Earnings Labs

Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ)

Q3 2013 Earnings Call· Thu, Oct 31, 2013

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good day, and welcome to the Cousins Properties’ Third Quarter Conference Call. Today’s call is being recorded. At this time, for opening remarks and introductions, I would like to turn the call over to Tripp Sullivan of Corporate Communications. Please go right ahead.

Tripp Sullivan

Management

Thank you. Certain matters the Company will be discussing today are forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. For example, the Company may provide estimates about expected operating income from properties, as well as certain categories of expenses along with the expectations regarding leasing activity, development, acquisition, financing and disposition opportunities. Such forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties and risk and actual results may differ materially from these statements. Please refer to the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and its current report on Form 8-K filed on October 30, 2013 for additional information regarding certain risks and uncertainties. Also, certain items that Company may refer to today are considered non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G, as promulgated by the SEC. For these items, the comparable GAAP measures and related reconciliations may be found through the quarterly disclosures and supplemental SEC information links on the Investor Relations page of its website at www.cousinsproperties.com. I’ll now turn it over to Larry Gellerstedt.

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Good morning everyone. The team has worked extremely hard over the past 24 months to transform the Company by simplifying the platform. Focusing on urban trophy assets and sourcing opportunistic value-add acquisitions and developments. This quarter marks an inflection point in that transformation with a compelling portfolio acquisition in Texas the largest in our history, and the disposition of our lifestyle and power center holdings. Most importantly, with significant value creation opportunities in both our existing portfolio and development pipeline, we feel very confident about the future. Let’s take a quick look at the Cousins’ platform today. Consistent with the goals laid out 24 months ago and our strategic plan, our Company has over 80% of our NOI coming from urban trophy office buildings. The Texas markets of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston represent 50% of our portfolio. Houston and Atlanta are equal in size and represent over 70% of our square footage. This transformation has involved selling over $900 million and non-core assets and investing over $1.8 billion on strategic office assets and opportunistic developments. In the process, our balance sheet leverage has been reduced from 45% to 30%. As we move forward, we are primarily focused on capturing NOI embedded within our portfolio, executing our opportunistic investment opportunities and maintaining a very strong balance sheet. The first two items, embedded NOI and investments should drive significant future NAV growth, the third objective ensures a stable base something we view as critical in generating strong long-term returns. The central theme of our strategy is a sharp shooter approach, targeting Class A office towers that are well placed within urban, high barrier sub-markets in Texas, Georgia and North Carolina. This is where our creative deal-making capabilities, development skills for relationships and market knowledge provide a competitive advantage. We’ve managed…

Gregg Adzema

Management

Thanks, Larry. Good morning everyone. The third quarter continued the string of solid quarters we’ve had throughout 2013. At first glance, it certainly appears to have been a very busy quarter and it was. But moving down into the actual activity, it was pretty clean and simple. We purchased a large portfolio of office properties in Texas and funded the purchase with a combination of new common equity, debt on existing properties and non-core asset sales. We purchased 100% interest in the Texas assets with no partners or complex venture structure. We issued straight up common shares through a one-day marketing effort. We placed long-term fixed rate non-recourse debt on two stabilized assets at attractive rates, and the assets we sold were the majority of our last non-core retail properties, including the dissolution of our two joint ventures with Prudential. That's really it. During the quarter, we also obtained a $950 million term loan just in case the timing of our sources of capital didn’t match the required purchase date. But in the end, we were able to close on enough sources of capital prior to closing the purchase that we didn’t need to draw on the term loan at all, a terrific outcome considering the fast pace of transaction. When the dust settles, we have improved geographic diversification. We have focused our portfolio on Class A urban office properties. We have reduced leverage. We’ve increased the liquidity of our shares. We’ve reduced G&A as a percentage of our assets and we have greatly simplified the story. When we say transformational, we really mean it. With that, I would like to quickly review the three special items in this quarter’s earnings release before I jump to the numbers. Consistent with our move towards simplicity, I believe these will likely be…

Question

Management

and:

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions) And we'll go with our first question to the line of Jamie Feldman from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, go right ahead.

