT, we will be subject to income tax at regular corporate rates to the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, including any net capital gains. Because of these distribution requirements, we may not be able to fund future capital needs (including redevelopment and acquisition activities, payments of principal and interest on our existing debt, tenant improvements and leasing costs) from operating cash flow. Consequently, we may rely on third party sources to fund our capital needs. We may not be able to obtain the necessary capital on favorable terms, in the time period we desire, or at all. Additional debt we incur may increase our leverage, expose us to the risk of default and may impose operating restrictions on us, and any additional equity we raise could be dilutive to existing shareholders. Our access to third party sources of capital depends, in part, on general market conditions, the market’s view of the quality of our assets, operating platform and growth potential, our current debt levels, and our current and expected future earnings, cash flow and distributions to our shareholders. If we cannot obtain capital from third party sources, we may be unable to acquire or develop properties when strategic opportunities exist, satisfy our principal and interest obligations or make cash distributions to our shareholders necessary to maintain our qualification as a REIT.

We may be unable to sell a property at the time we desire on favorable terms or at all, which could limit our ability to access capital through dispositions and could adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

A key component of our strategic plan is to pursue targeted dispositions. However, real estate investments generally cannot be sold quickly. Our ability to dispose of properties on advantageous terms depends on factors beyond our control, including competition from other sellers, increases in market capitalization rates and the availability of attractive financing for potential buyers of our properties, and we cannot predict the various market conditions affecting real estate investments that will exist at any particular time in the future. As a result of the uncertainty of market conditions, we cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to sell properties at a profit, or at all. In addition, and subject to certain safe harbor provisions, the Code generally imposes a 100% tax on gain recognized by REITs upon the disposition of assets if the assets are held primarily for sale in the ordinary course of business, rather than for investment, which may cause us to forego or defer sales of properties that otherwise would be

attractive from a pre-tax perspective. Accordingly, our ability to access capital through dispositions may be limited, which could limit our ability to fund future capital needs.

We may be unable to complete acquisitions and even if acquisitions are completed, our operating results at acquired properties may not meet our financial expectations.

A key component of our strategic plan is to execute our investment strategy of acquiring high quality, multi-tenant retail assets within our target markets. We continue to evaluate the market of available properties and expect to continue to acquire properties when we believe strategic opportunities exist. Our ability to acquire properties on favorable terms and successfully operate or develop them is subject to the following risks:

If we are unable to acquire properties on favorable terms, obtain financing in a timely manner and on favorable terms, or operate acquired properties to meet our financial expectations, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Future joint venture investments could be adversely affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority.

As of December 31, 2015 , we had no properties held in joint ventures. Any joint venture arrangements in which we may engage in the future could be subject to various risks including, among others: (i) lack of exclusive control over the joint venture, which may prevent us from taking actions that are in our best interest, (ii) future capital constraints of our partners, which may force us to contribute more capital than we anticipated to cover the joint venture’s liabilities, (iii) actions by our partners that could jeopardize our REIT status or the tax status of the joint venture, requiring us to pay taxes or subject properties owned by the joint venture to liabilities greater than those contemplated by the terms of the joint venture agreements, and (iv) disputes between us and our partners, which may result in litigation or arbitration that would increase our expenses and require our officers and/or directors to focus a disproportionate amount of their time and effort on the joint venture. If any of the foregoing were to occur, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Development and redevelopment activities have inherent risks, which could adversely impact our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

As of December 31, 2015 , we do not have any active development projects but we anticipate engaging in redevelopment activities within our portfolio in 2016. In addition to the risks associated with real estate investments in general as described elsewhere, the risks associated with future development and redevelopment activities include:

If any of the above events were to occur, the development or redevelopment of the properties may hinder our growth and may have an adverse effect on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, new development and significant redevelopment activities, regardless of whether or not they are ultimately successful, typically require substantial time and attention from management.

We are subject to litigation that may negatively impact our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

We are a defendant from time to time in lawsuits and regulatory proceedings relating to our business. Due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation and regulatory proceedings, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such litigation or proceedings. A significant unfavorable outcome could negatively impact our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

A number of properties in our portfolio are subject to ground leases; if we are found to be in breach of a ground lease or are unable to renew a ground lease, we could be materially and adversely affected.

