Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-158400

The information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is not complete and may be changed. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities, and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion
Preliminary Prospectus, dated September 21, 2010

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To prospectus dated April 3, 2009)

4,000,000 Shares

GRAPHIC

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

Common Stock



              We are selling 4,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ARE." On September 20, 2010, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $73.36 per share.

              Investing in our common stock involves risks. See "Risk factors" on page S-5.

  



 
 
Per Share
 
Total
 
Public offering price   $     $    
Underwriting discount   $     $    
Proceeds, before expenses, to us   $     $    

              In addition to the underwriting discount, the underwriters may receive from purchasers of the shares normal brokerage commissions in amounts agreed with such purchasers.

              The underwriters may also purchase up to 600,000 additional shares of our common stock from us at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount, within 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement to cover overallotments.

              Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

              The shares of our common stock will be ready for delivery on or about September     , 2010.

  



BofA Merrill Lynch        
    J.P. Morgan        
        Goldman, Sachs & Co.
            Barclays Capital
                Citi    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   RBC Capital Markets


Joint Book-Running Managers

The date of this prospectus supplement is September             , 2010.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement

 
  Page

Forward-looking statements

  ii

Summary

  S-1

Risk factors

  S-5

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. 

  S-9

Properties

  S-18

Use of proceeds

  S-23

Capitalization

  S-23

Federal Income Tax Considerations

  S-25

Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)

  S-26

Legal matters

  S-31

Experts

  S-31

Prospectus

About this Prospectus

 
ii

Where You Can Find More Information

  1

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. 

  3

Securities That May Be Offered

  4

Use of Proceeds

  4

Description of Stock

  5

Description of Rights

  10

Description of Warrants

  11

Description of Debt Securities

  12

Description of Global Securities

  18

Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws

  21

Federal Income Tax Considerations

  26

Legal Matters

  39

Experts

  39

Forward-Looking Statements

  39



              You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with any different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference is accurate only as of their respective dates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since those dates.

i



FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

              This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can identify the forward-looking statements by their use of forward-looking words, such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "intends," "plans," "estimates," or "anticipates," or the negative of those words or similar words. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties regarding events, conditions and financial trends that may affect our future plans of operation, business strategy, results of operations and financial position. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or contemplated by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to the following:

              This list of risks and uncertainties, however, is only a summary and is not intended to be exhaustive. For a discussion of these and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from

ii


those contemplated in the forward-looking statements, please see the discussion under "Risk Factors" contained in this prospectus supplement and the other information contained in our publicly available filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2010. We do not undertake any responsibility to update any of these factors or to announce publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

iii



SUMMARY

              The following summary may not contain all of the information that is important to you. You should read this entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference into the accompanying prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. In this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries and "GAAP" refers to United States generally accepted accounting principles. Unless otherwise indicated, the information in this prospectus supplement is as of June 30, 2010 and assumes that the underwriters do not exercise the overallotment option described in "Underwriting."


Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

Overview

              We are a publicly traded REIT focused principally on science-driven cluster formation. We are the leading provider of high-quality, environmentally sustainable real estate, technical infrastructure, and services to the broad and diverse life science industry. We believe the life science industry is the cornerstone to managing and lowering overall healthcare costs. Client tenants include institutional (universities and independent not-for-profit institutions), pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, product, service, and translational entities, as well as government agencies. Our operating platform is based on the principle of "clustering," with assets and operations located in key life science markets.

              As of June 30, 2010:

S-1


Business strategy

              We seek to maximize funds from operations ("FFO"), balance sheet liquidity and flexibility, and cash available for distribution to stockholders through the ownership, operation, management, selective redevelopment, development and acquisition of life science properties, as well as management of our balance sheet. In particular, we seek to maximize FFO, balance sheet liquidity and flexibility, and cash available for distribution by:

              We continue to demonstrate the strength and durability of our core operations providing life science laboratory space to the broad and diverse life science industry. Our core operating results were steady for the six months ended June 30, 2010. We intend to continue to focus on the completion of our existing active redevelopment projects aggregating approximately 552,227 rentable square feet and our existing active development projects aggregating approximately an additional 865,000 rentable square feet. Additionally, we intend to continue with preconstruction activities for certain land parcels for future ground-up/vertical aboveground development in order to preserve and create value for these projects. These important preconstruction activities add significant value to our land for future ground-up development and are required for the ultimate vertical construction of the buildings. We also intend to be very careful and prudent with any future decisions to add new projects to our active ground-up/vertical developments. Future ground-up/vertical development projects will likely require significant pre-leasing from high quality and/or creditworthy entities. We also intend to selectively acquire properties that we believe provide long-term value to our stockholders. Our strategy for acquisitions will focus on quality of the submarket locations, improvements, tenancy, and overall return. We believe the life science industry will remain keenly focused on adjacency locations to key innovative drivers in each major life science submarket. As such, we will also focus on adjacency locations which

S-2


we expect will deliver high cash flows, stability, and returns as we work to deliver the highest value to our stockholders. We intend to continue to reduce debt as a percentage of our overall capital structure over a multi-year period. During this period, we may also extend and/or refinance certain debt maturities. We expect sources of funds for construction activities and repayment of outstanding debt to be provided over several years by opportunistic sales of real estate, joint ventures, cash flows from operations, new secured or unsecured debt, and the issuance of additional equity securities, as appropriate.

First half 2010 highlights

              On July 29, 2010, we announced financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

              For the three months ended June 30, 2010, we:

              For the six months ended June 30, 2010, we:

Recent developments

              In the third quarter of 2010, we exercised our option to extend the maturity date of our $1.15 billion unsecured line of credit from October 29, 2010 to October 29, 2011. We expect to pay the required extension fee of $1.7 million prior to October 29, 2010, the original maturity date. We are currently reviewing a proposal for the amendment and extension of our unsecured line of credit for a

S-3



commitment equal to or approximating the commitment of $1.15 billion on our existing unsecured line of credit. We currently anticipate closing this transaction near the end of the fourth quarter of 2010.

              In July 2010, we repurchased, in a privately negotiated transaction, $7.1 million principal amount of our 8% unsecured convertible notes for an aggregate cash price of approximately $12.8 million. We recognized a loss on early extinguishment of debt related to the repurchase in the third quarter of 2010 of approximately $1.3 million.

              We executed leases aggregating over 570,000 rentable square feet in the third quarter of 2010 and 1.6 million rentable square feet year to date 2010. In the third quarter of 2010, we executed a lease for 100% of a 90,000 rentable square foot ground-up development project in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina on land we currently own. We anticipate funding approximately $13 million for this project. Construction design and budgeting commenced in the third quarter of 2010 and vertical construction is currently expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010.

              In June 2010, the Cambridge Planning Board granted final zoning approval for our life science development known as Alexandria Center™ at Kendall Square. The project is an 11.3 acre development that will consist of approximately 1.7 million rentable square feet of life science space for the East Cambridge community. Located in the heart of the renowned Kendall Square innovation district, tenants for this project will enjoy convenient access to leading research and academic institutions, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology ("MIT"), Whitehead Institute for BioMedical Research, the Broad Institute, and Harvard University. With its crucial adjacency location near the Kendall Square T Station and the MIT campus, the project is positioned to be the epicenter of Cambridge's life science industry. Design, drawings, budgeting, and other preconstruction activities, including funding costs related to these important preconstruction activities, are ongoing. We currently anticipate initiating construction of the first building to this project upon lease up to what we expect will be a high quality tenant.

              On August 9, 2010, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire three life science properties and other selected assets and interests of privately-held Veralliance Properties, Inc. ("Veralliance"), including continuing services from Veralliance Founder and President, Daniel Ryan and other key management and operational personnel. Veralliance is a San Diego-based corporate real estate solutions company focused on the acquisition, development, and management of office and life science assets in Southern California. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010. The three life science properties, located in San Diego, California, contain an aggregate 161,000 rentable square feet and are expected to be purchased for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $50 million and consisted of approximately $35.2 million in cash and our assumption of two secured loans aggregating approximately $14.8 million. We completed the acquisition of one of these properties and expect to complete the acquisition of the other two properties in October 2010.

              In September 2010, we purchased a life science property with approximately 48,500 rentable square feet in the Suburban Washington, D.C. market. The total purchase price was approximately $12.5 million and consisted of approximately $6.2 million in cash and our assumption of a secured loan of approximately $6.3 million. This property is fully leased to a high quality credit life science entity.

              We recently executed a definitive agreement to acquire one life science property and are currently negotiating terms and conditions regarding the potential acquisition of another life science property. These properties are located in two of our life science submarkets. Each property is fully occupied by a leading life science entity and the properties contain an aggregate of approximately 387,000 rentable square feet. The aggregate purchase price for both acquisitions is expected to be approximately $156 million. Because we are currently in negotiations with respect to one acquisition, and the other acquisition is subject to various closing conditions, there can be no assurance that we will complete either acquisition within the time period currently anticipated or at all.

S-4



RISK FACTORS

              An investment in our common stock involves risks. New risks may emerge at any time and we cannot predict such risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our financial performance. You should carefully consider the risks referred to in the section of the accompanying prospectus entitled "Forward-Looking Statements," as well as the risks identified in this prospectus supplement and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2010, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Changes in laws, regulations, and financial accounting standards may adversely affect our reported results of operations.

              As a response in large part to perceived abuses and deficiencies in current regulation believed to have caused or exacerbated the recent global financial crisis, legislative, regulatory, and accounting standard-setting bodies around the world are engaged in an intensive, wide-ranging examination and re-writing of the laws, regulations, and accounting standards that have constituted the basic playing field of global and domestic business for several decades. In many jurisdictions, including the United States, the legislative and regulatory response has included the extensive reorganization of existing regulatory and rulemaking agencies and organizations, and the establishment of new agencies with broad, interest powers. This reorganization has disturbed long-standing regulatory and industry relationships and established procedures.

              The rulemaking and administrative efforts have focused principally on the areas perceived as contributing to the financial crisis, including banking, investment banking, securities regulation, and real estate finance with spillover impacts into many other areas. These initiatives have created a degree of uncertainty regarding the basic rules governing the real estate industry and many other businesses that is unprecedented in the United States at least since the wave of lawmaking, regulatory reform, and governmental reorganization that followed in the wake of the Great Depression.

              The global financial crisis and the aggressive governmental and accounting profession reaction thereto occurs against a backdrop of increasing globalization and internationalization of financial and securities regulation that began prior to the financial crisis. As a result of this ongoing trend, financial and investment activities previously regulated almost exclusively at a local or national level are increasingly regulated, or at least coordinated, on an international basis, with national rulemaking and standard setting groups relinquishing varying degrees of local and national control to achieve more uniform regulation and reduce the ability of market participants to engage in regulatory arbitrage between jurisdictions. This globalization and internationalization trend has continued, arguably with an increased sense of urgency and importance, during the financial crisis.

              This high degree of regulatory uncertainty, coupled with considerable additional uncertainty regarding the underlying condition and prospects of global, domestic, and local economies, has created a business environment characterized by an unusually pronounced lack of "visibility" that makes business planning and projections even more uncertain than is ordinarily the case for businesses in the financial and real estate sectors.

              In the commercial real estate sector in which we operate, the uncertainties posed by various initiatives of accounting standard-setting authorities to rewrite in fundamental respects major bodies of accounting literature constitute a significant source of uncertainty as to the basic rules of business engagement. Changes in accounting standards and requirements, including the potential requirement that United States public companies prepare financial statements in accordance with international standards, and the adoption of accounting standards likely to require the increased use of "fair value" measures, may have a significant effect on our financial results and on the results of our tenants, which would have a secondary impact upon us. New accounting pronouncements and interpretations of existing pronouncements are likely to continue to occur at an accelerated pace as a result of recent

S-5



Congressional and regulatory actions and continuing efforts by the accounting profession itself to reform and modernize its principles and procedures.

              Although we have not been as directly affected by the wave of new legislation and regulation as banks and investment banks, we may also be adversely affected by new or amended laws or regulations, changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws and regulations, and by changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and regulations. In the United States, the financial crisis and continuing economic slowdown has already prompted a list of legislative, regulatory, and accounting profession responses, including the adoption in 2009 by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), of accounting literature which changed in fundamental respects the accounting rules governing sales of financial assets and consolidation of certain entities that have severely curtailed the ability of entities to recognize gain on the sale or securitization of financial assets.

              The federal legislative response has culminated most recently in the enactment on July 21, 2010 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ("Dodd-Frank Act"). The Dodd-Frank Act contains far-reaching provisions that substantially revise, or provide for the revision of, long-standing, fundamental rules governing the banking and investment banking industries, and provide for the broad restructuring of the regulatory authorities in these areas. The Dodd-Frank Act is expected to result in profound changes in the ground rules for financial business activities in the U.S.

              To a large degree, the impacts of the legislative, regulatory, and accounting reforms to date are still not clear. Many of the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act have extended implementation periods and delayed effective dates and will require extensive rulemaking by regulatory authorities. While we do not currently expect the Dodd-Frank Act to have a significant direct effect on us, the Dodd-Frank Act's impact on us may not be known for an extended period of time. The Dodd-Frank Act, including future rules implementing its provisions and the interpretation of those rules, along with other legislative and regulatory proposals directed at the financial or real estate industries or affecting taxation that are proposed or pending in the United States Congress, may limit our revenues, impose fees or taxes on us, and/or intensify the regulatory framework in which we operate in ways that are not currently identifiable. The Dodd-Frank Act is also expected to result in substantial changes and dislocations in the banking industry and the financial services sector in ways, for example, that could have significant consequences on the availability and pricing of unsecured credit, commercial mortgage credit, and derivatives, such as interest rate swaps, that are important aspects of our business. Accordingly, new laws, regulations, and accounting standards, as well as changes to, or new interpretations of, currently accepted accounting practices in the real estate industry, may adversely affect our financial results.

Changes in the system for establishing United States accounting standards may result in adverse fluctuations in our asset and liability values and earnings, and materially and adversely affect our reported results of operations.

              Accounting for public companies in the United States has historically been conducted in accordance with GAAP. GAAP is established by the FASB, an independent body whose standards are recognized by the SEC as authoritative for publicly held companies. The International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") is a London-based independent board established in 2001 and charged with the development of International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). IFRS generally reflects accounting practices that prevail in Europe and in developed nations around the world.

              IFRS differs in material respects from GAAP. Among other things, IFRS has historically relied more on "fair value" models of accounting for assets and liabilities than GAAP. "Fair value" models are based on periodic revaluation of assets and liabilities, often resulting in fluctuations in such values as compared to GAAP, which relies more frequently on historical cost as the basis for asset and liability valuation.