Jamie Feldman

Analyst

I'm hoping you can talk a little more about leasing demand in Atlanta, specifically Downtown and Midtown? And then any thoughts on new construction there, maybe I've heard, maybe in Central Perimeter we may start to see some, so just kind of big picture of what's going on in Atlanta, especially in your sub-markets? Bank of America Merrill Lynch: I'm hoping you can talk a little more about leasing demand in Atlanta, specifically Downtown and Midtown? And then any thoughts on new construction there, maybe I've heard, maybe in Central Perimeter we may start to see some, so just kind of big picture of what's going on in Atlanta, especially in your sub-markets?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Sure. Jamie, the Atlanta is this past quarter had over 1 million square feet of absorption and just continues to be very, very strong. That absorption has really tightened the Central Perimeter market in specific. State Farm has taken well over 1.5 million square feet out of that market in the last 18 months. You've also seen Buckhead tighten significantly, so those two markets have certainly tightened. State Farm has announced that they're going to build some new product out there that will be built to suit just for them, so you'll have that product being added to the market over the next three years or so. And the market, the tightening has happened in a pretty fast clip, the key to watch in that market and we certainly are watching it closely is there still is over an $8 a square foot gap between what top of the market rents are in that sub-market and what we would pencil out in terms of new development. So outside the build to suits I think people were positioning for the possibility of new buildings, but the gap is still pretty broad. Buckhead has tightened significantly, we don't see anybody moving ahead with new product in Buckhead in terms of actually starting to talk about breaking ground or anything, so if there is new development it would be two to three years out before it could get delivered if they started today and there's not been anything announced, but we certainly as you would expect are watching that marker closely. Midtown is beginning to tighten as well, as customers are seeing Central Perimeter and Buckhead has gone -- the vacancy has decreased so much so Midtown is beginning to do well as in addition. Promenade has just been fantastic for us. I…

Jamie Feldman

Analyst

And then what do you think in terms of rent growth? Bank of America Merrill Lynch: And then what do you think in terms of rent growth?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

We certainly…

Jamie Feldman

Analyst

I guess the matter of fact that rent growth is probably a better very question? Bank of America Merrill Lynch: I guess the matter of fact that rent growth is probably a better very question?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Well, we’re seeing rent growth obviously in the Texas part of the portfolio what you’re seeing in Atlanta is you are seeing concessions come way down much more in line with what you would see, have historically seen in Atlanta. And rents have still been relatively flat, but us and others are beginning to be in a position to try to push rates a little bit.

Operator

Operator

And we will go with over next question from the line of Michael Knott from Green Street Advisors. Go right ahead.

Jed Reagan

Analyst

Jed Reagan here with Michael, you touched on the leasing activity at Colorado Tower. How would you say that leasing progress is pacing relative to expectation? And then can you talk maybe a little bit too about the leasing pipeline at 816 Congress? Green Street Advisors: Jed Reagan here with Michael, you touched on the leasing activity at Colorado Tower. How would you say that leasing progress is pacing relative to expectation? And then can you talk maybe a little bit too about the leasing pipeline at 816 Congress?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

The Colorado Tower project, we are even more optimistic about that project than when we started construction. And when we underwrote the project, we didn’t underwrite it to being up to 90% leased until the end of 2016, so we were pretty conservative about the lease up and we wanted to make sure that we get the right customers in and maintain our pricing expectation. So that 400,000 square feet of prospects are very real prospects and we’re still well over a year from delivering the project. As I have said I think we’ll have another lease to announce here by the end of the year. So I feel very good about Colorado Tower. We are in that sub-market there is one other building that’s under construction that’s 195,000 feet that is actually not in the true CBD area. And we really haven’t felt much impact from that building as we have leased up Colorado Tower. So Colorado Tower is going well. A16 is also going well the deals we’ve done are certainly ahead of our pro forma we’re beginning to get our capital plan and executed there which is important to do. And our primary focus has certainly been on a couple of big renewals that we have with the U.S. Attorney's office as well as the Texas Retirement Fund. And we feel very good about where those renewals are moving, and we see good demand at 816. So Austin continues the CBD to be from our standpoint a very good market to be in.