We have 14 properties in our portfolio that are either completely or partially on land that is owned by third parties and leased to us pursuant to ground leases. Accordingly, we only own a long-term leasehold or similar interest in those properties. If we are found to be in breach of a ground lease and that breach cannot be cured, we could lose our interest in the improvements and the right to operate the property. In addition, unless we can purchase a fee interest in the underlying land or extend the terms of these leases before or at their expiration, as to which no assurance can be given, we will lose our interest in the improvements and the right to operate these properties. Assuming that we exercise all available options to extend the terms of our ground leases, all of our ground leases will expire between 2048 and 2107. However, in certain cases, our ability to exercise such options is subject to the condition that we are not in default under the terms of the ground lease at the time that we exercise such options, and we can provide no assurances that we will be able to exercise our options at such time. If we were to lose the right to operate a property due to a breach or non-renewal of the ground lease, we would be unable to derive income from such property, which could materially and adversely affect us.

Uninsured losses or losses in excess of insurance coverage could materially and adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Each tenant is responsible for insuring its goods and demised premises and, in most circumstances, is required to reimburse us for a share of the cost of acquiring comprehensive insurance for the property, including casualty, liability, fire and extended coverage customarily obtained for similar properties in amounts which have been determined as sufficient to cover reasonably foreseeable losses. Tenants with a net lease typically are required to pay all insurance costs associated with their space. However, material losses may occur in excess of insurance proceeds with respect to any property and, specific to net leases, tenants may fail to obtain adequate insurance. Additionally, losses of a catastrophic nature including loss due to wars, acts of terrorism, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, wind, other natural disasters, pollution or environmental matters may be considered uninsurable or not economically insurable, or may be insured subject to limitations, such as large deductibles or co-payments. In the instance of a loss that is uninsured or that exceeds policy limits, a significant portion of the capital invested in the damaged property could be lost, as well as the anticipated future revenue of the property, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. A variety of factors, including, among others, changes in building codes and ordinances and environmental considerations, might also make it impractical or undesirable to use insurance proceeds to replace a property after it has been damaged or destroyed. Furthermore, we may be unable to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable costs in the future, as the costs associated with property and casualty renewals may be higher than anticipated.

A number of our properties are located in areas which are susceptible to, and could be significantly affected by, natural disasters that could cause significant damage. For example, many of our properties are located in coastal regions and would, therefore, be affected by any future increases in sea levels or in the frequency or severity of hurricanes and tropical storms. In addition, some of our properties are located in California and other regions that are especially susceptible to earthquakes.