S-6


              The SEC has proposed the mandatory adoption of IFRS by United States public companies starting in 2015, with early adoption permitted before that date. It is unclear at this time how the SEC will propose that GAAP and IFRS be harmonized if the proposed change is adopted. In addition, switching to a new method of accounting and adopting IFRS will be a complex undertaking. We may need to develop new systems and controls based on the principles of IFRS. Since these are new endeavors, and the precise requirements of the pronouncements ultimately adopted are not now known, the magnitude of costs associated with this conversion are uncertain.

              We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of IFRS on our financial position and results of operations. Such evaluation cannot be completed, however, without more clarity regarding the specific IFRS standards that will be adopted. Until there is more certainty with respect to the IFRS standards to be adopted, prospective investors should consider that our conversion to IFRS could have a material adverse impact on our reported results of operations.

Changes in financial accounting standards governing leases and investment properties may cause adverse unexpected fluctuations in our income and asset valuations, which could impact our compliance with debt covenants and adversely affect our reported results of operations.

              In August 2010, a joint committee of the FASB and the IASB issued an exposure draft on a new standard for lease accounting by both lessors and lessees. With respect to accounting by lessors, the exposure draft reflects the FASB's and the IASB's tentative conclusion to adopt one of two accounting models with respect to operating leases, which comprise substantially our entire lease portfolio. A lessor that retains exposure to significant risks or benefits associated with the underlying asset would apply a "performance obligation" approach; otherwise, the lessor would apply the "derecognition" approach. For substantially our entire lease portfolio, we anticipate applying the "performance obligation" approach.

              Under this approach, the underlying leased real estate asset remains on the balance sheet of the lessor and a separate liability for the performance obligation of the lessor—that is, the obligation to make the property available to the lessee and related obligations—would be recorded. In addition, the lessor would recognize an additional asset representing its right to receive rental payments, which would be subsequently measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method which would replace the current straight-line recognition of lease revenue. If the guidance is issued in its current form, we would expect our assets and liabilities to increase substantially relative to the current presentation. Additionally, income on leases previously accounted for as operating leases would be front-end loaded as compared to the existing accounting requirements. Accordingly, the new guidance, if adopted as proposed, may impact key financial metrics, including those which serve or may serve as covenants for our unsecured line of credit and unsecured term loan or any replacement facility.

              The FASB, under a separate but related project, is considering requiring investment properties to be reported at fair value at the end of each quarterly reporting period. Under this proposed guidance, lessors with investment properties would not be subject to the proposed FASB/IASB lease accounting guidance described above with respect to their investment properties. If we are required to fair value our investment properties quarterly, we may experience significant fluctuations in our results of operations from one reporting period to the next.

              The new lease and investment property guidance is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2011, with an effective date no earlier than 2013. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of the proposed lease accounting standard and the anticipated investment property standard on our financial position and results of operations. Such evaluation cannot be completed, however, without more clarity regarding the specific standard that will be adopted. Until there is more certainty with respect to the standards to be adopted, prospective investors should consider that the proposed and anticipated standard could have a material adverse impact on our reported results of operation.

S-7



Changes in laws, regulations, and financial accounting standards applicable to our tenants may materially affect the terms of our leases and demand for our properties, and thereby cause adverse unexpected fluctuations in income and adversely affect our reported results of operations.

              The lease accounting exposure draft issued by the FASB and the IASB would generally require our tenants to establish an asset on their balance sheet representing the right to occupy and use the leased property and an offsetting liability representing the tenant's lease payment obligation. For many life science companies whose intellectual property and other assets do not carry high balance sheet values, the cost of the tenant's premises constitutes one of the tenant's most significant financial attributes, and the new requirement to record an asset and a liability reflecting the right to use and the payment obligation with respect to a leased property as balance sheet entries could have a significant impact on the structuring of new and renewal leases in the future.

              For example, all other things being equal, lessees may negotiate for shorter-term leases or other features that would result in relatively lower recognition of balance sheet asset and liability related to leases. Moreover, some lessees who decided to lease rather than purchase their premises to avoid recording the value of the property as an asset and the amount of an associated mortgage as a liability may in the future purchase rather than lease their premises if the standard is adopted as proposed.

              Non-accounting legal developments affecting a significant portion of our tenant base could also have unforeseen, and potentially materially adverse, impacts on our business and results of operations. For example, changes in tax rules regarding the treatment of research and development costs, and governmental incentives to life science companies to locate in particular geographic markets in the United States or in foreign jurisdictions, could systematically impact our tenants' siting decisions in favor of markets in the United States or in foreign jurisdictions in which we do not have a significant presence.

              We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of the proposed lease accounting standard on our tenants' financial position and results of operations, as well as the likely impact of the standard on the lease preferences of our tenants. Such evaluation cannot be completed, however, without more clarity regarding the specific standard that will be adopted. Until there is more certainty with respect to the standard to be adopted and the impact thereof on our tenants, prospective investors should consider that the imposition of the lease accounting standard on our tenants could ultimately have a material adverse impact on our reported results of operations.

S-8



ALEXANDRIA REAL ESTATE EQUITIES, INC.

General

              We are a Maryland corporation formed in October 1994 that has elected to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. We are the largest owner and preeminent REIT focused principally on cluster development through the ownership, operation, management, selective redevelopment, development, and acquisition of properties containing life science laboratory space. We are the leading provider of high-quality, environmentally sustainable real estate, technical infrastructure, and services to the broad and diverse life science industry. Client tenants include institutional (universities and independent not-for-profit institutions), pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, product, service, and translational entities, as well as government agencies. Our operating platform is based on the principle of "clustering," with assets and operations located in key life science markets. As of June 30, 2010, we had 161 properties approximating 12.7 million rentable square feet consisting of 156 properties approximating 11.8 million rentable square feet (including spaces undergoing active redevelopment) and five properties undergoing ground-up development approximating an additional 865,000 rentable square feet. As of that date, our properties were approximately 94.0% leased, excluding spaces at properties undergoing a permanent change in use to life science laboratory space through redevelopment, including the conversion of single-tenancy space to multi-tenancy space or multi-tenancy space to single-tenancy space.

Business and Strategy

              We focus our property operations and investment activities principally in the following life science markets:

              Each of these areas is an important market for the life science industry. To facilitate research and development, technology transfer, and recruitment of scientific professionals, life science industry companies generally cluster near major scientific research institutions, universities, and government agencies, all of which drive demand for life science properties suitable for such tenants. As a result, we focus our operations and acquisition activities principally in a limited number of target markets where we believe life science industry tenants tend to cluster.

              The multibillion dollar life science industry comprises thousands of public and private companies and scientific research institutions engaged principally in the research, development, testing, manufacture, sale, and regulation of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, laboratory instrumentation, and other related applications. Properties leased to tenants in the life science industry typically consist of buildings containing scientific research and development laboratories and other improvements that are generic to tenants operating in the life science industry. Unlike traditional office space, the location of and improvements to life science properties are generally considered essential to a tenant's business. We believe that as a result of these factors, occupancy levels in life science properties within our target

S-9



life science markets generally have been higher, and tenant turnover has been lower, than in traditional office properties. Our average occupancy at December 31 of each year from 1997 to 2009 and June 30, 2010 was approximately 95.2%, excluding properties undergoing redevelopment.

              We are led by a senior management team with extensive experience in both the real estate and life science industries and are supported by a highly experienced board of directors. Our management team includes Joel S. Marcus, who has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since May 2007, Chief Executive Officer since March 1997, President since February 2009, and a director since the Company's inception in 1994 and has over 37 years of experience in the real estate and life science industries, as well as significant capital markets experience; Dean A. Shigenaga, who has served as Treasurer since March 2008, Senior Vice President since April 2007, and Chief Financial Officer since December 2004 and has over 17 years of experience in finance, accounting, treasury management, and real estate; Peter M. Moglia, who has served as Chief Investment Officer since January 2009 and in a number of other capacities with the Company since April 1998 and has over 19 years of experience in the real estate industry primarily in underwriting and financial analyses, structuring, and executing transactions, leasing, and asset management; Thomas J. Andrews, our Senior Vice President and Regional Market Director—Massachusetts, who has over 21 years of experience in the development, management, and leasing of life science space in Massachusetts and leads our acquisition, development, leasing, and management activities in the New England region; and Stephen A. Richardson, our Senior Vice President and Regional Market Director—San Francisco Bay, who has over 27 years of experience in the real estate industry and has specialized for much of his career in the acquisition, management, and leasing of life science properties and is responsible for our San Francisco Bay area life science real estate asset base including the Alexandria Center™ for Science and Technology at Mission Bay. Our team also includes James H. Richardson, our former President and current Director and long-term consultant to the Company. Mr. Richardson has over 27 years of experience in the real estate industry, and has specialized for much of his career in the acquisition, management, and leasing of life science properties. Additionally, our team includes Peter J. Nelson, our former chief financial officer, who is also an active long-term consultant to the Company. Mr. Nelson has over 27 years of experience in finance, accounting, real estate asset management, and leasing. Each of our regional offices are fully integrated into our overall business and led by regional market directors and support personnel.

              We seek to maximize FFO, balance sheet liquidity and flexibility, and cash available for distribution to stockholders through the ownership, operation, management, selective redevelopment, development and acquisition of life science properties, as well as management of our balance sheet. In particular, we seek to maximize FFO, balance sheet liquidity and flexibility, and cash available for distribution by:

S-10


Value-Added Activities

              A key component of our business is our value-added redevelopment and development programs. These programs are focused on providing high quality generic life science space to meet the real estate requirements of various life science industry tenants. Redevelopment projects consist of the permanent change in use of office, warehouse and shell space into generic life science space, including the conversion of single tenancy space to multi tenancy spaces. Development projects consist of the ground-up development of generic life science facilities. Preconstruction projects include significant value added projects undergoing important and substantial activities to bring these assets to their intended use. These critical activities add significant value for future ground-up development (which are projected to yield substantial revenues and cash flows) and are required for the ultimate vertical construction of buildings. Amounts are classified as construction in progress as required under GAAP while construction activities are ongoing to bring the asset to its intended use. When construction activities cease, the asset is transferred out of construction in progress and classified as rental properties, net or land held for future development.

              Land held for future development includes certain land parcels with improvements to the land, including, grading, piles, foundations, and other land improvements. Future redevelopment represents properties containing non-laboratory uses (office, industrial, or warehouse) for future conversion to life science laboratory space.

              A key strategy for our value-added activities will include generation of significant cash flows through the ground-up development or redevelopment of life science properties and the lease or sale of land parcels.

S-11


              The following table summarizes the components of our total value-added square footage as of June 30, 2010:

 
  Square Footage  
 
  Construction in Progress ("CIP")    
   
   
   
 
Markets   Redevelop-
ment
  Development   Pre-
construction
  New
Markets
and Other
Projects(1)
  Total
CIP
  Investment in
Unconsolidated
Real Estate
Entity
  Land   Future
Redevelop-
ment
  Total Value-
Added
Square
Footage
 

California—San Diego

    157,854     -     -     -     157,854     -     443,000     178,000     778,854  

California—San Francisco Bay/ Mission Bay

    -     263,000     2,030,000     -     2,293,000     -     290,000     -     2,583,000  

California—San Francisco Bay/ So. San Francisco

    -     292,000     144,000     -     436,000     -     1,051,000     25,000     1,512,000  

Eastern Massachusetts

    240,660     -     1,669,000     -     1,909,660     428,000     225,000     522,000     3,084,660  

Suburban Washington, D.C. 

    153,713     -     -     -     153,713     -     952,000     390,000     1,495,713  

Washington—Seattle

    -     -     248,000     -     248,000     -     1,049,000     318,000     1,615,000  

International and Other

    -     310,000     260,000     1,091,000     1,661,000     -     1,568,000     222,000     3,451,000  
                                       

Total

    552,227     865,000     4,351,000     1,091,000     6,859,227     428,000 (2)   5,578,000 (3)   1,655,000 (4)   14,520,227  
                                       

(1)
Includes site of future building approximating 410,000 rentable square feet related to our project in New York City and four buildings aggregating 547,000 rentable square feet related to two ground-up development projects in China.

(2)
Represents a land parcel supporting ground-up development of approximately 428,000 rentable square feet in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston held by an unconsolidated real estate entity.

(3)
Our objective is to advance preconstruction efforts to reduce the time to deliver projects to prospective tenants. Since all efforts have been advanced to appropriate stages and no further preconstruction activities are ongoing, interest, property taxes, insurance, and other costs are expensed as incurred. Represents land and land improvements (site work and piles for foundation) related to land parcels that have been advanced through entitlement and certain levels of design. Amounts exclude a parcel supporting ground-up development of approximately 442,000 rentable square feet in New York City that we have an option to ground lease for future development, and land parcels supporting ground-up development of 924,000 rentable square feet in Edinburgh, Scotland that we have a long-term right to purchase.

(4)
Square footage related to future redevelopment is included in our operating asset base.

              Our significant value-added projects include preconstruction activities at certain land parcels including: a) approximately 2.2 million developable square feet in San Francisco, including approximately 2.0 million developable square feet at Mission Bay, b) approximately 1.7 million developable square feet in Eastern Massachusetts located along Binney Street in Kendall Square, and c) approximately 0.5 million developable square feet located in other key life science cluster markets.

San Francisco Bay—Mission Bay and South San Francisco Value-Added Preconstruction Activities

              The value-added preconstruction activities in Mission Bay and South San Francisco will create high quality space in state-of-the-art environmentally sustainable facilities for our clients generating value and net operating income for the Company. The entitlement process includes a multitude of activities necessary for the vertical construction of these high quality facilities including, among other items, regulatory approval, mapping, conceptual design, schematic design, design development, permitting, construction drawings, and estimating. Our value-added projects in Mission Bay and South San Francisco, that have been completed or are now under construction, have attracted Merck & Co., Inc., Celgene Corporation, Pfizer Inc., Roche Holding Ltd, Bayer AG, Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc., and the University of California, San Francisco ("UCSF").

S-12


              In addition to the opportunities located at Mission Bay, our asset base contains a broad pipeline of opportunities located in South San Francisco. This includes, among others, a high-quality facility with entitlements completed totaling over 275,000 square feet and a four-building campus totaling an additional 405,000 square feet located nearby existing well established and emerging life science companies in South San Francisco.

              The Alexandria Center™ for Science and Technology at Mission Bay will consist of 14 high-quality facilities totaling approximately 2.8 million rentable square feet. The project site is organized into four discrete but highly interactive and collaborative campuses: the north campus which includes the project leased to Pfizer Inc. and Bayer AG; the east campus, featuring the ability to accommodate a corporate headquarters facility of more than one million square feet; the south campus which is directly across the street from the UCSF hospital complex and likely to become an important location for physicians, clinicians and translational researchers; and the west campus which features a wide range of unique life science client tenant spaces.

