Empire State Realty OP, L.P. ESBA US Equity☆

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are including this statement for purposes of complying with those safe harbor provisions. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “contemplates,” “aims,” “continues,” “would” or “anticipates” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases. In particular, statements pertaining to our capital resources, portfolio performance, dividend policy and results of operations contain forward-looking statements. Likewise, all of our statements regarding anticipated growth in our commercial portfolio from operations, acquisitions and anticipated market conditions, demographics and results of operations are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control, and you should not rely on them as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements depend on assumptions, data or methods which may be incorrect or imprecise, and we may not be able to realize them. We do not guarantee that the transactions and events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all).

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those set forth or contemplatedintheforward-lookingstatements:(i)economic,market,politicalandsocialimpactof,anduncertaintyrelating to, any pandemic; (ii) a failure of conditions or performance regarding any event or transaction described herein, (iii) resolution of legal proceedings involving the Company; (iv) reduced demand for office, multifamily or retail space, including as a result of the changes in the use of office space and remote work; (v) changes in our business strategy; (vi) changes in technology and market competition that affect utilization of our office, retail, observatory, broadcast or other facilities; (vii) changes in domestic or international tourism, including due to health crises and pandemics, geopolitical events, including global hostilities, currency exchange rates, and/or competition from recently opened observatories in New York City, any or all of which may cause a decline in Observatory visitors; (viii) defaults on, early terminations of, or non-renewal of, leases by tenants; (ix) increases in the Company’s borrowing costs as a result of changes in interest rates and other factors, including thecurrentphasingoutofLIBOR;(x)decliningrealestatevaluationsandimpairmentcharges;(xi)terminationofourground leases; (xii) changes in our ability to pay down, refinance, restructure or extend our indebtedness as it becomes due and potential limitations on our ability to borrow additional funds in compliance with drawdown conditions and financial covenants; (xiii) decreased rental rates or increased vacancy rates; (xiv) our failure to execute any newly planned capital project successfully or on the anticipated timeline or budget; (xv) difficulties in identifying and completing acquisitions; (xvi) risks related to any development project (including our Metro Tower potential development site); (xvii) impact of changes in governmentalregulations, taxlawsand ratesand similarmatters; (xviii) ourfailureto qualifyasa REIT; (xix) environmental uncertainties and risks related to climate change, adverse weather conditions, rising sea levels and natural disasters;(xx) incurrence of taxable capital gain on disposition of an asset due to failure of use or compliance with a 1031 exchange program; and (xxi) accuracy of our methodologies and estimates regarding ESG metrics and goals, tenant willingness and ability to collaborate in reporting ESG metrics and meeting ESG goals, and impact of governmental regulation on our ESG efforts. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could impact the company's future results, performance or transactions, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

While forward-looking statements reflect the company's good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. The company disclaims any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events, or other changes after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, except as required by applicable law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to the company.

Overview

Unless the context otherwise requires or indicates, references in this section to "our company," "we," "our" and "us" refer to Empire State Realty OP, L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 and the notes related thereto which are included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

2022 Highlights

•Net income attributable to the company of $59.3 million.

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•Core FFO of $243.6 million.

•Signed a total of 1,118,579 rentable square feet of new, renewal and expansion leases.

•Completed the acquisition of a multifamily asset located at 298 Mulberry Street in Manhattan in the fourth quarter.

•Completed the dispositions of an office asset located at 10 Bank Street in White Plains, NY in the fourth quarter, and retail assets located in Westport, Connecticut subsequent to year-end in a tax-efficient manner through transactions that qualify as like-kind exchanges.

Results of Operations

Overview

The discussion below relates to the financial condition and results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. For a discussion of our 2020 financial results as compared to our 2021 financial results, please see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

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Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2021

The following table summarizes the historical results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 (amounts in thousands):

Years Ended December 31,

Revenues:

Operating expenses:

Other income (expense):

Loss on early extinguishment of debt — — — (214) — (214) 214 100.0 %

Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests $ 243 $ — 243 17 — 17 226 — %

Real Estate Segment

Rental Revenue

The increase in rental revenue reflects the inclusion of revenues from our multifamily properties which were acquired on December 22, 2021.

Other Revenues and Fees

Theincreaseinotherrevenuesandfeeswasduetohigherfoodandbeveragesales,insuranceclaimincome,parking income and bad debt recovery income.