The occurrence of terrorist acts could sharply increase the premium paid for terrorism insurance coverage. Further, mortgage lenders, in some cases, insist that specific coverage against terrorism be purchased by commercial property owners as a condition for providing mortgage loans. It is uncertain whether such insurance policies will be available, or available at reasonable costs, which could inhibit our ability to finance or refinance our properties. In such instances, we may be required to provide other financial support, either through financial assurances or self-insurance, to cover potential losses. We cannot provide assurance that we will have adequate coverage for such losses and, to the extent we must pay unexpectedly large amounts for insurance, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We may incur significant costs complying with the ADA and similar laws, which could adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Under the ADA, all public accommodations must meet federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. Although we believe the properties in our portfolio substantially comply with the present requirements of the ADA, we have not conducted an audit or investigation of all of our properties to determine our compliance, nor can we be assured that requirements will not change. The obligation to make readily achievable accommodations is an ongoing one, and we will continue to assess our properties and make alterations as appropriate in this respect. If one or more of the properties in our portfolio is not in compliance with the ADA, we would be required to incur additional costs to bring the property into compliance, and it could result in the imposition of fines or an award of damages to private litigants. Additional federal, state and local laws may also require modifications to our properties, or restrict our ability to renovate our properties. We cannot predict the ultimate cost of compliance with the ADA or other legislation. If we incur substantial costs to comply with the ADA and any other legislation, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We may incur liability with respect to contaminated property or incur costs to comply with environmental laws, which may negatively impact our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, as a current or former owner or operator of real property, we may be liable for costs and damages resulting from the presence or release of hazardous substances, waste, or petroleum products at, on, in, under or from such property, including costs for investigation, remediation, natural resource damages or third party liability for personal injury or property damage. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence or release of such materials, and the liability may be joint and several. In addition, the presence of contamination or the failure to remediate contamination at our properties may adversely affect our ability to sell, redevelop, or lease such property or to borrow using the property as collateral. Environmental laws may also create liens on contaminated sites in favor of the government for damages and costs it incurs to address such contamination. Moreover, if contamination is discovered on our properties, environmental laws may impose restrictions on the manner in which that property may be used or how businesses may be operated on that property. Some of our properties have been or may be impacted by contamination arising from current or prior uses of the property or adjacent properties for commercial or industrial purposes. Such contamination may arise from spills of petroleum or hazardous substances or releases from tanks used to store such materials. We may also be liable for the costs of remediating contamination at off-site disposal or treatment facilities when we arrange for disposal or treatment of hazardous substances at such facilities. The environmental site assessments described in Item 1. “Business — Environmental Matters” have a limited scope and may not reveal all potential environmental liabilities. Further, material environmental conditions may have arisen after the review was completed or may arise in the future, and future laws, ordinances or regulations may impose additional material environmental liability beyond what was known at the time the site assessment was conducted.

In addition, our properties are subject to various federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws, including laws governing the management of waste and underground and aboveground storage tanks. Noncompliance with these environmental, health and safety laws could subject us or our tenants to liability, which could affect a tenant’s ability to make rental payments to us. Moreover, changes in laws could increase the potential costs of compliance with environmental, health and safety laws or increase liability for noncompliance. This may result in significant unanticipated expenditures or may otherwise materially and adversely affect our operations, or those of our tenants, which could in turn have a material adverse effect on us.

As the owner or operator of real property, we may also incur liability based on various building conditions. For example, buildings and other structures on properties that we currently own or operate or those we acquire or operate in the future contain, may contain, or may have contained, asbestos-containing material, or ACM. Environmental, health and safety laws require that ACM be properly managed and maintained and may impose fines or penalties on owners, operators or employers for non-compliance with these requirements. These requirements include special precautions, such as removal, abatement or air monitoring, if ACM would be disturbed during maintenance, renovation or demolition of a building, potentially resulting in substantial costs. In addition, we may be subject to liability for personal injury or property damage sustained as a result of exposure to ACM or releases of ACM into the environment.

When excessive moisture accumulates in buildings or on building materials, mold growth may occur if not addressed over a period of time. Some molds may produce airborne toxins or irritants. Indoor air quality issues can also stem from inadequate ventilation, chemical contamination from indoor or outdoor sources, and other biological contaminants such as pollen, viruses and bacteria. Indoor exposure to airborne toxins or irritants can be alleged to cause a variety of adverse health effects and symptoms, including allergic or other reactions. As a result, the presence of significant mold or other airborne contaminants at any of our properties could require us to undertake a costly remediation program to contain or remove the mold or other airborne contaminants or to increase ventilation. In addition, the presence of significant mold or other airborne contaminants could expose us to liability from our tenants, employees of our tenants, or others if property damage or personal injury occurs.

To the extent we incur costs or liabilities as a result of environmental issues, our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We may experience a decline in the fair value of our assets, which could materially and adversely impact our results of operations.

A decline in the fair value of our assets may require us to recognize an impairment charge on such assets under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) if we were to determine that we do not have the ability and intent to hold such assets for a period of time sufficient to allow for recovery to the asset’s carrying value. If such a determination were to be made, we would recognize an impairment charge through earnings and write down the carrying value of such assets to a new cost basis based on the fair value of such assets on the date they are considered to not be recoverable. For the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , we recognized aggregate impairment charges related to investment properties of $19,937 , $72,203 and $92,033 , respectively (including $32,547 reflected in discontinued operations for the year ended December 31, 2013). We may be required to recognize additional asset impairment charges in the future.