              At the heart of Mission Bay is UCSF, one of the nation's top generators of life science commercial enterprises and the number two recipient of grants from the National Institutes of Health. At least 75 California life science companies, including two of the largest, Genentech, Inc. (now a subsidiary of Roche) and Chiron Corporation (now a subsidiary of Novartis AG), have been successfully launched by UCSF faculty or alumni. UCSF's expansion of major research functions to its Mission Bay campus serves as a hub for basic scientific inquiry and a meeting place for academics from around the world. The wide range of UCSF's sophisticated laboratories include the Center for Advanced Technology, as well as significant efforts in structural and chemical biology, molecular, cell and developmental biology, advanced microscopy, neurology, and cardiology. Finally, the UCSF Mission Bay hospital campus is in the design phase, and will initially offer 280 beds in an integrated facility to serve women, children, and cancer patients. Construction is expected to begin in late 2010 or early 2011. The overriding emphasis of this array of diverse life science entities is to translate research discoveries into viable commercial products to solve critical unmet medical needs.

Eastern Massachusetts Value-Added Preconstruction Activities

              In June 2010, the Cambridge Planning Board granted final zoning approval for our life science development, known as the Alexandria Center™ at Kendall Square (the "Alexandria Center-KS"). The Alexandria Center-KS is an 11.3-acre development that will consist of approximately 1.7 million square feet of life science space and other uses located in East Cambridge. It will include a mixed mode transportation center and more than two acres of public open space for the East Cambridge community. Once completed, the Alexandria Center-KS will have five highly sustainable state-of-the-art life science facilities in addition to the preservation of existing historic buildings. All buildings will be LEED certifiable, employing state-of-the-art design and technology featuring sustainable operations including high-efficiency mechanical systems, rooftop storm water management and water-efficient landscaping. Located in the heart of the renowned Kendall Square innovation district, Alexandria Center-KS tenants will enjoy convenient access to leading research and academic institutions including MIT, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, the Broad Institute, and Harvard University. With its crucial adjacency location near the Kendall Square T Station and the MIT campus, the Alexandria Center-KS is positioned to be the epicenter of Cambridge's life science industry.

              Immediately adjacent to the Alexandria Center-KS, we recently completed the conversion of an approximately 52,000 rentable square foot portion of an existing office building known as Athenaeum Center into life science space and expect to complete the conversion of an additional 33,000 rentable square foot portion of the Athenaeum Center into life science space in the second half of 2010. The remaining space in the Athenaeum Center, constituting approximately 281,000 rentable square feet of office space, is substantially leased.

S-13


              Nearby in Cambridge, at our flagship Technology Square campus, design and engineering is underway for the conversion of an existing office building into an approximately 210,000 rentable square foot life science laboratory building. The design will include a dramatic new façade treatment on the building, along with substantial infrastructure and system upgrades needed to support laboratory use. Previously, an approximately 175,000 square foot office building at Technology Square was converted to life science laboratory use and substantially leased to Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a division of GlaxoSmithKline plc, the Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research, and a unit of Pfizer Inc.

              Elsewhere in the Eastern Massachusetts region, design activities are ongoing at Longwood Center, our approximately 428,000 rentable square foot life science development located on a 1.0 acre parcel in the heart of Boston's Longwood Medical Area ("LMA"). This project, partnered with a local development/investment group, has been entitled under the City of Boston's site plan review process. The LMA is a compact and vibrant district which is home to world-renowned medical and academic institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Womens' Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Childrens' Hospital Boston, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Joslin Diabetes Center, among several others. Fully entitled land sites are extremely scarce in the LMA and we believe that Longwood Center is well-positioned to accommodate expected growth within the district.

New Markets and Other Projects

              A component of our business model also includes ground-up development projects in new markets and other projects. We have two development parcels in China. One development parcel is located in South China where a two-building project aggregating approximately 275,000 rentable square feet is under construction. The second development parcel is located in North China where a two-building project aggregating approximately 272,000 rentable square feet is under construction.

              Additionally, other projects include construction related to site work, plaza, park and underground parking at the Alexandria Center™ for Life Science—New York City, a unique one-of-a-kind highly advanced state-of-the-art urban science park in the city and in the adjoining future building approximating 410,000 rentable square feet.

Redevelopment

              A key component of our business model is redevelopment of existing office, warehouse, shell space, or newly acquired properties into generic life science laboratory space, including the conversion of single-tenancy space to multi-tenancy space or multi-tenancy space to single-tenancy space that can be leased at higher rental rates in our target life science cluster markets. As of June 30, 2010, we had approximately 552,227 rentable square feet undergoing redevelopment at eleven projects. In addition to properties undergoing redevelopment, as of June 30, 2010, our asset base contained embedded opportunities for a future permanent change of use to life science laboratory space through redevelopment aggregating approximately 1.7 million rentable square feet.

S-14


              The following table summarizes total rentable square footage undergoing redevelopment as of June 30, 2010:

 
   
   
   
  Redevelopment
 
   
   
   
   
  Percentage(2)    
Markets/Submarkets   Total
Property
RSF(1)
  Placed in
Redevelop-
ment
  Estimated
In-Service
Dates
  RSF   Leased   Negotiating/
Commmited
  Mktg   Status

California—San Diego/ Torrey Pines

    76,084   2007   2010     20,838     -     62%     38%   Construction

California—San Diego/ Torrey Pines

    81,816   2010   2012     81,816     -     -     100%   Design

California—San Diego/ Torrey Pines

    55,200   2010   2012     55,200     -     -     100%   Design

Eastern Massachusetts/ Cambridge

    366,412   2007   2010     33,001     -     100%     -   Construction

Eastern Massachusetts/ Cambridge

    194,776   2009   2012     17,114     -     -     100%   Design

Eastern Massachusetts/ Suburban

    92,500   2010   2012     47,500     -     -     100%   Design

Eastern Massachusetts/ Suburban

    113,045   2007   2010     113,045     -     -     100%   Construction

Eastern Massachusetts/ Suburban

    30,000   2008   2010     30,000     -     -     100%   Design/Construction

Suburban Washington, D.C./ Shady Grove

    58,632   2009   2010     58,632     100%     -     -   Design/Construction

Suburban Washington, D.C./ Shady Grove

    225,096   2009   2011     77,211     -     100%     -   Design

Suburban Washington, D.C./ Shady Grove

    38,203   2010   2012     17,870     -     61%     39%   Design/Construction
                                 

    1,331,764             552,227     11%     24%     65%    
                                 

(1)
The operating portion of the properties aggregating 779,537 rentable square feet, including vacancy aggregating 38,000 rentable square feet, is included in rental properties, net and occupancy statistics for our operating properties.

(2)
The leasing status percentages represent the percentage of redevelopment rentable square feet and excludes both the occupied and vacant rentable square feet related to the operating portion of the building.

              As of June 30, 2010, our estimated cost to complete was approximately $70 per rentable square foot for the 552,227 rentable square feet undergoing a permanent change in use to life science laboratory space through redevelopment. Our final costs for these redevelopment projects will ultimately depend on many factors, including construction requirements for each tenant, final lease negotiations and the amount of costs funded by each tenant.

              There can be no assurance that we will be able to complete spaces undergoing redevelopment or initiate additional redevelopment projects. Redevelopment activities subject us to many risks, including delays in permitting, financing availability, engaging contractors, availability and pricing of materials and labor, and other redevelopment uncertainties. In addition, there can be no assurance that, upon completion, we will be able to successfully lease the space or lease the space at rental rates at or above the returns on our investment anticipated by our stockholders.

Development

              Another key component of our business model is ground-up development. Our development strategy is primarily to pursue selective projects where we expect to achieve appropriate investment returns. We generally have undertaken ground-up development projects only if our investment in infrastructure will be substantially made for generic, rather than tenant specific, improvements. As of June 30, 2010, we had five parcels of land undergoing ground-up development in the United States

S-15



approximating 865,000 rentable square feet of life science laboratory space as summarized in the table below. We also have an embedded pipeline for future ground-up development of approximately 11.4 million developable square feet. Future ground-up/vertical development projects will likely require significant pre-leasing from high quality and/or creditworthy entities.

Markets/Submarkets
  Building
Description
  Estimated
In-Service
Dates
  Leased   Negotiating/
Committed
  Marketing   Rentable
Square Feet
  Leasing Status

California—San Francisco Bay/ Mission Bay

  Multi-tenant Bldg. with 3% Retail   2010     78%     22%     -     158,000   158,000 Rentable Square Feet Leased or Committed to UCSF and a Large Cap Life Science Company

California—San Francisco Bay/ Mission Bay

  Multi-tenant Bldg. with 4% Retail   2011     47%     25%     28%     105,000   49,000 Rentable Square Feet Leased to Bayer AG

California—San Francisco Bay/ So. San Francisco

  Two Bldgs., Single or Multi-tenant   2010     -     -     100%     162,000   Redesign for Multi-Tenancy at Both Buildings

California—San Francisco Bay/ So. San Francisco

  Single Tenant Bldg.   2010     100%     -     -     130,000   100% Leased to Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc.

New York—New York City— East Tower

  Multi-tenant Bldg. with 6% Retail   2010/2011     54%     38%     8%     310,000   104,000 Rentable Square Feet Leased to Eli Lilly and Company; Leased 60,000 Rentable Square Feet for Office/Laboratory Space and Restaurant/Food, Conference Center, and Core Services; Current Life Science Laboratory and Office Negotiations for Substantially All Remaining Space
                             

Total Properties Undergoing Ground-Up Development

    54%     21%     25%     865,000    
                             

              As of June 30, 2010, our estimated cost to complete the approximately 865,000 rentable square feet undergoing ground-up development was approximately $93 per rentable square foot. This estimate includes costs related to tenant infrastructure costs, including requirements for executed leases with Eli Lilly and Company, UCSF, Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Bayer AG. This estimate also includes certain costs related to incremental investment by the Company with incremental returns which are beyond the original estimated investment anticipated at the beginning of each project. Our final costs for these projects will ultimately depend on many factors, including construction and infrastructure requirements for each tenant, final lease negotiations, and the amount of costs funded by each tenant.

S-16


              Our business model also includes ground-up development projects outside of the United States, including the ability to develop up to 924,000 rentable square feet in Edinburgh, Scotland. We have a right to purchase the land for this development over the next 13 years. We have a development site in Toronto, Canada for the ground-up development of a multi-story building aggregating 763,000 rentable square feet. This parcel is subject to a 99-year ground lease. We also have two development parcels in Asia. One development parcel is located in South China where a two-building project aggregating 275,000 rentable square feet is under construction. The second development parcel is located in North China where a two-building project aggregating 272,000 rentable square feet is under construction. Our final costs for these projects will ultimately depend on many factors, including construction requirements for each tenant, final lease negotiations, and the amount of costs funded by each tenant. Future ground-up/vertical development projects will likely require significant pre-leasing from high quality and/or creditworthy entities.

Financing and Working Capital

              We expect to continue meeting our short term liquidity requirements generally through our working capital and net cash provided by operating activities. We believe that the net cash provided by operating activities will continue to be sufficient to enable us to make distributions necessary to continue qualifying as a REIT. We also believe that net cash provided by operating activities will be sufficient to fund recurring non-revenue enhancing capital expenditures, tenant improvements, and leasing commissions.

              We expect to meet certain long term liquidity requirements, such as for property development, redevelopment, other construction projects, scheduled debt maturities, and non-recurring capital improvements, through net cash provided by operating activities, periodic asset sales, long term secured and unsecured indebtedness, including borrowings under our unsecured line of credit and unsecured term loan, and the issuance of additional debt and/or equity securities.

Solid and Flexible Balance Sheet with Adequate Liquidity

              Our goal is to maintain a solid and flexible balance sheet with adequate liquidity. As of June 30, 2010:

S-17



PROPERTIES

General

              As of June 30, 2010, we had 161 properties approximating 12.7 million rentable square feet consisting of 156 properties approximating 11.8 million rentable square feet (including spaces undergoing active redevelopment) and five properties undergoing ground-up development approximating an additional 865,000 rentable square feet. Excluding properties undergoing redevelopment, our properties were approximately 94.0% leased as of June 30, 2010. The exteriors of our properties typically resemble traditional office properties, but the interior infrastructures are designed to accommodate the needs of life science industry tenants. These improvements typically are generic to life science industry tenants rather than being specific to a particular tenant. As a result, we believe that the improvements have long term value and utility and are usable by a wide range of life science industry tenants. Generic infrastructure improvements to our life science properties typically include:

              As of June 30, 2010, we held a fee simple interest in each of our properties, except for 19 properties that accounted for approximately 17% of the total rentable square footage of our properties. Of the 19 properties, we held three properties in the San Francisco Bay market, one property in the Southeast market, two properties in the Suburban Washington, D.C. market and 13 properties in the Eastern Massachusetts market pursuant to ground leasehold interests.

              As of June 30, 2010, we had 427 leases with a total of 350 tenants, and 74 of our 161 properties were single-tenant properties. Leases in our multi-tenant buildings typically have terms of three to seven years, while the single-tenant building leases typically have initial terms of 10 to 20 years. As of June 30, 2010:

              Our leases also typically give us the right to review and approve tenant alterations to the property. Generally, tenant-installed improvements to the properties are reusable generic office/

S-18



laboratory improvements and remain our property after termination of the lease at our election. However, we are permitted under the terms of most of our leases to require that the tenant, at its expense, remove certain non-generic improvements and restore the premises to their original condition.

Location of Properties

              The locations of our properties are diversified among a number of life science markets. The following table sets forth, as of June 30, 2010, the rentable square footage, number of properties, annualized base rent, and occupancy of our properties in each of our existing markets (dollars in thousands):

 
  June 30, 2010  
 
  Rentable Square Feet    
   
   
 
 
  Number of
Properties
  Annualized
Base Rent(1)
  Occupancy
Percentage(1)(2)
 
Markets   Operating   Redevelopment   Development   Total  

California—San Diego

    1,507,621     157,854     -     1,665,475     32   $ 40,519     86.9 %

California—San Francisco Bay

    1,577,193     -     555,000     2,132,193     22     54,062     96.6  

Eastern Massachusetts

    3,220,332     240,660     -     3,460,992     38     115,929     94.4  

New Jersey/Suburban Philadelphia

    459,904     -     -     459,904     8     9,302     83.5  

New York City

    -     -     310,000     310,000     1     -     -  

Southeast

    718,068     -     -     718,068     12     15,788     94.1  

Suburban Washington, D.C. 

    2,339,087     153,713     -     2,492,800     31     49,419     95.8  

Washington—Seattle

    1,090,205     -     -     1,090,205     13     35,052     97.5  

International

    342,394     -     -     342,394     4     8,959     100.0  
                               

Total Properties (Continuing Operations)

    11,254,804     552,227     865,000     12,672,031     161   $ 329,030     94.0 %
                               

(1)
Annualized base rent means the annualized fixed base rental amount in effect as of June 30, 2010 (using rental revenue computed on a straight-line basis in accordance with GAAP). Annualized base rent and occupancy percentages relate to our operating properties aggregating 11,254,804 rentable square feet.