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Property Operating Expenses

Theincreaseinpropertyoperatingexpensesreflectshigherpayroll,utilities,repairsandmaintenancecosts,cleaning and other operating expenses due to increased building utilization at our office properties and the inclusion of operating expenses from our multifamily properties which were acquired on December 22, 2021.

General and Administrative Expenses

Theincreaseingeneralandadministrativeexpensesreflectshigherequitycompensationandpayrollcosts, information technology costs and professional fees.

Real Estate Taxes

Higher real estate taxes were primarily attributable to the inclusion of real estate taxes from our multifamily properties which were acquired on December 22, 2021.

Impairment Charge

The impairment charge in 2021 related to 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT, which was disposed in April 2022.

Depreciation and Amortization

Theincreaseindepreciationandamortizationreflectsaccelerateddepreciationatonepropertyduetoanimpairment charge in the fourth quarter of 2021 and additional depreciation from our multifamily properties which were acquired on December 22, 2021.

Interest Income

The increase in interest income was due to higher interest rates compared to the prior year.

Interest Expense

Theincrease in interest expense wasprimarilyattributabletointerestexpensefromour multifamily properties which were acquired on December 22, 2021, partially offset by the cancellation of debt from 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT.

Gain on Sale/Disposition of Properties

Represents a gain on the sale of 10 Bank Street, White Plains NY, and a gain on the disposition of 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT.

Observatory Segment

Observatory Revenue

Observatory revenues were higher driven by increased visitation due to a reduction in COVID-19 restrictions.

Observatory Expenses

Theincreaseinobservatoryexpenseswasdrivenbyincreasedoperatinghours,whichincreasedvariablecostssuchas labor, union, security, cleaning and maintenance costs.

Income Taxes

The increase in income tax expense was attributable to higher taxable income for the observatory segment.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including ongoing commitments to repay borrowings, fund and maintain our assets and operations, including lease-up costs, fund our redevelopment and repositioning programs, acquire properties, make

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distributions to our securityholders and other general business needs. Based on the historical experience of our management and our business strategy, in the foreseeable future we anticipate we will generate positive cash flows from operations.

While we may be able to anticipate and plan for certain liquidity needs, there may be unexpected increases in uses of cash that are beyond our control and which would affect our financial condition and results of operations. For example, we may be required to comply with new laws or regulations that cause us to incur unanticipated capital expenditures for our properties, thereby increasing our liquidity needs. Even if there are no material changes to our anticipated liquidity requirements, our sources of liquidity may be fewer than, and the funds available from such sources may be less than, anticipated or needed. Our primary sources of liquidity will generally consist of cash on hand, short term investments, cash generated from our operating activities, debt issuances and unused borrowing capacity under our unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities. We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements, including distributions, operating expenses, working capital, debt service, and capital expenditures from cash flows from operations, cash on hand, debt issuances, and available borrowing capacity under our unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities. The availability of these borrowings is subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable loan agreements. We expect to meet our long-term capital requirements, including acquisitions, redevelopments and capital expenditures through our cash flows from operations, cash on hand, our unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities, mortgage financings, debt issuances, common and/or preferred equity issuances and asset sales. Our properties require periodic investments of capital for individual lease related tenant improvements allowances, general capital improvements and costs associated with capital expenditures. Our overall leverage will depend on our mix of investments and the cost of leverage. ESRT's charter does not restrict the amount of leverage that we may use.See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information.

At December 31, 2022, we had approximately $264.4 million available in cash and cash equivalents and there was $850.0 million available under our unsecured revolving credit facility.

At December 31, 2022, we had approximately $2.3 billion of total consolidated indebtedness outstanding, with a weighted average interest rate of 3.9% and a weighted average maturity of 6.4 years. As of December 31, 2022, excluding debt amortization, we have no debt maturity until November 2024 when principal repayments would amount to $77.7 million in 2024, $315.0 million in 2025 $225.0 million in 2026, $319.0 million in 2027 and $1.3 billion thereafter. As of December 31, 2022, interest expense obligations from 2023 through 2027 and thereafter amount to $593.7 million while debt amortization amount to $60.3 million.

In connection with our three ground leases (i.e. long-term leaseholds of the land and the improvements) at 1350 Broadway, 111 West 33rd Street and 1400 Broadway), we also have contractual rent obligations totaling $69.8 million as of December 31, 2022 of which $7.5 million is due within the next five years.