We face risks associated with security breaches through cyber attacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology (IT) networks and related systems.

We face risks associated with security breaches, whether through (i) cyber attacks or cyber intrusions, (ii) malware, (iii) computer viruses, (iv) people with access or who gain access to our systems, and (v) other significant disruptions of our IT networks and related systems. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber attack or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. Our IT networks and related systems are essential to the operation of our business and our ability to perform day-to-day operations. Although we make efforts to maintain the security and integrity of our IT networks and related systems, and we have implemented various measures to manage the risk of a security breach or disruption, there can be no assurance that our security efforts and measures will be effective or that attempted security breaches or disruptions would not be successful or damaging. A security breach or other significant disruption involving our IT networks and related systems could significantly disrupt the proper functioning of our networks and systems and, as a result, disrupt our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Our success depends on key personnel whose continued service is not guaranteed.

We depend on the efforts and expertise of our senior management team to manage our day-to-day operations and strategic business direction. While we have retention and severance agreements with certain members of our executive management team that provide for certain payments in the event of a change of control or termination without cause, we do not have employment agreements with the members of our executive management team. Therefore, we cannot guarantee their continued service. The loss of their services, and our inability to find suitable replacements, could have an adverse effect on our operations.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR DEBT FINANCING

We are generally subject to the risks associated with debt financing and our debt service obligations could adversely affect our financial health and operating flexibility.

Required principal and interest payments on our indebtedness reduce funds available for tenant improvements and leasing costs, as well as external growth initiatives and distributions to our shareholders. Our existing debt financing and debt service obligations also increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions, including increases in interest rates. In addition, as our existing debt comes due, we may be unable to refinance it or access additional capital on favorable terms, which could adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Credit ratings may not reflect all the risks of an investment in our debt or preferred shares.

Our credit ratings are an assessment by rating agencies of our ability to pay our debts and preferred dividends when due. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of our publicly-traded debt or preferred shares. Credit ratings may be revised or withdrawn at any time by the rating agency at its sole discretion. We do not undertake any obligation to maintain the ratings or advise holders of our debt or preferred shares of any change in our ratings. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain our current credit ratings. Adverse changes in our credit ratings could impact our ability to obtain additional debt and equity financing on favorable terms, if at all, and could significantly reduce the market prices of our publicly-traded debt or preferred shares.

Our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by financial and other covenants and provisions under the unsecured credit agreement governing our unsecured revolving line of credit and unsecured term loan (the Unsecured Credit Agreement), or other debt agreements, including the Indenture, as supplemented, governing our 4.00% notes (the Indenture) and the note purchase agreement governing our Series A and Series B notes (the Note Purchase Agreement).

The Unsecured Credit Agreement, the Indenture, the Note Purchase Agreement and any future debt agreements require, or may require, compliance with certain financial and operating covenants, including, among others, the requirement to maintain maximum unencumbered, secured and consolidated leverage ratios, minimum interest, fixed charge, debt service and unencumbered interest coverage ratios, a minimum ratio of assets to unsecured debt and a minimum consolidated net worth. They also contain or may contain customary events of default, including defaults on any of our recourse indebtedness in excess of $50,000. The provisions of these agreements could limit our ability to obtain additional funds needed to address cash shortfalls or pursue growth opportunities or other accretive transactions.

In addition, our senior unsecured debt obligations, including our Unsecured Credit Facility, 4.00% notes and our Series A and Series B notes, are pari passu in priority of payment. Therefore, a breach of these covenants or other events of default would allow the lenders to require us to accelerate payment of amounts outstanding under one or all of these agreements. If payment is accelerated, our liquid assets may not be sufficient to repay such debt in full and, as a result, such an event may have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Additionally, we have a cross-collateralized pool of mortgages that is secured by IW JV 2009, LLC (IW JV), a previously consolidated joint venture that became wholly-owned in April 2012. This pool of mortgages is subject to a lockbox and cash management agreement pursuant to which substantially all of the income generated by the 48 properties, which secured the outstanding mortgages payable as of December 31, 2015 , is deposited directly into a lockbox account established by the lender. In the event of a default or the debt service coverage ratio falling below a set amount, the cash management agreement provides that excess cash flow will be swept into a cash management account for the benefit of the lender and held as additional security after the payment of interest and approved property operating expenses. In the event of a default, cash will not be distributed to us from these accounts until the earlier of a cash sweep event cure or the repayment of the mortgage loans. As of December 31, 2015 , we were in compliance with the terms of the cash management agreement; however, if an event of default were to occur, we may be forced to borrow funds in order to make distributions to our shareholders and maintain our qualification as a REIT.