Jed Reagan

Analyst

When do you expect to stabilize 816 again? Green Street Advisors: When do you expect to stabilize 816 again?

Colin Connolly

Analyst

Sure, hey Jed it is Colin, as we underwrote 816 similar to Larry alluded to our lease up on Colorado Tower, we always take a pretty conservative view from an underwriting standpoint. That being said, I think the demand that we’re starting to see especially as we begin to work through our capital plan, I think we feel very optimistic. We won't provide specific guidance, but based on the pipeline of leases out there relative to our current occupancy, we feel very confident.

Jed Reagan

Analyst

And can you also talk about the business plan for American Cancer Center at this point and are you getting any traction on datacenter demand that you had previously talked about? Green Street Advisors: And can you also talk about the business plan for American Cancer Center at this point and are you getting any traction on datacenter demand that you had previously talked about?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Jed there is no question that American Cancer Society has been over the years a fantastic investment for Cousins Properties, if you look at what we bought it for originally and then our refinance on it. It certainly has been a home run. But we have been -- have not gotten the take up from the datacenter new demand. Although the datacenter customers that are there are certainly renewing and staying we have not gotten the demand that we hoped to. And what we’re really looking at on American Cancer Society is we’re following very, very closely really on the value analysis of what we think that building is worth and whether or not it's a long-term hold. We’re not saying that we're going to sell the building, but I would say that it's one that's on our question mark as we look to fund future activities here, as whether or not that’s going to be a long-term hold, just given the nature of where we think the tenant demand is going to be in the future.

Jed Reagan

Analyst

And last one if I may, just if you can just talk a little bit about the Houston supply picture does seem like a fair bit of supply is kind of creeping into the market. Can you talk about any risk that might pose for your portfolio and maybe any specific competitor projects that you’re focused on? Green Street Advisors: And last one if I may, just if you can just talk a little bit about the Houston supply picture does seem like a fair bit of supply is kind of creeping into the market. Can you talk about any risk that might pose for your portfolio and maybe any specific competitor projects that you’re focused on?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

We certainly are following that very, very closely and it's one of the reasons that we really focused on the sub-markets that we focused on. So in the Galleria sub-market there are two buildings that have been delivered, the total 600,000 square feet, they were the first two buildings to be added in that 18 million foot sub-markets since 1984. And they are both now over 90% leased. There is not any other speculative development, there is some build to suits being discussed and one build to suit actually being done in that sub-market. But there is nothing eminent in terms of this speculative development of any scale that we're aware of. The other thing that's happened in that sub-market as well a lot of these urban markets is it had a fair amount of future office sites and all these markets being taken by multifamily over the last couple of years, which is a great thing from a defensive standpoint. And so on the Galleria we only see a couple of other office sites really available in that sub-market, and so we feel very good about the supply demand there. The Greenway sub-market as well, there are a couple of buildings that add-up to about 600,000 square feet in that sub-market that we're aware of, that some folks are trying to get off the ground but there has been no ground breakings announced, no major tenant activity announced. We certainly are hard at work and looking and determining exactly what our next expansion when the market supports at Greenway will be just in terms of where it will, which path we’ll put it on so that we can offer our customers on expansion opportunity there. So, in our two sub-markets that we’re in Houston new supply is not really a material threat. Where we see the new supply is -- there is some new supply being discussed in the CBD and then there is obviously a tonne of new supply out on the energy corridor. And the main thing that we have to watch is customers that are in these sub-markets that may elect to take part of their employees out to the energy corridor but that has not been a major issue in our Houston portfolio to-date.