(2)
Including spaces undergoing a permanent change in use to life science laboratory space through redevelopment, including the conversion of single-tenancy space to multi-tenancy space or multi-tenancy space to single-tenancy space, occupancy as of June 30, 2010 was 89.6%.

              Our average occupancy rate of operating properties as of December 31 of each year from 1997 to 2009 and June 30, 2010 was approximately 95.2%. Our average occupancy rate (including spaces undergoing redevelopment) as of December 31 of each year from 1997 to 2009 and June 30, 2010 was approximately 89.3%.

S-19


Life Science Sector Diversification

              Our tenant base is broad and diverse within the life science industry and reflects our focus on regional, national, and international tenants with substantial financial and operational resources. The following chart shows the percentage of annualized base rent by tenant business type for our properties as of June 30, 2010:

GRAPHIC

S-20


Tenants

              Our life science properties are leased principally to a diverse group of tenants, with no tenant being responsible for more than 8.0% of our annualized base rent. The following table sets forth information regarding leases with our 20 largest tenants based upon annualized base rent as of June 30, 2010:


Twenty Largest Tenants

 
   
   
  Remaining Lease
Term in Years
   
   
   
   
  Investment Grade Entities    
 
 
   
   
  Approximate
Aggregate
Rentable
Square Feet
  Percentage of
Aggregate
Total Square
Feet
   
  Percentage
of Aggregate
Annualized
Base Rent
   
 
 
   
  Number of
Leases
  Annualized
Base Rent(3)
(in thousands)
  Fitch
Rating
(4)
  Moody's
Rating
(4)
  S&P
Rating
(4)
  Education/
Research
 
Tenant   (1)   (2)  

1

 

Novartis AG

    6     6.3 (5)   6.5     442,621     3.7 % $ 26,368     8.0 %   AA     Aa2     AA-     -  

2

 

Roche Holding Ltd

    5     7.3 (6)   7.5     387,813     3.3     14,834     4.5     AA-     A2     AA-     -  

3

 

GlaxoSmithKline plc

    6     4.9 (7)   6.0     350,278     3.0     14,474     4.4     A+     A1     A+     -  

4

 

ZymoGenetics, Inc.(8)

    2     8.9     8.9     203,369     1.7     8,747     2.7     -     -     -     -  

5

 

United States Government

    7     3.2 (9)   3.1     310,823     2.6     8,556     2.6     AAA     Aaa     AAA     -  

6

 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    3     4.3 (10)   4.0     178,952     1.5     8,111     2.5     -     Aaa     AAA     ü  

7

 

Theravance, Inc.(11)

    2     1.8 (12)   1.8 (12)   170,244     1.4     6,137     1.9     -     -     -     -  

8

 

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

    3     5.9 (13)   6.0     168,308     1.4     5,761     1.7     -     -     -     -  

9

 

Gilead Sciences, Inc. 

    1     10.0     10.0     105,760     0.9     5,678     1.7     -     -     -     -  

10

 

Pfizer Inc. 

    2     9.5 (14)   9.4     120,140     1.0     5,647     1.7     AA     A1     AA     -  

11

 

The Scripps Research Institute

    2     6.4 (15)   6.4     96,500     0.8     5,193     1.6     -     -     -     ü  

12

 

Forrester Research, Inc. 

    1     1.3 (16)   1.3 (16)   145,551     1.2     4,987     1.5     -     -     -     -  

13

 

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(17)

    1     6.3     6.3     95,410     0.8     4,466     1.3     -     -     -     -  

14

 

Dyax Corp. 

    1     1.7     1.7     67,373     0.6     4,361     1.3     -     -     -     -  

15

 

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated

    1     6.5     6.5     248,186     2.1     4,341     1.3     BBB+     Baa2     BBB+     -  

16

 

Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

    2     2.5     2.5     67,167     0.6     4,302     1.3     -     -     -     -  

17

 

UMass Memorial Health Care

    6     5.6 (18)   5.3     189,722     1.6     3,953     1.2     -     -     -     ü  

18

 

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

    2     4.0 (19)   4.1     123,322     1.1     3,854     1.2     -     -     -     ü  

19

 

Merck & Co., Inc. 

    2     2.9 (20)   3.6     102,196     0.9     3,847     1.2     A+     Aa3     AA-     -  

20

 

Qiagen N.V. 

    2     5.7 (21)   5.7     158,879     1.4     3,845     1.2     -     -     -     -  
                                                           

 

Total/Weighted Average:

    57     5.5     5.8     3,732,614     31.6 % $ 147,462     44.8 %                        
                                                           

(1)
Represents remaining lease term in years based on percentage of leased square feet.

(2)
Represents remaining lease term in years based on percentage of annualized base rent in effect as of June 30, 2010.

(3)
Annualized base rent means the annualized fixed base rental amount in effect as of June 30, 2010 (using rental revenue computed on a straight-line basis in accordance with GAAP).

(4)
Ratings obtained from each respective rating agency (Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investors Service, and Standard & Poor's, respectively).

(5)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 255,441 rentable square feet, 17,980 rentable square feet, 81,441 rentable square feet, 24,386 rentable square feet, 16,188 rentable square feet,and 47,185 rentable square feet, with remaining lease terms of 7.8 years, 5.4 years, 4.8 years, 4.3 years, 4.0 years, and 3.3 years, respectively.

(6)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 155,685 rentable square feet, 126,971 rentable square feet, 66,262 rentable square feet, 16,406 rentable square feet, and 22,489 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 8.8 years, 8.3 years, 4.3 years, 3.4 years, and 3.3 years, respectively.

(7)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 128,759 rentable square feet (representing two leases at two properties containing 68,000 and 60,759 rentable square feet, respectively), 52,627 rentable square feet, 17,932 rentable square feet, and 150,960 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 9.8 years, 7.5 years, 1.3 years, and 0.4 years, respectively.

(8)
As of March 31, 2010, Novo Nordisk A/S owned approximately 27% of ZymoGenetics, Inc.

(9)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 2,618 rentable square feet, 81,580 rentable square feet, 114,568 rentable square feet (representing three leases at three properties containing 50,325 rentable square feet, 9,337 rentable square feet and, 54,906 rentable square feet, respectively), 105,000 rentable square feet, and 7,057 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 5.3 years, 4.8 years, 3.3 years, 1.9 years, and 0.1 years, respectively.

(10)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 83,561 rentable square feet, 86,515 rentable square feet, and 8,876 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 5.9 years, 3.0 years, and 1.3 years, respectively.

S-21


(11)
As of April 30, 2010, GlaxoSmithKline plc owned 13% of the outstanding stock of Theravance, Inc.

(12)
Lease extension was executed in July 2010. Including the lease extension, remaining lease term in years based on percentage of leased square feet and on percentage of annualized base rent in effect as of June 30, 2010 would have been 9.9 years.

(13)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 71,510 rentable square feet and 96,798 rentable square feet (representing two leases at two properties containing 45,030 rentable square feet and 51,768 rentable square feet, respectively) with remaining lease terms of 7.6 years and 4.6 years, respectively.

(14)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 102,283 rentable square feet and 17,857 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 9.6 years and 8.8 years, respectively.

(15)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 19,606 rentable square feet and 76,894 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 7.3 years and 6.2 years, respectively.

(16)
Space is targeted for redevelopment into single or multi-tenancy laboratory space upon lease expiration.

(17)
As of March 31, 2010, Novartis AG owned approximately 13% of the outstanding stock of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(18)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 30,187 rentable square feet, 78,916 rentable square feet, 6,125 rentable square feet, 6,669 rentable square feet, 31,260 rentable square feet, 33,244 rentable square feet, 1,578 rentable square feet, and 1,743 rentable square feet, with remaining lease terms of 7.5 years, 7.4 years, 4.3 years, 4.2 years, 3.4 years, 2.8 years, 0.5 years, and 0.2 years, respectively.

(19)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 106,425 rentable square feet and 16,897 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 4.4 years and 1.7 years, respectively.

(20)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 67,473 rentable square feet and 34,723 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 4.3 years and 0.3 years, respectively.

(21)
Amount shown is a weighted average of multiple leases with this tenant for 143,585 rentable square feet and 15,294 rentable square feet with remaining lease terms of 6.3 years and 0.7 years, respectively.

Property and Lease Information

              The following table provides information with respect to lease expirations at our properties as of June 30, 2010:

Year of Lease
Expiration
  Number of
Leases Expiring
  Rentable Square
Footage of
Expiring Leases
  Percentage of
Aggregate
Total Rentable
Square Feet
  Annualized Base Rent
of Expiring Leases
(per rentable
square foot)
 
  2010   37(1)     588,126 (1)   5.0 % $ 25.72  
  2011   75          1,458,877     12.4     26.84  
  2012   75          1,457,474     12.3     32.82  
  2013   73          1,231,770     10.4     29.10  
  2014   50          1,157,012     9.8     28.76  
  2015   39          796,580     6.7     28.20  
  2016   21          1,115,594     9.4     31.91  
  2017   14          696,759     5.9     34.50  
  2018   12          834,738     7.1     40.16  
  2019     6          239,605     2.0     35.58  

(1)
Excludes five month-to-month leases for approximately 19,000 rentable square feet.

              Our revenues are derived primarily from rental payments and reimbursement of operating expenses under our leases. If a tenant experiences a downturn in its business or other types of financial distress, it may be unable to make timely payments under its lease. Also, if tenants decide not to renew their leases or terminate early, we may not be able to re-lease the space. Even if tenants decide to renew or lease space, the terms of renewals or new leases, including the cost of any tenant improvements, concessions and lease commissions, may be less favorable to us than current lease terms. Consequently, we could lose the cash flow from the affected properties, which could negatively impact our business. We may have to divert cash flow generated by other properties to meet our mortgage payments, if any, or to pay other expenses related to owning the affected properties.

S-22



USE OF PROCEEDS

              We expect to receive approximately $             million in net proceeds from the sale of the shares of our common stock in this offering, or approximately $             million if the underwriters' overallotment option is exercised in full, after payment of our expenses related to this offering and underwriting discounts and commissions. We intend initially to use the net proceeds from this offering to reduce the outstanding balance of our borrowings on our unsecured line of credit, including borrowings that were applied toward the completed acquisitions described under "Summary—Recent developments." We may then borrow from time to time under our unsecured line of credit to fund items described under "Summary—Recent developments," to fund potential future acquisitions, to repay debt, or for general working capital and other corporate purposes, including the selective redevelopment or development of existing or new life science properties, which may include build-to-suit projects for tenants with high credit ratings on land we own or on land owned by major not-for-profit institutions. As of June 30, 2010, we had an aggregate of approximately $1.4 billion of borrowings outstanding on our combined $1.9 billion unsecured line of credit and unsecured term loan at a weighted average interest rate of approximately 3.27%, including the impact of our interest rate swap agreements. Affiliates of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are lenders under our unsecured line of credit and/or term loan.


CAPITALIZATION

              The following table sets forth our capitalization as of June 30, 2010:

              The information set forth in the following table should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by, the financial statements and the notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, and our Quarterly Report on

S-23



Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2010, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

 
  As of June 30, 2010  
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
  Actual   As Adjusted  

Debt:

             
 

Secured notes payable(1)

  $ 859,831   $ 859,831  
 

Unsecured line of credit and unsecured term loan

    1,446,000        
 

Unsecured convertible notes(2)

    378,580     378,580  

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. stockholders' equity:

             
 

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 5,185,500 shares of 8.375% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock issued and outstanding on a historical and pro forma basis; $25.00 liquidation value

    129,638     129,638  
 

    10,000,000 shares of 7.00% Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock issued and outstanding on a historical and pro forma basis; $25.00 liquidation value

    250,000     250,000  
 

Common stock, $0.01 par value per share; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 49,634,396 and 53,634,396 shares issued and outstanding on an historical and pro forma basis(3)

    496     536  
 

Excess stock, $0.01 par value per share; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding on an historical and pro forma basis

         
 

Additional paid-in capital

    2,158,591        
 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss(4)

    (40,377 )   (40,377 )
           
   

Total capitalization

  $ 5,182,759   $    
           

(1)
Includes unamortized discount of $2.2 million as of June 30, 2010.

(2)
Includes unamortized discount of $13.4 million as of June 30, 2010.

(3)
The information presented does not include 3,521,756 shares of our common stock that we have reserved for issuance under our Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Award and Incentive Plan and 74,650 options to purchase shares of our common stock, all of which were exercisable, which were outstanding as of June 30, 2010.

(4)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss consists of $5,427,000 of unrealized gains on marketable securities, $52,204,000 of unrealized losses on interest rate swap and cap agreements and $6,400,000 of unrealized foreign currency translation gains.

S-24



FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

IRS Revenue Procedure 2010-12

              In our prospectus dated April 3, 2009, we noted that we may declare taxable dividends payable in cash or stock at the election of each stockholder. For our 2008 and 2009 taxable years, IRS Revenue Procedure 2009-15 provided that a distribution of our stock pursuant to such an election would be considered a taxable distribution of property in an amount equal to the amount of cash that could have been received if, among other things, 10% or more of the distribution was payable in cash. IRS Revenue Procedure 2010-12 extends this guidance to our 2010 and 2011 taxable years. See "Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation of Our Company" in the accompanying prospectus.

Legislative Developments

              On March 18, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act of 2010. Such legislation will, effective for payments made after December 31, 2012, impose a 30% U.S. withholding tax on dividends, interest and certain other items of income, and on the gross proceeds from a disposition of property that produces such income, paid to a foreign financial institution, unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department to collect and provide to the Treasury Department certain information regarding U.S. account holders, including certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners, with such institution. The legislation also generally imposes a withholding tax of 30% on such amounts when paid to a non-financial foreign entity unless such entity provides the withholding agent with a certification that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or a certification identifying the direct and indirect substantial U.S. owners of the entity. Under certain circumstances, a taxpayer may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. These withholding and reporting requirements generally will apply to payments made after December 31, 2012; however, the withholding tax will not be imposed on payments pursuant to debt obligations outstanding as of March 18, 2012. Stockholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this recently enacted legislation on their ownership and disposition of our common stock.

              Signed into law March 30, 2010, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act provides, among other things, with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, certain U.S. persons, including individuals, estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on unearned income. For individuals, the additional Medicare tax applies to the lesser of (i) "net investment income" or (ii) the excess of "modified adjusted gross income" over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly or $125,000 if married and filing separately). "Net investment income" generally equals the taxpayer's gross investment income reduced by the deductions that are allocable to such income. Investment income generally includes passive income such as interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, and capital gains. Stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from their ownership and disposition of our common stock.