Given the restrictions in our debt covenants on these and other activities, we may be limited in our operating and financial flexibility and in our ability to respond to changes in our business or to pursue strategic opportunities in the future.

Increases in interest rates would cause our borrowing costs to rise and may limit our ability to refinance debt.

Although a significant amount of our outstanding debt has fixed interest rates, we also borrow funds at variable interest rates. Increases in interest rates would increase our interest expense on any outstanding unhedged variable rate debt and would affect the terms under which we refinance our existing debt as it matures, which would adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Defaults on secured indebtedness may result in foreclosure. In addition, mortgages sometimes include cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions that increase the risk that more than one property may be affected by a default .

In the event that we default on mortgages in the future, either as a result of ceasing to make debt service payments or failing to meet applicable covenants, the lenders may accelerate our debt obligations and foreclose and/or take control of the properties that secure their loans. In the event of a default under any of our recourse indebtedness, we may also remain liable for any deficiency between the value of the property securing such loan and the principal and accrued interest on the loan. In addition, as a result of cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions contained in certain of our mortgage loans, a default under one mortgage loan

could result in a default on other indebtedness and cause us to lose other better performing properties, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Further, for tax purposes, the foreclosure of a mortgage may result in the recognition of taxable income related to the extinguished debt without us having received any accompanying cash proceeds. As a result, since we are structured as a REIT, we may be required to identify and utilize sources for distributions to our shareholders related to such taxable income in order to avoid incurring corporate tax or to meet the REIT distribution requirements imposed by the Code.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Our board of directors may change significant corporate policies without shareholder approval.

Our investment, financing and distribution policies are determined by our board of directors. These policies may be amended or revised at any time at the discretion of the board of directors without a vote of our shareholders. As a result, the ability of our shareholders to control our policies and practices is extremely limited. We could make investments and engage in business activities that are different from, and possibly riskier than, the investments and businesses described in this report. In addition, our board of directors may change our policies with respect to conflicts of interest provided that such changes are consistent with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A change in these policies could have an adverse effect on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

We could increase the number of authorized shares of stock and issue stock without shareholder approval.

Subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements, our charter authorizes our board of directors, without shareholder approval, to increase the aggregate number of authorized shares of stock or the number of authorized shares of stock of any class or series, to issue authorized but unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock, classify or reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and to set the preferences, rights and other terms of such classified or unclassified shares. As a result, we may issue series or classes of common stock or preferred stock with preferences, dividends, powers and rights, voting or otherwise, that are senior to, or otherwise conflict with, the rights of holders of our common stock. The Company has also established an at-the-market equity program under which it may sell shares of its Class A common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $250,000 from time to time. In addition, our board of directors could establish a series of preferred stock that could, depending on the terms of such series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or that our shareholders may believe is in their best interests.

Certain provisions of our charter may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of our company.

Our charter provides that no person may beneficially own more than 9.8% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding common stock or 9.8% in value of the aggregate outstanding shares of our capital stock. While these charter provisions help us to ensure we maintain our REIT status, these ownership limitations may prevent an acquisition of control of our company by a third party without our board of directors’ approval, even if our shareholders believe the change of control is in their best interests.

Certain provisions of Maryland law could inhibit changes of control, which could lower the values of our Class A common stock and Series A preferred stock.

Certain provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, may have the effect of inhibiting or deterring a third party from making a proposal to acquire us or of impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide our common stockholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then prevailing market price of such shares, including:

shareholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares.