Portfolio Transaction Activity

On December 7, 2022, we closed on the sale of 10 Bank Street, White Plains, NY, which was encumbered by a $30.0 million mortgage, at a gross asset valuation of $42.0 million.

On December 20, 2022, we closed on the acquisition of a 100% free-market, full service multifamily asset located at 298 Mulberry Street in Manhattan for a purchase price of $114.9 million.

Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2022, on February 1, 2023 we closed on the sale of 69-97 and 103-107 Main Street in Westport, Connecticut at a gross asset valuation of $40.0 million.

In December 2022, we also entered into a purchase and sale agreement for 500 Mamaroneck Avenue in Harrison, NY at a gross asset valuation of $53.0 million. This transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.

Unsecured Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facilities

See "Financial Statements - Note 5 Debt" for a summary of our unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities.

Financial Covenants

As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with the following financial covenants:

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Financial Covenant Required December 31, 2022 In Compliance

Maximum total leverage < 60% 35.6 % Yes

Maximum secured debt < 40% 14.0 % Yes

Minimum fixed charge coverage > 1.50x 2.8x Yes

Minimum unencumbered interest coverage > 1.75x 5.0x Yes

Maximum unsecured leverage < 60% 25.8 % Yes

Mortgage Debt

As of December 31, 2022, mortgage notes payable, net, amounted to $883.7 million. The first maturity is in November 2024. See "Financial Statements - Note 5 Debt" for more information on mortgage debt.

Senior Unsecured Notes

The terms of the senior unsecured notes include customary covenants, including limitations on liens, investment, debt, fundamental changes, and transactions with affiliates and require certain customary financial reports. These terms also require compliance with financial ratios including a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a minimum unencumbered interest coverage ratio, and a maximum unsecured leverage ratio. The agreement also contains customary events of default (subject in certain cases to specified cure periods), including but not limited to non-payment, breach of covenants, representations or warranties, cross defaults, bankruptcy or other insolvency events, judgments, ERISA events, the occurrence of certain change of control transactions and loss of real estate investment trust qualification. As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with the covenants under the outstanding senior unsecured notes.

Leverage Policies

We expect to employ leverage in our capital structure in amounts determined from time to time by ESRT's board of directors.Although ESRT's board has not adopted a policy that limits the total amount of indebtedness that we may incur, we anticipate that ESRT's board will consider a number of factors in evaluating our level of indebtedness from time to time, as well as the amount of such indebtedness that will be either fixed or floating rate.ESRT's charter and bylaws do not limit the amount or percentage of indebtedness that we may incur nor do they restrict the form in which our indebtedness will be taken (including, but not limited to, recourse or non-recourse debt and cross-collateralized debt).Our overall leverage will depend on our mix of investments and the cost of leverage, however, we initially intend to maintain a level of indebtedness consistent with our plan to seek an investment grade credit rating.ESRT's board may from time to time modify our leverage policies in light of the then-current economic conditions, relative costs of debt and equity capital, market values of our properties, general market conditions for debt and equity securities, fluctuations in the market price of ESRT's common stock and our traded OP units, growth and acquisition opportunities and other factors. See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information.

Capital Expenditures

The following tables summarize our tenant improvement costs, leasing commission costs and our capital expenditures for each of the periods presented (dollars in thousands, except per square foot amounts).

Office Properties(1)(5)

Years Ended December 31,

Leasing commission costs per square foot(3) $ 18.23 $ 20.14 $ 11.67

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Retail Properties(4)(5)

Years Ended December 31,

Leasing commission costs per square foot(3) $ 62.30 $ 57.27 $ 32.31

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(1)Excludes an aggregate of 499,012, 507,276 and 504,284 rentable square feet of retail space in our Manhattan office properties in 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Includes the Empire State Building broadcasting licenses and observatory operations.

(2)Presents a renewed and expansion lease as one lease signed.

(3)Presents all tenant improvement and leasing commission costs as if they were incurred in the period in which the lease was signed, which may be different than the period in which they were actually paid.

(4)Includes an aggregate of 499,012, 507,276 and 504,284 rentable square feet of retail space in our Manhattan office properties in 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Excludes the Empire State Building broadcasting licenses and observatory operations.

(5)The tables above exclude three multifamily properties.