S-25



UNDERWRITING

              Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and RBC Capital Markets Corporation are acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement among us and the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us, the number of shares of common stock set forth opposite its name below.

                      Underwriter
 
Number of
Shares
 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
                      Incorporated

       

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

       

Goldman, Sachs & Co. 

       

Barclays Capital Inc. 

       

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 

       

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

       
       

                      Total

    4,000,000  
       

              Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase all of the shares sold under the underwriting agreement if any of these shares are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the nondefaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

              We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

              The underwriters are offering the shares, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the shares, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officer's certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Commissions and Discounts

              The representatives have advised us that the underwriters propose initially to offer the shares to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $            per share. The underwriters may allow, and the dealers may reallow, a discount not in excess of $            per share to other dealers. After the initial offering, the public offering price, concession or any other term of the offering may be changed.

              The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds before expenses to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their overallotment option.

 
  Per Share   Without Option   With Option  

Public offering price

  $     $     $    

Underwriting discount

  $     $     $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

  $     $     $    

S-26


              The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $650,000 and are payable by us.

Overallotment Option

              We have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to 600,000 additional shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. The underwriters may exercise this option solely to cover any overallotments. If the underwriters exercise this option, each will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, to purchase a number of additional shares proportionate to that underwriter's initial amount reflected in the above table.

No Sales of Similar Securities

              We have agreed that, except pursuant to the underwriting agreement, for a 30-day period after the date of this prospectus supplement, we will not, without the prior written consent of the representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any common stock, other than (1) pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on the date of the underwriting agreement, (2) upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of the date of the underwriting agreement, or (3) in connection with acquisitions of assets or businesses in which common stock is issued as consideration.

New York Stock Exchange Listing

              The shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ARE."

Price Stabilization, Short Positions

              Until the distribution of the shares is completed, SEC rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing our common stock. However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the common stock, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.

              In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell our common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. "Covered" short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters' overallotment option described above. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their overallotment option or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the overallotment option. "Naked" short sales are sales in excess of the overallotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of shares of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

              Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters' purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters

S-27



may conduct these transactions on the New York Stock Exchange, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

              Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares

              In connection with the offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail. In addition, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated may facilitate Internet distribution for this offering to certain of its Internet subscription customers. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated may allocate a limited number of shares for sale to its online brokerage customers. An electronic prospectus is available on the Internet web site maintained by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on the Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and RBC Capital Markets Corporation web sites are not part of this prospectus.

Conflicts of Interest

              Each of Bank of America N.A., an affiliate of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., and banking affiliates of certain of the representatives, are lenders under our unsecured line of credit and/or term loan. In addition JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as participant in our unsecured line of credit and/or term loan. The net proceeds from this offering will initially be used to reduce the outstanding balance on our unsecured line of credit. See "Use of Proceeds." As of June 30, 2010, we had an aggregate of approximately $1.4 billion of borrowings outstanding on our $1.9 billion unsecured line of credit and unsecured term loan. The representatives have advised us that more than 10% of the net proceeds will be used to repay indebtedness under our credit facility to banking affiliates of the underwriters.

Other Relationships

              Affiliates of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, are lenders under our unsecured line of credit and/or term loan. In addition JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as participant in our unsecured line of credit and/or term loan. Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.

              In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

S-28


Notice to Prospective Investors in the EEA

              In relation to each Member State of the EEA which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State") an offer to the public of any shares which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus may not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any shares may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:

provided that no such offer of Shares shall result in a requirement for the publication by the issuer or any underwriter of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

              Any person making or intending to make any offer of securities within the EEA should only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or any of the underwriters to produce a prospectus for such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do they authorize, the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the underwriters which constitute the final offering of securities contemplated in this prospectus.

              For the purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer to the public" in relation to any Shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any Shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase any Shares, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

              Each person in a Relevant Member State who receives any communication in respect of, or who acquires any shares under, the offer of shares contemplated by this prospectus will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with us and each underwriter that:

S-29


              In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are "qualified investors" (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19 (5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This document must not be acted on or relied on in the United Kingdom by persons who are not relevant persons. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is only available to, and will be engaged in with, relevant persons.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

              This document as well as any other material relating to the securities which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus (the "Shares") does not constitute an issue prospectus pursuant to Articles 652a and/or 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations. The Shares will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and, therefore, the documents relating to the Shares, including, but not limited to, this document, do not claim to comply with the disclosure standards of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange and corresponding prospectus schemes annexed to the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. The Shares are being offered in Switzerland by way of a private placement, i.e. to a small number of selected investors only, without any public offer and only to investors who do not purchase the Shares with the intention to distribute them to the public. The investors will be individually approached by the Issuer from time to time. This document as well as any other material relating to the Shares is personal and confidential and does not constitute an offer to any other person. This document may only be used by those investors to whom it has been handed out in connection with the offering described herein and may neither directly nor indirectly be distributed or made available to other persons without express consent of the Issuer. It may not be used in connection with any other offer and shall in particular not be copied and/or distributed to the public in (or from) Switzerland.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre

              This offering memorandum relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority ("DFSA"). This offering memorandum is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this offering memorandum nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the offering memorandum. The securities to which this offering memorandum relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this offering memorandum you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

S-30



LEGAL MATTERS

              Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for us by Morrison & Foerster LLP, Los Angeles, California, and certain matters with respect to Maryland law, including the validity of the shares of the common stock offered hereby, will be passed upon for us by Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Clifford Chance US LLP, New York, New York. Morrison & Foerster LLP and Clifford Chance US LLP will rely upon the opinion of Venable LLP as to all matters with respect to Maryland law.


EXPERTS

              The consolidated financial statements and schedule of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and subsidiaries appearing in Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.'s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2009, and effectiveness of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and subsidiaries' internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

S-31


Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS

GRAPHIC

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

Common Stock   Rights
Preferred Stock   Warrants
Debt Securities

        We may issue shares of our common stock, preferred stock, rights, warrants or debt securities, and we or any selling security holders may offer and sell these securities from time to time in one or more offerings.

        Each time that we or any selling security holders sell securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement or other offering material that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement or other offering material may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement or other offering material, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement or such other offering material.

        We or any selling security holders may sell the securities to or through underwriters, and also to other purchasers or through agents. The names of the underwriters will be stated in the prospectus supplements or other offering material. We also may sell securities directly to investors. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common stock, preferred stock, rights, warrants or debt securities sold by any selling security holder.

        Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ARE."

        Investing in our securities involves various risks. See the risk factors contained in documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

        Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is April 3, 2009.


Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

About this Prospectus

  ii

Where You Can Find More Information

  1

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. 

  3

Securities That May Be Offered

  4

Use of Proceeds

  4

Description of Stock

  5

Description of Rights

  10

Description of Warrants

  11

Description of Debt Securities

  12

Description of Global Securities

  18

Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws

  21

Federal Income Tax Considerations

  26

Legal Matters

  39

Experts

  39

Forward-Looking Statements

  39

i


Table of Contents


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

        This prospectus is part of a "shelf" registration statement that we have filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. By using a shelf registration statement, we or any selling security holders may sell the common stock, preferred stock, rights, warrants or debt securities described in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any other offering material:

        If any securities are sold pursuant to this prospectus by any persons other than us, we will, in a prospectus supplement, name the selling security holders, indicate the nature of any relationship such holders have had with us or any of our affiliates during the three years preceding such offering, state the amount of securities of the class owned by such security holder prior to the offering and the amount to be offered for the security holder's account, and state the amount and (if one percent or more) the percentage of the class to be owned by such security holder after completion of the offering.

        Neither this prospectus nor any accompanying prospectus supplement contains all of the information included in the registration statement, as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. To understand fully the terms of the securities we or any selling security holders are offering with this prospectus, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any other offering material, as well as the documents we have incorporated by reference. We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or Exchange Act, and therefore file reports and other information with the SEC. Statements contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement or other offering material about the provisions or contents of any agreement or other document are only summaries. If SEC rules or regulations require that any agreement or document be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, you should refer to that agreement or document for its complete contents. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any other offering material is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of each document.

        YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY READ THIS PROSPECTUS, THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND ANY APPLICABLE OTHER OFFERING MATERIAL, AS WELL AS THE DOCUMENTS WE HAVE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE AS DESCRIBED UNDER THE SECTION ENTITLED "WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION." WE ARE NOT MAKING AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY IN ANY STATE WHERE SUCH OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

        THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO SELL SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR OTHER OFFERING MATERIAL.

        You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering materials, and the documents we have incorporated by reference. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information provided by this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, our other offering materials or the documents we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the respective document.

ii


Table of Contents


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

Where Documents are Filed; Copies of Documents

        We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act in accordance with which we file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This registration statement, the exhibits and schedules forming a part thereof, and the reports, proxy statements and other information we have filed with the SEC can be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Such material also may be accessed by visiting the following internet website maintained by the SEC that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, such as us, that file electronically with the SEC: http://www.sec.gov. In addition, our common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and similar information regarding us and the information we provide to the exchange may be inspected and copied at the offices of The New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

        You may also access further information about us by visiting our website at www.labspace.com. Please note that the information and materials found on our website, except for our SEC filings expressly described below, are not part of this prospectus and are not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference

        We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of that registration statement. As allowed by the SEC, this prospectus does not contain all of the information you can find in the registration statement or the exhibits to the registration statement. Instead, the SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose particular important information to you without actually including such information in this prospectus by simply referring you to another document that we filed separately with the SEC.

        The information we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus and should be carefully read in conjunction with this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. Information that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus will automatically update and may supersede some of the information in this prospectus as well as information we previously filed with the SEC and that was incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

        The following documents are incorporated by reference into this prospectus:

1


Table of Contents

        If information in any of these incorporated documents conflicts with information in this prospectus, prospectus supplement or any other offering materials, you should rely on the most recent information. If information in an incorporated document conflicts with information in another incorporated document, you should rely on the information in the most recent incorporated document.

        You may request from us at no cost a copy of any document we incorporate by reference, excluding all exhibits to such incorporated documents (unless we have specifically incorporated by reference such exhibits either in this prospectus or in the incorporated document), by making such a request in writing or by telephone to the following address:

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
385 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 299
Pasadena, California 91101
Attention: Corporate Secretary
(626) 578-0777

        Except as provided above, no other information (including information on our website) is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

2


Table of Contents


ALEXANDRIA REAL ESTATE EQUITIES, INC.

        We are a Maryland corporation formed in October 1994 that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax purposes. We are the largest owner and pre-eminent first-in-class REIT focused principally on science-driven cluster formation. We are the leading provider of high-quality environmentally sustainable real estate, technical infrastructure and services to the broad and diverse life science industry. Client tenants include institutional (universities and independent not-for-profit institutions), pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical device, product, service, and translational entities, as well as government agencies. Our operating platform is based on the principle of "clustering," with assets and operations located in key life science markets.

        For additional information regarding our business, we refer you to our filings with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See "Where You Can Find More Information."

        Our principal executive offices are located at 385 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 299, Pasadena, California 91101 and our telephone number is (626) 578-0777.

3


Table of Contents


SECURITIES THAT MAY BE OFFERED

        We or any selling security holder may offer and sell from time to time, at prices determined by negotiation, "at-the-market" or otherwise, as described by the applicable prospectus or other offering material, in one or more offerings, the following securities:

        The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material, summarize all the material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that we or any selling security holder may offer under this prospectus. The particular terms of the securities offered by this prospectus will be described in a prospectus supplement or other offering material.

        This prospectus contains a summary of the material general terms of the various securities that we or any selling security holder may offer. The specific terms of the securities will be described in a prospectus supplement or other offering material, which may be in addition to or different from the general terms summarized in this prospectus. The summaries contained in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplements or other offering material may not contain all of the information that you would find useful. Accordingly, you should read the actual documents relating to any securities sold pursuant to this prospectus. See "Where You Can Find More Information" to find out how you can obtain a copy of those documents.

        The terms of any offering of securities, the initial offering price of any such offering and the net proceeds to us, will be contained in the prospectus supplement or other offering material relating to that offering.


USE OF PROCEEDS

        Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities to reduce the outstanding balance on our unsecured line of credit or other borrowings or for general corporate purposes. If initially used to pay down our unsecured line of credit, we may then borrow from time to time under our unsecured line of credit to provide funds for general working capital and other corporate purposes, including the redevelopment or development of existing or new life science properties and repayment of debt.

        We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the securities to which this prospectus relates that are offered by any selling security holders.

4


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF STOCK

        The following summary of the terms of our stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter and our bylaws.

General

        Of our preferred stock,

        As of March 31, 2009 the following securities were issued and outstanding:

        All 1,543,500 previously issued and outstanding shares of our Series A preferred stock were redeemed as of July 7, 2004, and all 2,300,000 previously issued and outstanding shares of our Series B preferred stock were redeemed as of March 20, 2007.

        Under Maryland law, stockholders generally are not liable for a corporation's debts or obligations.

Common Stock

        Subject to the preferential rights of any other class or series of our stock and to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on transfer of our stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends on such shares if, as and when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us out of assets legally available therefor. Our holders of common stock are also entitled to share ratably in our assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up after payment of or adequate provision for all our known debts and liabilities.

5


Table of Contents

        Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on transfer of our stock, each outstanding share of common stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors, and, except as provided with respect to any other class or series of our stock, the holders of such shares will possess the exclusive voting power. A plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting at which a quorum is present is sufficient to elect a director. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock can elect all of the directors then standing for election, and the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors.

        Holders of shares of our common stock generally have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund or appraisal rights and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restriction on transfer of our stock, shares of our common stock will each have equal distribution, liquidation and other rights.

        Our charter authorizes our board of directors to reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock into other classes or series of classes of stock and to establish the number of shares in each class or series and to set the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption for each such class or series. Thus, the Board could authorize the issuance of shares of common stock or preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest.

        Our outstanding shares of common stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ARE." Any additional shares of common stock we issue will also be listed on the New York Stock Exchange upon official notice of issuance.

Preferred Stock

        Our charter authorizes our board of directors, without the approval of our stockholders, to classify any unissued shares of preferred stock and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of any series, as authorized by our board of directors. Prior to the issuance of shares of any series, our board of directors is required by the Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter to set, subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on transfer of our stock, the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each such series, all of which will be set forth in articles supplementary to our charter adopted for that purpose by our board of directors or a duly authorized special committee thereof. Using this authority, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or for other reasons be desired by them.

        Upon issuance against full payment of the purchase price therefor, shares of preferred stock will be fully paid and nonassessable. The specific terms of a particular class or series of preferred stock to be offered pursuant to this prospectus will be described in the prospectus supplement or other offering material relating to that class or series, including a prospectus supplement or other offering material providing that preferred stock may be issuable upon the exercise of warrants or conversion of other securities issued by us. The description of preferred stock set forth below and the description of the terms of a particular class or series of preferred stock set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the articles supplementary relating to that class or series.