As permitted by the MGCL, our board of directors has adopted a resolution exempting any business combinations between us and any other person or entity from the business combination provisions of the MGCL. Our bylaws provide that such resolution or any other resolution of our board of directors exempting any business combination from the business combination provisions of the MGCL may only be revoked, altered or amended, and our board of directors may only adopt a resolution that is inconsistent with any such prior resolution (including any amendment to that bylaw provision), which we refer to as an opt in to the business combination provisions, with the approval of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all votes cast by the holders of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock. In addition, as permitted by the MGCL, our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL any acquisition by any person of shares of our stock. This bylaw provision may be amended, which we refer to as an opt in to the control share acquisition provisions, only with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on such matter by holders of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock.

Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL permits our board of directors, without shareholder approval and regardless of what is currently provided in our charter or bylaws, to implement certain takeover defenses, including adopting a classified board. Such takeover defenses may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making an acquisition proposal for us or of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us under the circumstances that otherwise could provide our common shareholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then prevailing market price.

In addition, the provisions of our charter on removal of directors and the advance notice provisions of our bylaws, among others, could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or that our shareholders may believe to be in their best interests. Likewise, if our company’s board of directors were to opt in to the provisions of Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, or if our board of directors were to opt in to the business combination provisions or the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL, with shareholder approval, these provisions could have similar anti-takeover effects.

Our rights and the rights of our shareholders to take action against our directors and officers are limited, which could limit shareholder recourse in the event of actions that our shareholders do not believe are in their best interests.

Maryland law provides that a director or officer has no liability in that capacity if he or she satisfies his or her duties to us and our shareholders. As permitted by the MGCL, our charter limits the liability of our directors and officers to us and our shareholders for monetary damages, except for liability resulting from:

In addition, our charter and bylaws and indemnification agreements that we have entered into with our directors and certain of our officers require us to indemnify our directors and officers, among others, for actions taken by them in those capacities to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. As a result, we and our shareholders may have more limited rights against our directors and officers than might otherwise exist. Accordingly, in the event that actions taken in good faith by any of our directors or officers impede the performance of our company, your ability to recover damages from such director or officer will be limited. In addition, we will be obligated to advance the defense costs incurred by our directors and officers with indemnification agreements, and may, at the discretion of our board of directors, advance the defense costs incurred by our employees and other agents, in connection with legal proceedings.

Our charter contains provisions that make removal of our directors difficult, which could make it difficult for our shareholders to effect changes to our management.

Our charter provides that a director may only be removed for cause upon the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors. Vacancies may be filled only by a majority vote of the remaining directors in office, even if less than a quorum. These requirements make it more difficult to change our management by removing and replacing directors and may prevent a change of control that is in the best interests of our shareholders.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR REIT STATUS

Failure to qualify as a REIT would cause us to be taxed as a regular corporation and, even if we qualify as a REIT, we may face other tax liabilities which could substantially reduce funds available for distribution to our shareholders and materially and adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

We believe that we have been organized, owned and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code beginning with our taxable year ended December 31, 2003, and that our intended manner of ownership and operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, we cannot assure you that we have qualified or will qualify as such.

Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Code as to which there are only limited judicial and administrative interpretations and involves the determination of facts and circumstances not entirely within our control. For example, to qualify as a REIT, we generally are required to annually distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains. To the extent that we satisfy this distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income.

If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we will face serious tax consequences that will substantially reduce the funds available for distributions to our shareholders because:

In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, it could result in default under certain of our indebtedness agreements. As a result of all these factors, our failure to qualify as a REIT could adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be required to borrow funds or sell assets to satisfy our REIT distribution requirements.

Our cash flows may be insufficient to fund distributions required to maintain our qualification as a REIT as a result of differences in timing between the actual receipt of income and the recognition of income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or the effect of non-deductible expenditures, such as capital expenditures, payments of compensation for which Section 162(m) of the Code denies a deduction, the creation of reserves or required amortization payments. If we do not have other funds available in these situations, we may need to borrow funds on a short-term basis or sell assets, even if the then-prevailing market conditions are not favorable for these borrowings or sales, in order to satisfy our REIT distribution requirements. Such actions could adversely affect our cash flow and results of operations.

