1.    ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Organization

Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, a Maryland corporation, together with its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), is a fully-integrated, self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”) providing leasing, management, acquisition, development, construction and tenant-related services for its properties and third parties.  As of December 31, 2015, the Company owned or had interests in 275 properties, consisting of 147 office and 109 flex properties, totaling approximately 29.9 million square feet, leased to approximately 1,900 commercial tenants, and 19 multi-family rental properties containing 5,644 residential units, plus developable land (collectively, the “Properties”).  The Properties are comprised of 147 office buildings totaling approximately 24.6 million square feet (which include 36 buildings aggregating approximately 5.6 million square feet owned by unconsolidated joint ventures in which the Company has investment interests), 94 office/flex buildings totaling approximately 4.8 million square feet, six industrial/warehouse buildings totaling approximately 387,400 square feet, 19 multi-family properties totaling 5,644 apartments (which include 13 properties aggregating 4,343 apartments owned by unconsolidated joint ventures in which the Company has investment interests), five parking/retail properties totaling approximately 121,700 square feet (which include two buildings aggregating 81,700 square feet owned by unconsolidated joint ventures in which the Company has investment interests), one hotel (which is owned by an unconsolidated joint venture in which the Company has an investment interest) and three parcels of land leased to others.  The Properties are located in seven states, primarily in the Northeast, plus the District of Columbia.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all accounts of the Company, its majority-owned and/or controlled subsidiaries, which consist principally of Mack-Cali Realty, L.P. (the “Operating Partnership”), and variable interest entities for which the Company has determined itself to be the primary beneficiary, if any.  See Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies – Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures, for the Company’s treatment of unconsolidated joint venture interests.  Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation, provides guidance on the identification of entities for which control is achieved through means other than voting rights (“variable interest entities” or “VIEs”) and the determination of which business enterprise, if any, should consolidate the VIEs. Generally, the consideration of whether an entity is a VIE applies when either: (1) the equity investors (if any) lack (i) the ability to make decisions about the entity's activities through voting or similar rights, (ii) the obligation to absorb the expected losses of the entity, or (iii) the right to receive the expected residual returns of the entity; (2) the equity investment at risk is insufficient to finance that entity’s activities without additional subordinated financial support; or (3) the equity investors have voting rights that are not proportionate to their economic interests and the activities of the entity involve or are conducted on behalf of an investor with a disproportionately small voting interest.  The Company consolidates VIEs in which it is considered to be the primary beneficiary.  The primary beneficiary is defined by the entity having both of the following characteristics: (1) the power to direct the activities that, when taken together, most significantly impact the variable interest entity’s performance: and (2) the obligation to absorb losses and right to receive the returns from the VIE that would be significant to the VIE.

As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company’s investments in consolidated real estate joint ventures in which the Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary have total real estate assets of $273.4 million and $242.9 million, respectively, mortgages of $89.5 million and $94.3 million, respectively, and other liabilities of $17.5 million and $15.7 million, respectively. 

The financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP.  The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s historical experience that are believed to be reasonable at the time.  However, because future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty, the determination of estimates requires the exercise of judgment.  The Company’s critical accounting policies are those which require assumptions to be made about matters that are highly uncertain.  Different estimates could have a material effect on the Company’s financial results.  Judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of these policies and estimates may result in materially different amounts being reported under different conditions and circumstances. 

Actual results could differ from those estimates.  Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts in order to conform with current period presentation.