6


Table of Contents

        Rank.    Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material, our preferred stock will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, rank:

        Conversion Right.    The terms and conditions, if any, upon which any shares of any class or series of our preferred stock are convertible into shares of our common stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material relating thereto. Such terms will include:

Power to Issue Additional Shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock

        We believe that the power of our board of directors to authorize us to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and thereafter to cause us to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financing and acquisition transactions and in meeting other needs that may arise. The additional classes or series of our preferred stock, as well as our common stock, will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless further action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although our board of directors has no present intention to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series of stock that could, depending upon the terms of such class or series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of common stock or for other reasons be desired by them.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

        In order to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, not more than 50% of the value of our outstanding stock may be owned, directly or constructively, by five or fewer individuals or entities (as set forth in the Internal Revenue Code) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made). Furthermore, shares of our

7


Table of Contents


outstanding stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year.

        In order for us to maintain our qualification as a REIT, our charter provides for an ownership limit, which prohibits, with certain exceptions, direct or constructive ownership of shares of stock representing more than 9.8% of the combined total value of our outstanding shares of stock by any person, as defined in our charter.

        Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may waive the ownership limit for any person. However, our board of directors may not grant such waiver if, after giving effect to such waiver, five individuals could beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 49.9% of the value of our outstanding stock. As a condition to waiving the ownership limit, our board of directors may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel in order to determine our status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any such ruling or opinion, our board of directors may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting a waiver.

        Our charter further prohibits any person from:

        Any transfer in violation of any of these restrictions is void ab initio. Any person who acquires or attempts to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock in violation of the foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership is required to give us notice immediately and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our status as a REIT. The foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify, or to attempt to qualify, as a REIT.

        If any transfer of shares of our stock or other event occurs that would result in any person beneficially or constructively becoming the owner of shares of our stock in excess or in violation of the above transfer or ownership limitations, or becoming a prohibited owner, then that number of shares of our stock (rounded up to the nearest whole share) the beneficial or constructive ownership of which otherwise would cause such person to violate such limitations shall be automatically exchanged for an equal number of shares of excess stock. Those shares of excess stock will be automatically transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries, and the prohibited owner will generally not acquire any rights in such shares. This automatic exchange will be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of such violative transfer. Shares of excess stock held in the trust will be issued and outstanding shares of our stock. The prohibited owner will not:

        The trustee of the trust will have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to shares of stock held in the trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to the discovery by us that shares of stock have been transferred to the trustee will be paid by the recipient of such dividend or distribution to us upon demand, or, at our sole election, will be offset against any future dividends or

8


Table of Contents


distributions payable to the purported transferee or holder, and any dividend or distribution authorized but unpaid will be rescinded as void ab initio with respect to such shares of stock and promptly thereafter paid over to the trustee with respect to such shares of excess stock, as trustee of the trust for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary. The prohibited owner will have no voting rights with respect to shares of excess stock held in the trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that such shares of stock have been transferred to the trustee, the trustee will have the authority (at the trustee's sole discretion) to:

However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee will not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote.

        Within 180 days after the date of the event that resulted in shares of our excess stock being transferred to the trust (or as soon as possible thereafter if the trustee did not learn of such event within such period), the trustee shall sell the shares of stock held in the trust to a person, designated by the trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in our charter. Upon such sale, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and those shares of excess stock will be automatically exchanged for an equal number of shares of the same class or series of stock that originally were exchanged for the excess stock.

        The trustee shall distribute to the prohibited owner, as appropriate:

        If such shares are sold by a prohibited owner, then to the extent that the prohibited owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such prohibited owner was entitled to receive pursuant to the aforementioned requirement, such excess shall be paid to the trustee.

        All certificates representing shares of common stock and preferred stock will bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.

        Every owner of more than 5% (or such lower percentage as may be required by our charter, the Internal Revenue Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of all classes or series of our stock, including shares of common stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, is required to give written notice to us stating the name and address of such owner, the number of shares of each class and series of our stock which the owner beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which such shares are held. Each such owner must provide us such additional information as we may reasonably request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT. In addition, each stockholder will be required upon demand to provide us such information as we may reasonably request in order to determine our status as a REIT, to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance, or to comply with the REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

        These ownership limits could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for the holders of our common stock or might otherwise be desired by such holders.

9


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS

        We may issue rights to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or other offered security independently or together with any other offered security. Any rights that we may issue may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights offering to our stockholders, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other person would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such rights offering. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agent agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent, that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights.

        The applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material will describe the specific terms of any offering of rights for which this prospectus is being delivered, including the following to the extent applicable:

        The description in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material of any rights that we may offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC.

10


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

        We may issue warrants to purchase shares of our preferred stock, common stock or our debt securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities offered by any prospectus supplement or other offering material and may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any provisions of the warrants offered hereby.

        The applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material will describe the terms of the warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, including, where applicable, the following:

11


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

        The debt securities that we may offer will be issued under indentures between us and a trustee. The following is a summary of the material provisions of the form of indenture included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part for additional information. Unless the context requires otherwise, this prospectus refers to that indenture as the "indenture."

        The following summary of some of the material provisions of the indenture and of our debt securities is not complete and is subject to the detailed provisions of the applicable indenture to be entered into between us and the applicable trustee. For a full description of these provisions, including the definition of some terms used in this prospectus, and for other information regarding the debt securities, see the applicable indenture. Wherever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of the indenture, those sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference in this prospectus or prospectus supplement or other offering material.

        The following summarizes what we expect to be certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities. Each time we offer debt securities, the prospectus supplement or other offering material relating to that offering will describe the terms of the debt securities we are offering.

General

        We may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series without limitation as to aggregate principal amount. The debt securities will be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equally and ratably with other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations outstanding from time to time, unless stated otherwise in the applicable supplemental indenture.

        Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement or other offering material, principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities will be payable, and the transfer of debt securities will be registrable, at any office or agency maintained by us for that purpose. The debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material, in denominations of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities, but we may require you to pay a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection with the transfer or exchange.

        The prospectus supplement or other offering material will describe the following terms of the debt securities we are offering:

12


Table of Contents

        We may offer and sell the debt securities as original issue discount securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. The prospectus supplement or other offering material will describe the federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to original issue discount securities and any debt securities the federal tax laws treat as having been issued with original issue discount. "Original issue discount securities" means any debt security that provides for an amount less than its principal amount to be due and payable upon the declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt security upon the occurrence and continuation of an "Event of Default."

        The indenture does not contain covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, change in credit rating or other similar occurrence.

Covenants

        The prospectus supplement or other offering material will describe any material covenants of a series of debt securities.

13


Table of Contents

Events of Default

        With respect to a series of debt securities, any one of the following events will constitute an event of default under the indenture:

        If any event of default occurs and continues, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25 percent in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount or, if the debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities, the portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of those debt securities, of all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately by a notice in writing to us, and to the trustee if given by holders. The principal amount (or specified amount) will then be immediately due and payable. After acceleration, but before a judgment or decree for payment based on acceleration has been obtained, the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of that series may by written notice to us and the trustee, under specified circumstances, rescind and annul the acceleration.

        Additional or different events of default applicable to a series of debt securities may be described in a prospectus supplement or other offering material. An event of default of one series of debt securities is not necessarily an event of default for any other series of debt securities. The prospectus supplement or other offering material relating to any series of debt securities that are original issue discount securities will contain the particular provisions relating to acceleration of the stated maturity of a portion of the principal amount of that series of original issue discount securities upon the occurrence and continuation of an event of default.

        The indenture in part provides that, subject to the duty of the trustee during default to act with the required standard of care, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable security or indemnity. Generally, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee.

        A holder of any series of debt securities will not have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy, unless:

14


Table of Contents

However, these limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder for enforcement of payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on its debt securities on or after the respective due dates.

        We are required to furnish to the trustee annually a statement as to our performance of certain obligations under the indenture and as to any default.

Modification and Waiver

        We and the trustee may modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of not less than the majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series which is affected. Neither we nor the trustee may, however, modify or amend the indenture without the consent of the holders of all debt securities affected if such action would:

        The holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of all holders of that series, waive compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the indenture. The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of all holders of that series, waive any past default under the indenture, except a default:

15


Table of Contents

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

        We may not consolidate with or merge into any other company or entity or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety and may not permit any company or entity to merge into or consolidate with us or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to us, unless:

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

        The indenture provides, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement or other offering material relating to that particular series of debt securities, that, at our option, we:

in each case, if we deposit, in trust, with the trustee, money or United States Government obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms will provide money, in an amount sufficient to pay all the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series on the dates such payments are due, which may include one or more redemption dates that we designate, in accordance with the terms of the debt securities of that series.

        We may establish this trust only if, among other things:

16


Table of Contents

        If we fail to comply with remaining obligations under the indenture after a defeasance of the indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series as described under the second item of the first sentence of this section and the debt securities of such series are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of default, the amount of money and United States Government obligations on deposit with the trustee may be insufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. We will, however, remain liable for those payments.

17


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF GLOBAL SECURITIES

Book-Entry, Delivery and Form

        The common stock, preferred stock, rights, warrants or debt securities may be issued in book-entry form and represented by one or more global notes or global securities. The global securities are expected to be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), New York, New York, as depositary, and registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC's partnership nominee) or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. Unless and until it is exchanged for individual certificates evidencing securities under the limited circumstances described below, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary to its nominee or by the nominee to the depositary, or by the depositary or its nominee to a successor depositary or to a nominee of the successor depositary.

        DTC is:

        DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the settlement among its participants of securities transactions, including transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in participants' accounts, which eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. "Direct participants" in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others, which we sometimes refer to as "indirect participants," that clear transactions through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.

        Purchases of securities within the DTC system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for those securities on DTC's records. The ownership interest of the actual purchaser of a security, which is sometimes referred to as a "beneficial owner," is in turn recorded on the direct and indirect participants' records. Beneficial owners of securities will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchases. However, beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of their transactions, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct or indirect participants through which they entered into the transactions. Transfers of ownership interests in global securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the global securities except under the limited circumstances described below.

        To facilitate subsequent transfers, all global securities deposited with DTC will be registered in the name of DTC's partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership.

18


Table of Contents


DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the securities. DTC's records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts the securities are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

        So long as the securities are in book-entry form, you will receive any payments and may transfer securities only through the facilities of the depositary and its direct and indirect participants.

        Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

        Redemption notices will be sent to DTC. If less than all of the securities within an issue are being redeemed, DTC will determine the amount of the interest of each direct participant in such issue to be redeemed in accordance with DTC's procedures.

        Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to securities unless authorized by a direct participant in accordance with DTC's applicable procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns the consenting or voting rights of Cede & Co. to those direct participants to whose accounts the securities of such series are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy).

        So long as securities are in book-entry form, we will make payments on securities to the depositary or its nominee, as the registered owner of such securities, by wire transfer of immediately available funds. Unless otherwise specified in our prospectus supplement, if securities are issued in definitive certificated form under the limited circumstances described below, we will have the option of paying interest by check mailed to the addresses of the persons entitled to payment or by wire transfer to bank accounts in the United States designated in writing to the applicable trustee at least 15 days before the applicable payment date by the persons entitled to payment.

        Principal and interest payments, redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments on the securities will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC's practice is to credit direct participants' accounts upon DTC's receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or our agent, if any, on the payable date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC's records. Payments by direct and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the account of customers in bearer form or registered in "street name." Those payments will be the responsibility of participants and not of DTC, our agent, if any, or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of principal and interest, redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) will be our responsibility or the responsibility of our agent, if any, disbursement of such payments to direct participants will be the responsibility of DTC and disbursement of such payments to the beneficial owners will be the responsibility of direct and indirect participants.

        Except under the limited circumstances described below, purchasers of securities will not be entitled to have securities registered in their names and will not receive physical delivery of securities. Accordingly, each purchaser of securities must rely on the procedures of DTC and its participants to exercise any rights under the securities and the applicable indenture.

        The laws of some jurisdictions may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. Those laws may impair the ability to transfer or pledge beneficial interests in securities.

19


Table of Contents

        DTC is under no obligation to provide its services as depositary for the securities and may discontinue providing its services at any time by giving reasonable notice to us or our agent, if any. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or its direct participants or indirect participants under the rules and procedures governing DTC.

        As noted above, each purchaser of securities generally will not receive certificates representing those securities. However, we will prepare and deliver certificates for such securities in exchange for the securities evidenced by the global securities if:

        Any interest in a global security that is exchangeable under the circumstances described above will be exchangeable for securities in definitive certificated form registered in the names that the depositary directs. It is expected that these directions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from its participants with respect to ownership of securities evidenced by the global securities.

        The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC's book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.

20


Table of Contents


PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS

        The following summary of certain provisions of Maryland General Corporation Law and of our charter and bylaws does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws.

Board of Directors

        Our bylaws provide that the number of our directors may be established by our board of directors, but may not be fewer than the minimum number required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, which is one, nor more than 15. All directors are elected to serve until the next annual meeting of our stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualify.

        Our charter and bylaws provide that our stockholders may remove any director by a vote of not less than two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter and bylaws further provide that our board of directors may fill board vacancies and that any director elected to fill a vacancy may hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred. Holders of shares of common stock will have no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors. Consequently, at each annual meeting of stockholders, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock will be able to elect all of the directors then standing for election.

Business Combinations

        Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, specified "business combinations" (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in specified circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the 10% or more beneficial owner acquires such status. An interested stockholder is defined as:

        A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which he otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. In approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

        After the five year period, any such business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

        These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation's common stockholders receive "a minimum price" (as defined in the Maryland General Corporation Law) for their shares; and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the 10% or more beneficial owner for its shares.

21


Table of Contents

        These provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by the board of directors of the corporation prior to the time before the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our board of directors has adopted a resolution providing that the "business combination" provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law shall not apply to us generally and that such resolution is irrevocable unless revocation, in whole or in part, is approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock, but revocation will not affect any business combination consummated, or any business combination contemplated by any agreement entered into, prior to the revocation. As a result of the foregoing, any person who becomes a 10% or more beneficial owner may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may not be in the best interest of the stockholders, without our compliance with the business combination provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law.

Control Share Acquisitions

        The Maryland General Corporation Law provides that control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock owned by the acquiror, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation. Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of control shares, subject to specified exceptions.

        Under Maryland law, a person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of specified conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses of the meeting), may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any meeting of the stockholders.