Operator

Operator

And we’ll go with our next question. It is from the line of Dave Rodgers with Robert W. Baird. Go right ahead with your question.

Dave Rodgers

Analyst

Larry maybe for you -- from the camp of what you’ve done for me lately, can you talk about kind of the acquisition opportunities that you’re seeing in the market right now. What’s happened to pricing since several large transactions kind of throughout those southeast markets priced and you continue to be active there or really will it be a shift for Cousins toward development? Robert W. Baird: Larry maybe for you -- from the camp of what you’ve done for me lately, can you talk about kind of the acquisition opportunities that you’re seeing in the market right now. What’s happened to pricing since several large transactions kind of throughout those southeast markets priced and you continue to be active there or really will it be a shift for Cousins toward development?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Well that’s a great question Dave and I think as we look at our opportunity subset the value-add acquisition opportunity certainly the second half of this year outside of the Crescent deal has been slower than has previously taken place. And the truth is a lot of these value-add opportunities of type assets that we would want have traded and so I think it’s going to be much more of a sharp shooter opportunity where maybe we can use our creative skills like we did on 2100 Ross or some others to get access to some assets other than through the traditional marketing process. We certainly look at stuff that comes on marketing and is marketed, not to say that we won’t find something attractive to go after, but it’s certainly something where we’ve seen some pricing that just gets beyond what we think makes sense for us on some of the acquisitions we’re looking at. So, new development is becoming more-and-more of where we see opportunities and of course that really plays to our strength. And so whether it’s the Greenway submarket, the Galleria submarket, Buckhead and Atlanta et cetera, we certainly are doing work to make sure we’re positioned to take advantage of new development when it makes sense there.

Dave Rodgers

Analyst

And if you were to go forward let’s say in the Texas markets now especially in Houston, how long before you could start coming out of the ground just given I guess you don’t post out for a while but in terms of Greenway it’s so new -- how long would it take you to get some shovels in the ground and move in vertical on projects there? Robert W. Baird: And if you were to go forward let’s say in the Texas markets now especially in Houston, how long before you could start coming out of the ground just given I guess you don’t post out for a while but in terms of Greenway it’s so new -- how long would it take you to get some shovels in the ground and move in vertical on projects there?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Well, that’s where we’re hard at work at, you’ve got the ability to add 2 million feet at Greenway and that probably is -- would be four projects of the 0.5 million square feet each so we’re going through each of those and determining; one, what they would cost; and two, how long they would take to deliver because in many cases you’ve got to display some parking to be able to add that. We’re also certainly staying on top of some sites that are contend right next to Greenway that may also be trading that could give us an opportunity to add footage there. Ballpark, if you decided to pull the trigger on something today you’d be, 30 to 36 months out before delivery but that’s a reasonable timeframe given the size of the customers out there and where the demand might be.

Dave Rodgers

Analyst

Then last question on leasing, you talked about kind of a good backlog, good showing volume it seems like leasing was just down a little bit from the average in the current quarter, do you think there was a distraction from the acquisitions and the amount of closings that you were doing, or customer is just making decisions a little bit more slowly and you really feel like that backlog had kind of push you back up, but above that average moving into the fourth and first quarters? Robert W. Baird: Then last question on leasing, you talked about kind of a good backlog, good showing volume it seems like leasing was just down a little bit from the average in the current quarter, do you think there was a distraction from the acquisitions and the amount of closings that you were doing, or customer is just making decisions a little bit more slowly and you really feel like that backlog had kind of push you back up, but above that average moving into the fourth and first quarters?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

I certainly don’t think it was a distraction because our leasing teams are very asset specific. And so they wouldn’t have been distracted. We just traditionally have seen the third quarter being a little bit slower. We look historically since it covers the summer months just folks tend to not make decisions unless they have to. We feel pretty good about the fourth quarter in terms of where our leasing opportunities are and what we will be able to deliver there. So we just make it. This was a slightly slower third quarter. But it certainly doesn’t signal anything of where we see demand.