Years Ended December 31,

Total Commercial Portfolio

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(1)Includes all capital expenditures, excluding tenant improvements and leasing commission costs.

As of December 31, 2022, we expect to incur additional costs relating to obligations under signed new leases of approximately $118.3 million for tenant improvements and leasing commissions. We intend to fund the tenant improvements and leasing commission costs through a combination of operating cash flow, cash on hand, short term investments and borrowings under the unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities.

Capital expenditures are considered part of both our short-term and long-term liquidity requirements. We intend to fund the capital improvements through a combination of operating cash flow, cash on hand, short term investments and borrowings under the unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities.

Distribution Policy

We intend to distribute our net taxable income to our security holders in a manner intended to satisfy REIT distribution requirements and to avoid U.S. federal income tax liability.

Before we pay any distribution, whether for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise, we must first meet bothour operating requirements and obligations to make payments of principal and interest, if any. However, under somecircumstances, we may be required to use cash reserves, incur debt or liquidate assets at rates or times that we regard asunfavorableormakeataxabledistributionofoursharesinordertosatisfy REITdistribution requirements.

We declared dividends of $0.035 per share for each quarter of 2022, which equates to an annualized rate of $0.14 per share. The Board of Directors will continue its regular review of its dividend and capital allocation policies at each Board meeting.

Distribution to Equity Holders

Distributions and dividends have been made to equity holders in 2020, 2021 and 2022 as follows (amounts in thousands):

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Stock and Publicly Traded Operating Partnership Unit Repurchase Program

ESRT's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $500 million of our Class A common stock and the Operating Partnership’s Series ES, Series 250 and Series 60 operating partnership units through December 31, 2023. Under the program, ESRT may purchase its Class A common stock and our Series ES, Series 250 and Series 60 operating partnership unitsin accordance with applicable securities laws from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.The timing, manner, price and amount of any repurchases will be determined by us at our discretion and will be subject to stock price, availability, trading volume and general market conditions.The authorization does not obligate us to acquire any particular amount of securities, and the program may be suspended or discontinued at our discretion without prior notice.

The following table summarizes our purchases of equity securities for the year ended December 31, 2022:

Cash Flows

Comparison of Year Ended December 31, 2022 to the Year Ended December 31, 2021

Net cash. Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash were $314.7 million and $474.6 million as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to the acquisition of 298 Mulberry Street in December 2022, higher repurchases of common shares in 2022, higher spending for capital expenditures and higher distributions paid in 2022.

Operating activities. Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $1.3 million to $211.2 million.

Investing activities. Net cash used in investing activities increased by $18.2 million to $230.9 million duetohigher capital expenditures, partially offset by net proceeds from the disposition of real estate. Net cash used in the acquisition of multifamily assets during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $115.6 million and $117.5 million, respectively.

Financing activities. Netcash used in financingactivitiesincreasedby$47.2millionto$140.2million primarily due to higher repurchases of common shares and higher dividends and distributions paid.

Net Operating Income

Our financial reports include a discussion of property net operating income, or NOI. NOI is a non-GAAP financial measure of performance. NOI is used by our management to evaluate and compare the performance of our properties and to determine trends in earnings and to compute the fair value of our properties as it is not affected by: (i) the cost of funds of the property owner, (ii) the impact of depreciation and amortization expenses as well as gains or losses from the sale of operating real estate assets that are included in net income computed in accordance with GAAP, (iii) acquisition expenses, loss on early extinguishment of debt and loss from derivative financial instruments, or (iv) general and administrative expenses and other gains and losses that are specific to the property owner. The cost of funds is eliminated from NOI because it is specific to the particular financing capabilities and constraints of the owner and because it is dependent on historical interest rates and other costs of capital as well as past decisions made by us regarding the appropriate mix of capital which may have changed or may change in the future. Depreciation and amortization expenses as well as gains or losses from the sale of operating real estate assets are eliminated because they may not accurately represent the actual change in value in our office or retail properties that result from use of the properties or changes in market conditions. While certain aspects of real property do decline in value over time in a manner that is reasonably captured by depreciation and amortization, the value of the properties as a whole have historically increased or decreased as a result of changes in overall economic conditions instead of from actual use of the property or the passage of time. Gains and losses from the sale of real property vary from property to property and are affected by market conditions at the time of sale which will usually change from period to period. These gains and losses can create distortions when comparing one period to another or when comparing our operating results to the operating results of other real estate companies that have not made similarly-timed purchases or sales. We believe that eliminating these costs from net income is useful because the resulting measure captures the actual revenue, generated and actual expenses incurred in operating our properties as well as trends in occupancy rates, rental rates and operating costs.