        If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then, subject to specified conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a meeting of the stockholders and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

        The control share acquisition statute does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction, or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

22


Table of Contents

        Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any acquisition by any person of shares of our stock. Our board of directors has resolved that, subject to Maryland law, this provision may not be amended or repealed without the approval of holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock. There can be no assurance, however, that the provision will not be amended or eliminated in the future or that the resolution is enforceable under Maryland law.

Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

        Our bylaws provide that:

Amendment to Our Bylaws

        The board of directors has the exclusive power to adopt, alter, repeal or amend our bylaws.

Extraordinary Actions

        As permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter provides that our dissolution must be advised by our board of directors approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. See "Description of Stock—Common Stock."

        Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business unless advised by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders holding at least two-thirds of the shares entitled to vote on the matter unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the corporation's charter. Our charter provides for approval of such matters by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast thereon. Maryland law permits a corporation to transfer all or substantially all of its assets without the approval of the stockholders of the corporation to one or more persons if all of the equity interests of the person or persons are owned, directly or indirectly, by the corporation. Maryland law also does not require approval of the stockholders of a parent corporation to merge or sell all or substantially all of the assets of a subsidiary entity. Because operating assets may be held by a corporation's subsidiaries,

23


Table of Contents


as in our situation, this may mean that a subsidiary may be able to merge or to sell all or substantially all of its assets without a vote of the corporation's stockholders.

Stockholder Rights Plan

        We have adopted a stockholder rights plan which provides that one right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series A junior preferred stock, is attached to each outstanding share of our common stock. The rights have specified anti-takeover effects and are intended to discourage coercive or unfair takeover tactics and to encourage any potential acquiror to negotiate a price fair for all stockholders with our board of directors. The rights are intended to cause substantial dilution to an acquiring party that attempts to acquire us on terms not approved by our board of directors, but the rights will not interfere with any merger or other business combination that is approved by our board of directors.

        The rights are not presently exercisable. The rights, other than those held by the acquiring person, will separate from the common stock and become exercisable upon the earlier of (i) ten days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our outstanding shares of common stock, or (ii) ten business days (or such later date as our board of directors shall determine) following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group acquiring beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our common stock.

        Each right entitles the holder to purchase one-hundredth of a share of Series A junior preferred stock for an exercise price that is currently $120 per share. Once the rights become exercisable, any rights held by the acquiring party, and specified related persons, will be void, and all other holders of rights will receive upon exercise of their rights that number of shares of common stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the right. The rights, which expire on February 10, 2010, may be redeemed at any time prior to the time a party becomes an acquiring person, for $0.01 per right. Until a right is exercised, the holder of that right will have no rights as a stockholder of ours, including, without limitation, the right to vote or receive dividends.

Subtitle 8

        Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the Maryland General Corporation Law permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and at least three independent directors to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions:

        Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already:

24


Table of Contents

        We have also elected to be subject to the provisions of Subtitle 8 relating to:

Anti-Takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law, Our Charter and Bylaws and Our Rights Plan

        The possible future application of the business combination, the control share acquisition and Subtitle 8 provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law, the advance notice provisions of our bylaws and our stockholder rights plan may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of common stock or for other reasons be desired by them.

25


Table of Contents


FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

        The following discussion summarizes the material United States federal income tax considerations relevant to our qualification as a "real estate investment trust" ("REIT") and the ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock. This discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), current and proposed Treasury regulations, administrative decisions and rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") and court decisions as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change (possibly with retroactive effect) and all of which are subject to differing interpretation. This discussion does not address all aspects of United States federal income taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances or to persons subject to special treatment under the federal income tax laws. In particular, this discussion deals only with stockholders that hold our common stock as capital assets within the meaning of the Code. Except as expressly provided below, this discussion does not address the tax treatment of special classes of stockholders, such as banks, insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, financial institutions, broker-dealers, persons holding our stock as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction, constructive sale or conversion transaction, United States expatriates, persons subject to the alternative minimum tax, foreign corporations, foreign estates or trusts and persons who are not citizens or residents of the United States. This discussion may not be applicable to stockholders who acquired our stock pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants or otherwise as compensation. Furthermore, this discussion does not address any state, local, foreign or non-income tax considerations.

        If a partnership (including, for this purpose, any entity treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial owner of our common stock, the United States federal income tax consequences to a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A stockholder that is a partnership, and the partners in such partnership, should consult their own tax advisors regarding the United States federal income tax considerations of an investment in our shares.

THE DISCUSSION SET FORTH BELOW IS NOT INTENDED TO BE, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSTRUED TO BE, LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE TO ANY PARTICULAR STOCKHOLDER. ACCORDINGLY, YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISORS ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION AS WELL AS APPLICABLE STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX LAWS.

Taxation of Our Company

General

        We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 1996, and intend to continue to operate in a manner consistent with such election and all rules with which a REIT must comply. Although we believe we are organized as and operate in such a manner, we cannot assure you we qualify or will continue to qualify as a REIT. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex Code provisions for which there are only limited judicial and administrative interpretations. The determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control may affect our ability to qualify. If we fail to qualify as a REIT, we will be subject to federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on taxable income at regular corporate rates. In addition, unless entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions, we will be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification is lost. The additional tax would significantly reduce the cash flow available for distributions to stockholders. In addition, we would not be obligated to make distributions to stockholders.

        We have received from Morrison & Foerster LLP its opinion to the effect that, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2004, we were organized and have operated in conformity with

26


Table of Contents


the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and that our proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. It must be emphasized that this opinion is based and conditioned upon certain assumptions and representations made by us as to factual matters (including representations concerning, among other things, our business and properties, the amount of rents attributable to personal property and other items regarding our ability to meet the various requirements for qualification as a REIT). The opinion is expressed as of its date, and Morrison & Foerster LLP has undertaken no obligation to advise holders of our securities of any subsequent change in the matters stated, represented or assumed or any subsequent change in the applicable law. Moreover, qualification and taxation as a REIT depends on our having met and continuing to meet, through actual annual operating results, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership, the various qualification tests imposed under the Code discussed below, the results of which will not be reviewed by Morrison & Foerster LLP.

        In any year in which we qualify as a REIT we will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of our REIT taxable income or capital gain that is distributed to our stockholders. We may, however, be subject to tax at normal corporate rates upon any undistributed taxable income or capital gain. To the extent we elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gain, stockholders are required to include their proportionate share of such undistributed gain in income but receive a credit for their share of any taxes paid on such gain by us. A stockholder would increase his tax basis in his shares by the amount of income included less his credit or refund. Any undistributed net long-term capital gain would be designated in a notice mailed to stockholders; through December 31, 2008 we have never made such a designation.

        Notwithstanding our qualification as a REIT, we may also be subject to taxation in other circumstances:

27


Table of Contents

        We will use the calendar year both for federal income tax purposes and for financial reporting purposes. The requirements for our qualification as a REIT and certain additional matters are discussed in greater detail in the subsections that follow.

Share Ownership Test

        Our shares must be held by a minimum of 100 persons for at least 335 days in each taxable year of 12 months or a proportionate number of days in any shorter taxable year. In addition, at all times during the second half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our shares may be owned, directly or indirectly, including via application of constructive ownership rules, by five or fewer individuals, including certain tax-exempt entities. Any shares held by a qualified domestic pension or other retirement trust will be treated as held directly by its beneficiaries in proportion to their actuarial interest in such trust. If we comply with applicable Treasury regulations for ascertaining our actual ownership and did not know, or exercising reasonable diligence would not have reason to know, that more than 50% in value of our outstanding shares were held, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals, then we will be treated as meeting this share ownership requirement.

        To ensure compliance with the 50% share ownership test, we have placed restrictions on the transfer of our shares to prevent concentration of ownership. Moreover, to evidence compliance with these requirements, under applicable Treasury regulations we must maintain records that disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding shares. Such regulations impose penalties for failing to do so. In fulfilling our obligation to maintain records, we must and will demand written statements each year from the record holders of designated percentages of our shares disclosing the actual owners of such shares as prescribed by Treasury regulations. A list of those persons failing or refusing to comply with such demand must be maintained as a part of our records. A stockholder failing or refusing to comply with our written demand must submit with his or her tax returns a similar statement disclosing the actual ownership of our shares and other information. In addition, our charter provides restrictions regarding the transfer of shares that are intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements. We intend to enforce the percentage limitations on ownership of shares of our stock to assure that our qualification as a REIT will not be compromised.

28


Table of Contents

Asset Tests

        At the close of each quarter of our taxable year, we must satisfy certain tests relating to the nature of our assets:

        For purposes of the 10% value test described above:

        We currently hold and expect to hold in the future securities of various issuers. While we do not anticipate our securities holdings would result in a violation of the REIT assets tests, fluctuations in value and other circumstances existing from time to time may increase our risk under the asset tests.

        If we meet the assets tests at the close of a quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT if we fail to satisfy such tests at the end of a subsequent quarter solely by reason of changes in the relative values of our assets (including changes caused solely by the change in the foreign currency exchange rate used to value a foreign asset). If we would fail these tests, in whole or in part, due to an acquisition of securities or other property during a quarter, we can avoid such failure by disposing of sufficient non-qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of such quarter. If we fail the 5% or 10% asset tests at the end of any quarter and do not cure within 30 days, we may still cure such failure or otherwise satisfy the requirements of such tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred, provided the non-qualifying assets do not exceed the lesser of 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the relevant quarter or $10,000,000. If our failure of the 5% and 10% asset tests exceeds this amount or we fail any of the other asset tests and do not cure within 30 days, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT provided (i) the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, (ii) we file certain reports with the IRS, (iii) we take steps to satisfy the requirements of the applicable asset test within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred, including the disposition of sufficient assets to meet the asset tests, and (iv) we pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the product of (x) the net income generated by the non-qualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the

29


Table of Contents


relevant asset test and (y) the highest United States federal income tax rate then applicable to United States corporations.

Gross Income Tests

        Two separate percentage tests related to the sources of our gross income must be satisfied each taxable year.

        First, at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from "prohibited transactions," discussed below) for the taxable year generally must be: "rents from real property;" interest on obligations secured by mortgages on, or interests in, real property; gains from the disposition of interests in real property and real estate mortgages, other than gain from property held primarily for sale to customers ("dealer property"); distributions on shares in other REITs, as well as gain from the sale of such shares; abatements and refunds of real property taxes; income from the operation, and gain from the sale, of "foreclosure property;" commitment fees received for agreeing to make loans secured by mortgages on real property or to purchase or lease real property; and certain qualified temporary investment income.

        Second, at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from "prohibited transactions," discussed below) for the taxable year must be derived from the above-described qualifying income and dividends, interest or gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or other securities that are not dealer property.

        Rents we receive will only qualify as "rents from real property" under the following conditions:

30


Table of Contents

        Foreign currency gain recognized after July 30, 2008 with respect to income that otherwise qualifies for purposes of the 75% or 95% income test will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 75% or 95% income tests, respectively.

        Income from a hedging transaction made to hedge indebtedness incurred or to be incurred by us to acquire or own real estate assets will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test and, for such transactions entered into after July 30, 2008, the 95% and 75% gross income tests. Income from hedging transactions entered into after July 30, 2008 and made primarily to manage the risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would qualify under the 75% or 95% income tests (or any property which generates such income or gain) will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 95% and 75% gross income tests. Any such hedging transactions must be properly identified.

        For purposes of determining whether we comply with the 75% and 95% gross income tests, gross income also does not include income from "prohibited transactions." A "prohibited transaction" is a sale of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business, excluding foreclosure property, unless we hold such property for at least two years (four years for dispositions occurring before July 30, 2008) and other requirements relating to the number of properties sold in a year, their tax bases, and the cost of improvements made to the property are satisfied. See "—Taxation of Our Company—General" for certain tax consequences of prohibited transactions.

        Even if we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may still qualify as a REIT for such year if we are entitled to relief under certain relief provisions of the Code. These relief provisions will generally be available if:

        If these relief provisions apply nonetheless we will be subject to a special tax upon the greater of the amount by which we fail either the 75% or 95% gross income test for that year. See "—Taxation of Our Company—General" for a discussion of such tax.

Annual Distribution Requirements

        In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required to make distributions, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders each year in an amount at least equal to (i) 90% of our REIT taxable income, computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and REIT net capital gain, plus (ii) 90% of our net income after tax, if any, from foreclosure property, minus (iii) the sum of certain items of excess non-cash income. Such distributions must be made in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and if paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration.

        To the extent we do not distribute all of our net capital gain or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our REIT taxable income, as adjusted, we will be subject to tax on the undistributed

31


Table of Contents


amount at regular capital gains or ordinary corporate tax rates, as the case may be. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute, our net capital gain and pay tax on such gain. If we make this election, our stockholders would include in their income as long-term capital gains their proportionate share of the undistributed net capital gains as designated by us, and we would have to pay the tax on such gains within 30 days of the close of our taxable year. Each of our stockholders would be deemed to have paid such stockholder's share of the tax paid by us on such gains, which tax would be credited or refunded to the stockholder. Each stockholder would increase his tax basis in our shares by the amount of income to the holder resulting from the designation less the holder's credit or refund for the tax paid by us.

        We intend to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution requirements. It is possible that we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet the 90% distribution requirement, due to timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of expenses on the one hand, and the inclusion of such income and deduction of such expenses in computing our REIT taxable income on the other hand. To avoid any problem with the 90% distribution requirement, we will closely monitor the relationship between our REIT taxable income and cash flow and, if necessary, borrow funds, distribute property in-kind or distribute taxable stock dividends to satisfy the distribution requirements.

        In addition, from time to time, we may determine independently to declare taxable dividends payable in cash or stock at the election of each stockholder, subject to a limit on the aggregate cash that could be paid. For our 2008 and 2009 taxable years, IRS Revenue Procedure 2009-15 provides a distribution of our stock pursuant to such an election will be considered a taxable distribution of property in an amount equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead if, among other things, 10% or more of the distribution is payable in cash. Any such dividend would be distributed in a manner intended to count toward satisfaction of our annual distribution requirements.

        If we fail to meet the 90% distribution requirement as a result of an adjustment to our tax return by the IRS, or if we determine that we have failed to meet the 90% distribution requirement in a prior taxable year, we may retroactively cure the failure by paying a "deficiency dividend," plus applicable penalties and interest, within a specified period.

        If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year, (ii) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year, other than capital gains we elect to retain and pay tax on and (iii) any undistributed taxable income from prior years, we would be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of such sum over the amounts actually distributed. To the extent we elect to retain and pay income tax on our long-term capital gain, such retained amounts will be treated as having been distributed for purposes of the 4% excise tax.