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions) And we will go to our next question from the line of Anthony Paolone with JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

Anthony Paolone

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

Gregg just a couple of clarifying one to start, on the NOI that you talked about that 18.5 million, I assume as it relates to 777 that’s off the 72% base, not the starting point here? JPMorgan: Gregg just a couple of clarifying one to start, on the NOI that you talked about that 18.5 million, I assume as it relates to 777 that’s off the 72% base, not the starting point here?

Gregg Adzema

Management

Yes, that’s right Tony.

Anthony Paolone

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

And then of the remaining 7.5 million that has yet to come in to earnings, is that mostly related to 816, I mean it’s just looking at your occupancy listing kind of that’s what it suggests? JPMorgan: And then of the remaining 7.5 million that has yet to come in to earnings, is that mostly related to 816, I mean it’s just looking at your occupancy listing kind of that’s what it suggests?

Gregg Adzema

Management

Actually I was sitting here looking at the schedule, Tony, and just eye-balling it, I would say that the biggest deltas between leases signed and NOI running through the actual income statements, is it Promenade and at 2100 Ross.

Anthony Paolone

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

And any sense of timing as to when that and if you did nothing else, like when that 7.5 million comes in? JPMorgan : And any sense of timing as to when that and if you did nothing else, like when that 7.5 million comes in?

Gregg Adzema

Management

We don’t provide specific guidance here, but I can tell you, Promenade, a big part of that lease is a single lease that we signed and it kind of has stepped occupancy that takes place. And that takes place through ’16. So at Promenade it will take a little while. 2100 Ross is much more traditional. We’ve signed leases. People are going to move in and so you should see 2100 Ross happen in the next 12 months.

Anthony Paolone

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

And then on the 300 and somewhat thousand square feet of leasing in the quarter, I may have missed this did you give leasing spreads? JPMorgan: And then on the 300 and somewhat thousand square feet of leasing in the quarter, I may have missed this did you give leasing spreads?

Gregg Adzema

Management

We did not provide leasing spreads. That’s data that as we talked about in previous conference calls, we track internally and starting next quarter we are going to start to provide externally. I know it’s something that a lot of people want. And for us as we get more of core office portfolio that we are operating, we want to provide more core office portfolio statistics. And so you will see that coming out in the next quarterly earnings supplement. But I can tell you anecdotally that our leasing spreads are positive and in general in the office portfolio which is over 90% of the total portfolio now, deposits of high single-digits to low double-digits.

Anthony Paolone

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

And then now that the acquisition is done, you've got Transocean, ExxonMobil it was some pretty big tenants with I will call it more shorter term and intermediate term expirations. Just any initial thoughts on those leases as you look out the next few years and perhaps their plans or how you think about them? JP Morgan: And then now that the acquisition is done, you've got Transocean, ExxonMobil it was some pretty big tenants with I will call it more shorter term and intermediate term expirations. Just any initial thoughts on those leases as you look out the next few years and perhaps their plans or how you think about them?

Colin Connolly

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

This is Colin, as it relates to Exxon, at the time of the transaction I think we announced that there are -- that we anticipate Exxon moving out in 2015. It’s about 215,000 square feet. That’s part of their Exxon’s national consolidation to The Woodlands. There is some potential that they could hold over a little bit longer. But that’s certainly our expectation and the way we’ve underwritten transaction. Transocean is a little bit further out in 2017, January of ’17 about little over 300,000 square feet and we are certainly -- our team in Houston is actively engaged with transition it’s probably a little bit on the early side, but we’re in front them now and will stay in front of them over the next 12 months or so.

Anthony Paolone

Analyst · JPMorgan. Go right ahead with your question.