However, the usefulness of NOI is limited because it excludes general and administrative costs, interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense and gains or losses from the sale of properties, and other gains and losses as stipulated by GAAP, the level of capital expenditures and leasing costs necessary to maintain the operating performance of our properties, all of which are significant economic costs.

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NOI may fail to capture significant trends in these components of net income which further limits its usefulness.

NOI is a measure of the operating performance of our properties but does not measure our performance as a whole. NOI is therefore not a substitute for net income as computed in accordance with GAAP. This measure should be analyzed in conjunction with net income computed in accordance with GAAP and discussions elsewhere in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations regarding the components of net income that are eliminated in the calculation of NOI. Other companies may use different methods for calculating NOI or similarly titled measures and, accordingly, our NOI may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies that do not define the measure exactly as we do.

The following table presents a reconciliation of our net income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to NOI for the periods presented (amounts in thousands):

Years Ended December 31,

Add:

Loss on early extinguishment of debt — 214 86

IPO litigation expense — — 1,165

Less:

Gain on sale/disposition of properties (33,988) — —

Third-party management and other fees (1,361) (1,219) (1,225)

Other Net Operating Income Data

Amortization of acquired below-market ground leases $ 7,831 $ 7,831 $ 7,831

Funds from Operations ("FFO")

We present below a discussion of FFO. We compute FFO in accordance with the “White Paper” on FFO published by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT, which defines FFO as net income (loss) (determined in accordance with GAAP), excluding impairment writedowns of investments in depreciable real estate and investments in in-substance real estate investments, gains or losses from debt restructurings and sales of depreciable operating properties, plus real estate-related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of deferred financing costs), less distributions to non-controlling interests and gains/losses from discontinued operations and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. FFO is a widely recognized non-GAAP financial measure for REITs that we believe, when considered with financial statements determined in accordance with GAAP, is useful to investors in understanding financial performance and providing a relevant basis for comparison among REITs. In addition, FFO is useful to investors as it captures features particular to real estate performance by recognizing that real estate has generally appreciated over time or maintains residual value to a much greater extent than do other depreciable assets. Investors should review FFO, along with GAAP net income, when trying to understand an equity REIT’s operating performance. We present FFO because we consider it an important supplemental measure of our operating performance and believe that it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs. However, because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization and captures neither the changes in the value of our properties that result from use or market conditions nor the level of capital expenditures and leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our properties, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our results of operations, the utility of FFO as a measure of performance is limited. There can be no assurance that FFO presented by us is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs. FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income

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(loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. FFO is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions. Although FFO is a measure used for comparability in assessing the performance of REITs, as the NAREIT White Paper only provides guidelines for computing FFO, the computation of FFO may vary from one company to another.

Modified Funds From Operations ("Modified FFO")

Modified FFO adds back an adjustment for any above or below-market ground lease amortization to traditionally defined FFO. We consider this a useful supplemental measure in evaluating our operating performance due to the non-cash accounting treatment under GAAP, which stems from the third quarter 2014 acquisition of two option properties following our formation transactions as they carry significantly below market ground leases, the amortization of which is material to our overall results. We present Modified FFO because we consider it an important supplemental measure of our operating performance in that it adds back the non-cash amortization of below-market ground leases. There can be no assurance that Modified FFO presented by us is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs. Modified FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. Modified FFO is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions.

Core Funds From Operations ("Core FFO")

Core FFO adds back to Modified FFO the following items: IPO litigation expense, severance expenses and loss on early extinguishment of debt. The company presents Core FFO because it considers it an important supplemental measure of its operating performance in that it excludes items associated with its IPO and formation transactions and other non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that Core FFO presented by the company is comparable to similarly titled measures of other REITs. Core FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP or to cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP. Core FFO is not indicative of cash available to fund ongoing cash needs, including the ability to make cash distributions. In future periods, we may also exclude other items from Core FFO that we believe may help investors compare our results.