Absence of Earnings and Profits from Non-REIT Years

        In order to qualify as a REIT, we must not have accumulated earnings and profits attributable to any non-REIT years. A REIT has until the close of its first taxable year in which it has non-REIT earnings and profits to distribute any such accumulated earnings and profits. Unless the "deficiency dividend" procedures described above apply and we comply with those procedures, failure to distribute such accumulated earnings and profits would result in our disqualification as a REIT. We believe that we had no accumulated earnings and profits as of December 31, 1995.

Tax Aspects of Our Investments in Partnerships

        A few of our investments are held through partnerships or entities treated like partnerships for federal income tax purposes. In general, partnerships are "pass-through" entities that are not subject to federal income tax. Rather, partners are allocated their proportionate share of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the partnership and are subject to tax thereon without regard to

32


Table of Contents


whether the partners receive a distribution from the partnership. We will include our proportionate share of the foregoing partnership items for purposes of the various REIT gross income tests and in our computation of our REIT taxable income, and we will include our proportionate share of the assets held by each partnership for purposes of the REIT asset tests.

        Our interest in a partnership involves special tax considerations, including the possibility of a challenge by the IRS of the status of the entity as a partnership, as opposed to an association taxable as a corporation, for federal income tax purposes. If a partnership were treated as such an association, the partnership would be taxable as a corporation and therefore subject to an entity-level tax on its income. In such a situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change, which may preclude us from satisfying the REIT asset and gross income tests. See "—Failure to Qualify" below, for a discussion of the effect of our failure to meet such tests. In addition, any change in the status of any partnership indirectly owned by us might be treated as a taxable event, in which case we may incur a tax liability without any related cash distributions.

Investments in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries

        We and any entity treated as a corporation for tax purposes in which we own an interest may jointly elect to treat such entity as a "taxable REIT subsidiary." In addition, if a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing 35% or more of the vote or value of an entity treated as a corporation for tax purposes, that subsidiary will also be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours. Taxable REIT subsidiaries are permitted to engage in certain types of activities which cannot be performed directly by REITs without jeopardizing their REIT status.

        Certain of our subsidiaries have elected to be treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries of us and additional elections may be made in the future. As taxable REIT subsidiaries, these entities will pay federal and state income taxes at the full applicable corporate rates on their income prior to the payment of any dividends to us. Our taxable REIT subsidiaries will attempt to minimize the amount of such taxes, but there can be no assurance whether or the extent to which measures taken to minimize taxes will be successful. To the extent a taxable REIT subsidiary is required to pay federal, state or local taxes, the cash available for distribution by such taxable REIT subsidiary to its stockholders will be reduced accordingly. Taxable REIT subsidiaries are subject to limitations on the deductibility of payments made to the associated REIT, which could materially increase the taxable income of the taxable REIT subsidiary. Further, we will be subject to a tax of 100% on the amount of any rents from real property, deduction or excess interest paid by any of our taxable REIT subsidiaries to us that would be reduced through reapportionment to more clearly reflect income of the taxable REIT subsidiary.

Failure to Qualify

        In the event we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for qualification as a REIT, other than the REIT asset and gross income tests, each of which is subject to the cure provisions described above, we will retain our REIT qualification if (i) the violation is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and (ii) we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each failure to satisfy the provision.

        If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and relief provisions do not apply, we will be subject to tax, including applicable alternative minimum taxes, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us, nor generally will they be required to be made under the Code. In such event, to the extent of current and accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to our stockholders will be taxable as dividends and, subject to the limitations set forth in the Code, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Unless entitled to relief under specific

33


Table of Contents


statutory provisions, we also will be disqualified from re-electing taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost.

Taxation of Our Stockholders

        For purposes of the following discussions, a "domestic stockholder" generally refers to (i) a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of the United States or of a political subdivision of the United States; (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or (iv) any trust if (1) a United States court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) it has a valid election in place to be treated as a United States person. A "foreign stockholder" generally refers to a person that is not a domestic stockholder.

        If a partnership or an entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes holds our stock, the federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our common stock, you should consult your own tax advisor regarding the consequences of the ownership and disposition of shares of our stock by the partnership.

Taxation of Taxable Domestic Stockholders

        As long as we qualify as a REIT, distributions made to our taxable domestic stockholders out of current or accumulated earnings and profits, and not designated as capital gain dividends, will be taken into account by them as ordinary dividends and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporations. Generally our ordinary dividends will be taxable to our domestic stockholders as ordinary income. However, prior to January 1, 2011, such dividends will be taxable to individuals at the rate applicable to long-term capital gains to the extent such dividends are attributable to dividends received by us from non-REIT corporations (e.g., taxable REIT subsidiaries) or are attributable to income upon which we have paid corporate income tax (e.g., to the extent we distribute less than 100% of our taxable income). We do not expect a significant portion of our ordinary dividends to be eligible for taxation at long-term capital gain rates.

        We may designate portions of our distributions as capital gain dividends. Alternatively, we may elect to retain and pay income taxes on capital gains rather than distribute them, in which case stockholders include their proportionate share of such undistributed gain in income, receive a credit for their share of the taxes paid by us and increase their basis in their shares by the amount of income included less the credit or refund. Distributions designated as capital gain dividends and retained net capital gain will be taxed as long-term capital gains to the extent they do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year, without regard to the period for which a stockholder has held its shares. However, corporate stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. In addition, net capital gains attributable to the sale by us of depreciable real property held for more than 12 months are taxable to individuals at a 25% maximum federal income tax rate to the extent of previously claimed real property depreciation.

        To the extent we make distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits, these distributions are treated as a return of capital to the stockholder, reducing the tax basis of a stockholder's shares by the amount of such distribution, with distributions in excess of the stockholder's tax basis taxable as capital gains.

        Any dividend declared by us in October, November or December of any year and payable to a stockholder of record on a specific date in any such month may be treated as both paid by us and received by the stockholder on December 31 of such year, provided the dividend is actually paid by us

34


Table of Contents

during January of the following calendar year. Stockholders may not include in their individual income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.

        A stockholder will realize capital gain or loss upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our stock equal to the difference between the sum of the fair market value of any property and cash received in such disposition and the stockholder's adjusted tax basis. Such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the stockholder has held its shares for more than one year. Capital losses are generally available only to offset capital gains of the stockholder except in the case of individuals, who may offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income each year. In general, any loss upon a sale or exchange of shares by a stockholder who has held such shares for six months or less, after applying holding period rules, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of distributions from us required to be treated by such stockholder as long-term capital gains.

        See "—Tax Rates" below for a discussion of applicable capital gains rates. Stockholders should consult their tax advisors with respect to taxation of capital gains and capital gain dividends and with regard to state, local and foreign taxes on capital gains and other income.

Taxation of Foreign Stockholders

        As background to this discussion, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 ("FIRPTA"), a "United States real property interest" ("USRPI") generally refers to interests in United States real property and shares of corporations at least 50% of whose assets consist of such interests. However, shares of certain "domestically controlled qualified investment entities" are excluded from USRPI treatment. We will qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity so long as we qualify as a REIT and less than 50% in value of our shares are held by foreign stockholders. We currently anticipate we will qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, although no assurance can be given that we will continue to qualify at all times.

        Distributions to foreign stockholders out of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and not attributable to capital gains generally will be a dividend subject to United States withholding tax at a rate of 30% unless (i) an applicable tax treaty reduces such rate or (ii) such dividend is effectively connected to a United States trade or business conducted by such stockholder. Dividends effectively connected to a United States trade or business will be subject to federal income tax in the same manner and at the same rates applicable to domestic stockholders and, with respect to corporate foreign stockholders, may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax. We plan to withhold at the 30% rate unless (i) the foreign stockholder files a IRS Form W-8BEN with us evidencing the application of a lower treaty rate or (ii) the foreign stockholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI with us claiming the distribution is effectively connected.

        To the extent distributions not attributable to capital gains exceed current and accumulated earnings and profits, such distributions would not be subject to federal income taxation. If we cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether or not the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we normally will withhold tax on the entire amount of any distribution at the same rate as we would withhold on a dividend. However, a non-United States stockholder may obtain a refund of amounts that we withhold if we later determine that a distribution in fact exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

        Under FIRPTA, distributions attributable to capital gains from the sale or exchange by us of USRPIs are treated like income effectively connected to a United States trade or business, are subject to federal income taxation in the same manner and at the same rates applicable to domestic stockholders and, with respect to corporate foreign stockholders, may be subject to a 30% branch

35


Table of Contents


profits tax. However, these distributions will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA, and will instead be taxed in the same manner as distributions described above, if:

We are required by applicable Treasury regulations to withhold 35% of any distribution to a foreign stockholder owning more than 5% of the relevant class of shares that could be designated by us as a capital gain dividend. Any amount so withheld is creditable against the foreign stockholder's FIRPTA tax liability.

        Distributions attributable to capital gains from the sale or exchange of non-USRPIs are not subject to federal income taxation.

        Gains from the sale or exchange of our stock by a foreign stockholder will not be subject to federal income taxation, provided we qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity or the stockholder does not own more than 5% of the class of stock sold.

        Distributions and gains otherwise not subject to taxation under the foregoing rules may be subject to tax to the extent such distributions or gains were effectively connected to the conduct of a foreign stockholder's trade or business or were made to a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year.

        Common stock owned or treated as owned by an individual who is not a citizen or resident of the United States (as specially defined for United States federal estate tax purposes) at the time of death will be includible in the individual's gross estate for United States federal estate tax purposes unless an applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise.

THE FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION OF FOREIGN STOCKHOLDERS IS A HIGHLY COMPLEX MATTER THAT MAY BE AFFECTED BY MANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. ACCORDINGLY, FOREIGN STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE INCOME AND WITHHOLDING TAX CONSIDERATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THEIR INVESTMENT IN US.

Information Reporting and Back-up Withholding

        We will report to our domestic stockholders and to the IRS the amount of distributions paid during each calendar year, and the amount of tax withheld, if any, with respect to the paid distributions. Under the back-up withholding rules, a domestic stockholder may be subject to back-up withholding at applicable rates on distributions paid unless the stockholder (i) is a corporation or is otherwise specifically exempt from back-up withholding and, when required, demonstrates this fact or (ii) provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from back-up withholding, and complies with applicable requirements of the back-up withholding rules. A stockholder that does not provide us with his correct taxpayer identification number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS.

        Payments of dividends or of proceeds from the disposition of stock made to a foreign stockholder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless such holder establishes an exemption, for example, by properly certifying its foreign status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or another appropriate version of IRS Form W-8. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if either we or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that a stockholder is a United States person.

36


Table of Contents

        Any amount paid as back-up withholding will be credited against the stockholder's income tax liability. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of any capital gain distributions made to any stockholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status to us. Currently, the back-up withholding rate is 28%. The rate is scheduled to increase to 31% for taxable years 2011 and thereafter.

Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders

        While generally exempt from federal income taxation, tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, are subject to tax on their unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI"). The IRS has issued a revenue ruling in which it held that amounts distributed by a REIT to a tax-exempt employees' pension trust do not constitute UBTI. Subject to the following paragraph, based upon the ruling, the analysis in the ruling and the statutory framework of the Code, distributions by us to a stockholder that is a tax-exempt entity should also not constitute UBTI, provided the tax-exempt entity has not financed the acquisition of its shares with "acquisition indebtedness" (within the meaning of the Code), the shares are not otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business of the tax-exempt entity and, consistent with our present intent, we do not hold a residual interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit.

        Certain social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and qualified group legal services plans that are exempt from taxation under special provisions of the federal income tax laws are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions received from us as UBTI. Furthermore, if any pension or other retirement trust that qualifies under Section 401(a) of the Code holds more than 10% by value of the interests in a "pension-held REIT" at any time during a taxable year, a portion of the dividends paid to the qualified pension trust by such REIT may constitute UBTI. For these purposes, a "pension-held REIT" is defined as a REIT that would not have qualified as a REIT but for the provisions of the Code which look through such a qualified pension trust in determining ownership of stock of the REIT and at least one qualified pension trust holds more than 25% by value of the interests of such REIT or one or more qualified pension trusts, each owning more than a 10% interest by value in the REIT, hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of the interests in such REIT. We do not believe that we are, and we do not expect to become, a pension-held REIT.

Tax Rates

        Long-term capital gains (i.e., capital gains with respect to assets held for more than one year) and "qualified dividends" received by an individual are generally subject to federal income tax at a maximum rate of 15%. Short-term capital gains (i.e., capital gains with respect to assets held for one year or less) are generally subject to federal income tax at ordinary income rates. Because we are not generally subject to federal income tax on the portion of our REIT taxable income or capital gains distributed to our stockholders, our dividends generally are not eligible for the 15% maximum tax rate on qualified dividends. As a result, our ordinary dividends generally are taxed at the higher tax rates applicable to ordinary income. However, the 15% maximum tax rate for long-term capital gains and qualified dividends generally applies to:

37


Table of Contents

        Without future congressional action, the maximum tax rate on long-term capital gains will increase to 20% in 2011, and the maximum rate on ordinary dividends, whether or not qualified under present law, will increase to 39.6% in 2011.

Possible Legislative or Other Actions Affecting Tax Consequences

        Prospective stockholders should recognize that the present federal income tax treatment of an investment in us may be modified by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time and that any such action may affect investments and commitments previously made. The rules dealing with federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process, the IRS and the Treasury, resulting in revisions of regulations and revised interpretations of established concepts as well as statutory changes. Revisions in federal tax laws and interpretations of these laws could adversely affect the tax consequences of your investment.

State, Local and Foreign Taxes

        We and our stockholders may be subject to state, local or foreign taxation in various jurisdictions, including those in which we or they transact business or reside. The state, local and foreign tax treatment of us and our stockholders may not conform to the federal income tax consequences discussed above. Consequently, prospective stockholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effects of state, local and foreign tax laws on an investment in us.

38


Table of Contents


LEGAL MATTERS

        Certain legal matters with respect to federal income tax will be passed upon for us by Morrison & Foerster LLP, Los Angeles, California. The validity of the securities will be passed upon for us by Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland. If legal matters in connection with any offering of any of the securities described in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material are passed on by counsel for any underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering material.


EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Subsidiaries appearing in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008 (including the schedule appearing therein), and the effectiveness of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Subsidiaries' internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and Subsidiaries' management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008 are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can identify some of the forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "intends," "plans," "estimates" or "anticipates," or the negative of these words or similar words. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties regarding events, conditions and financial trends that may affect our future plans of operation, business strategy, results of operations and financial position. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or contemplated by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those described in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K as incorporated herein by reference. See "Where You Can Find More Information." We do not undertake any responsibility to update any of these factors or to announce publicly any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

39


4,000,000 Shares

GRAPHIC

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

Common Stock


PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT


BofA Merrill Lynch

J.P. Morgan
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Barclays Capital
Citi
RBC Capital Markets

September     , 2010