And then just last question, I know the numbers aren’t that big anymore, but any thoughts on the rest of residential land given housing is in a pretty different place than a year or two ago it seems? JP Morgan: And then just last question, I know the numbers aren’t that big anymore, but any thoughts on the rest of residential land given housing is in a pretty different place than a year or two ago it seems?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Yes, certainly the, we have been pretty clear that the residential land is something we are just waiting for the market to come back and the market is coming back. And we’re beginning to -- the little bit we have left, we’re beginning to be able to sell tracks and we’re also beginning to get some offers to come in and take out, entire positions. So you will just continue to see us work that residential portfolio down. And I think you will movement on that over the next 12 to 24 months just given the recovery that you referred in your call.

Operator

Operator

And I will go with our next question from the line of John Guinee from Stifel. Go right ahead with your question.

Erin Aslakson

Analyst · your question.

It's Erin Aslakson, actually in John's stead. But in terms of the other major land positions that you sight there on page 21 on the commercial side, I guess, Avenue Forsyth and Peachtree Street what's the status of those parcels? Stifel Nicolaus: It's Erin Aslakson, actually in John's stead. But in terms of the other major land positions that you sight there on page 21 on the commercial side, I guess, Avenue Forsyth and Peachtree Street what's the status of those parcels?

Gregg Adzema

Management

The Forsyth parcel is just an additional parcel. Avenue Forsyth was a lifestyle property that we owned in North Atlanta. We sold the property and there was another parcel of land that was adjacent to it. There is no immediate plans to develop it, to sell it to the people that bought the other park, it just kind of sitting there. The site on Peachtree Street is right near our Emory Midtown MOB that we had that we own in a 50-50 joint venture with Emory. It’s a terrific piece of land right where you want to be in Midtown and we think at some in the future that’s going to be prove to be a critical parcel as Emory continues to expense Midtown campus.

Erin Aslakson

Analyst · your question.

So the idea would be the exit Forsyth at some point, but then monetize maybe a development at Peachtree? Stifel Nicolaus: So the idea would be the exit Forsyth at some point, but then monetize maybe a development at Peachtree?

Gregg Adzema

Management

The Peachtree land is certainly a land that we look forward to the development, potential of that and we will continue to hold it.

Erin Aslakson

Analyst · your question.

And then just a clarification point on the G&A increase, I might have missed it just 22 million to 24 million I guess for the year. Is that a permanent increase or is that just 4Q pop for bonus and then it drops back down in’14? Stifel Nicolaus: And then just a clarification point on the G&A increase, I might have missed it just 22 million to 24 million I guess for the year. Is that a permanent increase or is that just 4Q pop for bonus and then it drops back down in’14?

Gregg Adzema

Management

Yes, I haven’t given’14 guidance yet on G&A really anything and I will do that next quarter, but the pop that you’re seeing, the reason that we’re increasing the range for ’13 is absolutely only driven by bonuses in the long-term incentive comp accruals that are driven by very objective measurements, they’re not subjective. Larry is not making a decision for us. These are objective measurements for annual bonus and long-term compensations and we have had a good year in both comps.

Erin Aslakson

Analyst · your question.

So they’re semi-permanent increases? Stifel Nicolaus: So they’re semi-permanent increases?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

No they’re not. I mean it is incentive comp that’s driving it. So as Gregg said, without the incentive comp we would have been at the low-end of the range for the year. So we’d love for them to be permanent. That’d be a good thing because it’s all based upon total shareholder return and same-property NOI growth. All performance based stuff that we’ve had a very good year and the team has delivered fantastic results.

Gregg Adzema

Management

If those numbers go up, our shareholders are also enjoying?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Yes, enjoying that is as well, so it’s not just an internal win, it’s an internal and an external win.

Operator

Operator

And we will proceed with our final question from the line of Young Ku from Wells Fargo. Go right ahead with your question.

Young Ku

Analyst

Just a quick question on the same-store pool, could you remind us when 2100 Ross and Prom gets out of this same-store pool? Wells Fargo Securities: Just a quick question on the same-store pool, could you remind us when 2100 Ross and Prom gets out of this same-store pool?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Our policy on the same-store pool as it has to be, we do it once a year at the beginning of the calendar year and it has to be stabilized at the beginning of that year. So for next year January 1, 2014 something had to have been owned by us and stabilized as of January 1, 2013 and let's see, you'd ask about 816. 816 we didn't purchase until April so that will not be…

Young Ku

Analyst

Actually it was 2100 Ross and Prom. Wells Fargo Securities: Actually it was 2100 Ross and Prom.