Dividends payable by REITs generally do not qualify for reduced tax rates.

Certain qualified dividends paid by corporations to individuals, trusts and estates that are U.S. shareholders are taxed at capital gain rates, which are lower than ordinary income rates. Dividends of current and accumulated earnings and profits payable by REITs, however, are taxed at ordinary income rates as opposed to the capital gain rates. Dividends payable by REITs in excess of these earnings and profits generally are treated as a non-taxable reduction of the shareholders’ basis in the shares to the extent thereof and thereafter as taxable gain. The more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate dividends could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs, including us, to be relatively less attractive than investments in the stock of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which may negatively impact the trading prices of our Class A common stock and Series A preferred stock.

Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities or liquidate otherwise attractive investments.

To qualify as a REIT, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our shareholders and the ownership of our capital stock. In order to meet

these tests, we may be required to forego investments we might otherwise make and refrain from engaging in certain activities. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our performance.

In addition, if we fail to comply with certain asset ownership tests at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct the failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter or qualify for certain statutory relief provisions to avoid losing our REIT qualification. As a result, we may be required to liquidate otherwise attractive investments.

Shareholders may be restricted from acquiring or transferring certain amounts of our stock.

In order to maintain our REIT qualification, among other requirements, no more than 50% in value of our outstanding stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals, as defined in the Code to include certain kinds of entities, during the last half of any taxable year, other than the first year for which we made a REIT election. To assist us in qualifying as a REIT, our charter contains an aggregate stock ownership limit of 9.8%, a common stock ownership limit of 9.8% and a preferred stock ownership limit of 9.8%. Generally, shareholders must include stock of affiliates for purposes of determining whether they own stock in excess of any of these ownership limits.

If anyone attempts to transfer or own shares of our stock in a way that would violate the aggregate stock ownership limit, the common stock ownership limit or the preferred stock ownership limit, unless such ownership limits have been waived by our board of directors, or in a way that would prevent us from continuing to qualify as a REIT, those shares instead will be transferred to a trust for the benefit of a charitable beneficiary and will be either redeemed by us or sold to a person whose ownership of the shares will not violate the aggregate stock ownership limit, the common stock ownership limit or the preferred stock ownership limit. Purported transferees generally bear any decline in the market price of such stock held in such trust, but do not benefit from any increase. If this transfer to a trust fails to prevent such a violation or our disqualification as a REIT, then the initial intended transfer or ownership will be null and void from the outset.

The ability of our board of directors to revoke our REIT qualification without shareholder approval may cause adverse consequences to our shareholders.

Our charter provides that our board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without the approval of our shareholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interest to continue to qualify as a REIT. If we cease to be a REIT, we will not be allowed a deduction for dividends paid to shareholders in computing our taxable income and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates and state and local taxes, which may have adverse consequences on our total return to our shareholders.

GENERAL INVESTMENT RISKS

The market prices and trading volume of our debt and equity securities may be volatile.

The market prices of our debt and equity securities depend on various factors which may be unrelated to our operating performance or prospects. We cannot assure you that the market prices of our debt and equity securities, including our Class A common stock, will not fluctuate or decline significantly in the future.

A number of factors could negatively affect, or result in fluctuations in, the prices or trading volume of our debt and equity securities, including:

In the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in the price of their common stock. This type of litigation could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

Increases in market interest rates may result in a decrease in the value of our publicly-traded debt and equity securities.

One of the factors that may influence the prices of our publicly-traded debt and equity securities is the interest rate on our publicly-traded debt and the dividend yield on our common and preferred stock relative to market interest rates. If market interest rates, which are currently at low levels relative to historical rates, rise, our borrowing costs could rise and result in less funds being available for distribution. We therefore may not be able to, or we may choose not to, provide a higher distribution rate on our common stock. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates could adversely affect the market value of our properties. These factors could result in a decline in the market prices of our publicly-traded debt and equity securities.

Future offerings of debt securities, which would be senior to our common and preferred stock, or equity securities, which would dilute the interests of our existing shareholders and may be senior to our existing common stock, may adversely affect the market prices of our common and preferred stock.

We have issued one series of preferred stock, $500,000 of unsecured notes and have established an at-the-market (ATM) equity program under which we may sell shares of our Class A common stock. In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by making additional offerings of debt or equity securities, including senior or subordinated notes and classes of preferred or common stock. Holders of debt securities or shares of preferred stock will generally be entitled to receive interest payments or distributions, both current and in connection with any liquidation or sale, prior to the holders of our common stock. Furthermore, offerings of common stock or other equity securities may dilute the holdings of our existing shareholders. We are not required to offer any such equity securities to existing shareholders on a preemptive basis, and future offerings of debt or equity securities, or perceptions that such offerings may occur, may reduce the market prices of our common and preferred stock or the distributions that we pay with respect to our common stock. Because we may generally issue any such debt or equity securities in the future without obtaining the consent of our shareholders, our shareholders bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market prices of our common and preferred stock and diluting their proportionate ownership.

The change of control conversion feature of our Series A preferred stock may make it more difficult for a party to take over our company or discourage a party from taking over our company.

Upon the occurrence of a change of control (as defined in our Articles Supplementary for our Series A preferred stock), holders of our Series A preferred stock will have the right to convert some or all of their Series A preferred stock into shares of our common stock, or equivalent value of alternative consideration, unless we have provided notice of our election to redeem our Series A preferred stock. Upon such a conversion, the preferred holders will be limited to a maximum number of shares of our common stock equal to 4.1736, subject to certain adjustments, multiplied by the number of shares of Series A preferred stock converted.

The change of control conversion feature of our Series A preferred stock may have the effect of discouraging a third party from making an acquisition proposal for our company or of delaying, deferring or preventing certain change of control transactions of our company under circumstances that our shareholders may otherwise believe are in their best interests.

Our ability to pay dividends is limited by the requirements of Maryland law.

Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock and Series A preferred stock is limited by the laws of the State of Maryland. Under applicable Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally may not make a distribution if, after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course of business, or the corporation’s total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus, unless the corporation’s charter provides otherwise, the amount that would be needed, if the corporation were dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of shareholders whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the distribution. Accordingly, we generally may not make a distribution on our common stock or Series A preferred stock if, after giving effect to the distribution, we would not be able to pay our debts as they become due in the usual course of business or our total assets would be less than the sum of our total liabilities plus, unless the terms of such class or series provide otherwise, the amount that would be needed to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock then outstanding, if any, with preferences senior to those of our common stock or Series A preferred stock, respectively.

Changes in accounting standards may adversely impact our financial results.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board, in conjunction with the SEC, has several key projects on its agenda that could impact how we currently account for material transactions, including lease accounting and other convergence projects with the International Accounting Standards Board. At this time, we are unable to predict with certainty which, if any, proposals may be passed or what level of impact any such proposal could have on the presentation of our consolidated financial statements, results of operations and financial ratios required by our debt covenants.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

The following table sets forth summary information regarding our consolidated operating portfolio as of December 31, 2015 . Dollars (other than per square foot information) and square feet of GLA are presented in thousands. This information is grouped into divisions based on the manner in which we have structured our asset management, property management and leasing operations. For additional property details on our consolidated operating portfolio, see “Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation (Schedule III)” herein.

The following table sets forth information regarding the 20 largest tenants in our retail operating portfolio based on ABR as of December 31, 2015 . Dollars (other than per square foot information) and square feet of GLA are presented in thousands.

The following table sets forth a summary, as of December 31, 2015 , of lease expirations scheduled to occur during 2016 and each of the nine calendar years from 2017 to 2025 and thereafter, assuming no exercise of renewal options or early termination rights for all leases in our retail operating portfolio. The following table is based on leases commenced as of December 31, 2015 . Dollars (other than per square foot information) and square feet of GLA are presented in thousands.

As of December 31, 2015 , the remaining term of the lease at our office property was 11 months.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

We are subject, from time to time, to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. While the resolution of such matters cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe, based on currently available information, that the final outcome of such matters will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.