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

2100 Ross is still not stabilized and so it will not be in the same property pool for '14, I mean it depends on when it stabilizes whether it rolls in '15 or '16.

Young Ku

Analyst

Okay that's helpful and just to… Wells Fargo Securities: Okay that's helpful and just to…

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

I'm sorry, you asked about Promenade as well, it’s the same story for Promenade although Promenade is much more likely to stabilize before 2100 Ross, but I need those properties to stabilize and have 12 full months of operations before I can enroll them into the same property pool and have good year-over-year comps.

Young Ku

Analyst

And a question on Greenway Plaza, it looks like it had pretty good activity, occupancy went around 300 basis points, how are the lease rates kind of compared to your underwriting, I believe you said that the mark-to-market previously was around 19%, just wondering how that compared to your original expectations? Wells Fargo Securities: And a question on Greenway Plaza, it looks like it had pretty good activity, occupancy went around 300 basis points, how are the lease rates kind of compared to your underwriting, I believe you said that the mark-to-market previously was around 19%, just wondering how that compared to your original expectations?

Colin Connolly

Analyst

Sure this is Colin, and kind of the increase in that occupancy, a lot of that happened, is kind of either some customers that we thought might leave or some leases that were in the pipeline in between when we announced the deal for closing that all had favorable outcomes. And in terms of from an economic standpoint, I think we continue to be very pleasantly surprised at those economics and rents et cetera relative to how we underwrote the transaction.

Young Ku

Analyst

And my last question regarding Apache at Post Oak Central, are there any decision that's been made there, I mean we’ve been hearing that they're going to, they might be building their own tower? Wells Fargo Securities: And my last question regarding Apache at Post Oak Central, are there any decision that's been made there, I mean we’ve been hearing that they're going to, they might be building their own tower?

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Well, they have announced that they have bought some land in the Galleria market and that they're looking at the possibility of building a tower, the thing that's important to note is that lease doesn't expire till 2018. So there's a fair amount of term left on it and we certainly have a really good open dialogue with Apache, they've been at Post Oak for a long time. And I think they'll make that decision in 12 to 18 months when we underwrote the purchase we underwrote with the expectation that they would leave, but they’re in a cyclical business and they won’t make that decision probably for another year or year and a half.

Young Ku

Analyst

And how much were the rents below market? Wells Fargo Securities: And how much were the rents below market?

Gregg Adzema

Management

When we, you are talking about specifically Apache or…

Young Ku

Analyst

Yes. Wells Fargo Securities: Yes.

Gregg Adzema

Management

The overall Post Oak Central I guess, we don't normally provide specific guidance about a specific lease, but when we announced the transaction back in February we disclosed that in our management's estimates the rents were 19% below market, at Post Oak Central, across the three buildings again, similar to my comments on Greenway I think we've been very, very pleasantly surprised at where face rents have moved in at POC relative to how we underwrote the transaction.

Operator

Operator

Thank you very much. And Mr. Gellerstedt we have no further questions at this time, I’ll turn the call back to you.

Larry Gellerstedt

Management

Well, we appreciate everyone joining us today and I want to end the call with a special shout out to the Cousins' team members, when you look at the repositioning that we’ve done in the Company in the last 24 months and specifically this year, all the asset sales, the acquisition the leasing results et cetera, this has just been a phenomenal team effort. And I want to give a shout out to them and thank them on this call. We appreciate everybody joining us today and we look forward to talking to you at the next quarter. Thanks.

Operator

Operator

Thank you very much. And ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the call for today. We thank you for your participation and ask that you disconnect your lines. Have a great day everyone.