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to FFO, Modified FFO and Core FFO for the periods presented (amounts in thousands):

Years Ended December 31,

Non-controlling interests in other partnerships 243 — —

Private perpetual preferred unit distributions (4,201) (4,201) (4,197)

Gain on sale/disposition of properties (33,988) — —

Loss on early extinguishment of debt — 214 86

Severance expenses — — 3,813

IPO litigation expense — — 1,165

Weighted average shares and Operating Partnership units

Factors That May Influence Future Results of Operations

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Rental Revenue

We derive revenues primarily from rents, rent escalations, expense reimbursements and other income received from tenants under existing leases at each of our properties. “Escalations and expense reimbursements” consist of payments made by tenants to us under contractual lease obligations to reimburse a portion of the property operating expenses and real estate taxes incurred at each property.

We believe that the average rental rates for in-place leases at our properties are generally below the current market rates, although individual leases at particular properties presently may be leased above, at or below the current market rates within its particular submarket.

The amount of net rental income and reimbursements that we receive depends principally on our ability to lease currently available space, re-lease space to new tenants upon the scheduled or unscheduled termination of leases or renew expiring leases and to maintain or increase our rental rates. Factors that could affect our rental incomes include, but are not limited to: local, regional or national economic conditions; an oversupply of, or a reduction in demand for, office or retail space; changes in market rental rates; our ability to provide adequate services and maintenance at our properties; and fluctuations in interest rates, all of which could adversely affect our rental income in future periods. Future economic or regional downturns affecting our submarkets, or downturns in our tenants’ industries, could impair our ability to lease vacant space and renew or re-lease space as well as the ability of our tenants to fulfill their lease commitments, and could adversely affect our ability to maintain or increase the occupancy at our properties. See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Relating to the Real Estate Market in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information on factors that that may influence future rental revenue.

Tenant Credit Risk

The economic condition of our tenants may also deteriorate, which could negatively impact their ability to fulfill their lease commitments and in turn adversely affect our ability to maintain or increase the occupancy level and/or rental rates of our properties. Potential tenants may look to consolidate, reduce overhead and preserve operating capital and may also defer strategic decisions, including entering into new, long-term leases at properties.

Leasing

We signed 1.1 million, 1.0 million, and 0.9 million rentable square feet of new leases, expansions and lease renewals, for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Due to the relatively small number of leases that are signed in any particular quarter, one or more larger leases may have a disproportionately positive or negative impact on average rent, tenant improvement and leasing commission costs for that period. As a result, we believe it is more appropriate when analyzing trends in average rent and tenant improvement and leasing commission costs to review activity over multiple quarters or years. Tenant improvement costs include expenditures for general improvements occurring concurrently with, but that are not directly related to, the cost of installing a new tenant. Leasing commission costs are similarly subject to significant fluctuations depending upon the length of leases being signed and the mix of tenants from quarter to quarter.

As of December 31, 2022, there were approximately 1.1 million rentable square feet of space in our commercial portfolio available to lease (excluding leases signed but not yet commenced) representing 11.4% of the net rentable square footage of the properties in our commercial portfolio. In addition, leases representing 5.1% and 6.6% of net rentable square footage of the properties in our commercial portfolio will expire in 2023 and in 2024, respectively. These leases are expected to represent approximately 5.7% and 7.2%, respectively, of our annualized rent for such periods. Our revenues and results of operations can be impacted by expiring leases that are not renewed or re-leased or that are renewed or re-leased at base rental rates equal to, above or below the current average base rental rates. Further, our revenues and results of operations can also be affected by the costs we incur to re-lease available space, including payment of leasing commissions, redevelopments and build-to-suit remodeling that may not be borne by the tenant. See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Relating to the Real Estate Market in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional factors for more information.

Market Conditions

The properties in our commercial portfolio are located in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, which includes Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester County, New York. Positive or negative changes in conditions in these markets, such as business hirings or layoffs or downsizing, industry growth or slowdowns, relocations of businesses, increases or decreases in real estate and other taxes, costs of complying with governmental regulations or changed regulation, can impact our overall performance. See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Relating to our Portfolio Concentration in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional factors that that may influence market conditions.

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Observatory Operations

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the observatory hosted 2,189,000 visitors, compared to 827,000 visitors for the same period in 2021, an increase of 164.7%. Our return of attendance to pre-pandemic levels is closely tied to national and international travel trends, our new reservations-only model of operation, and our desire to provide a better experience with fewer crowds to visitors from whom we receive higher revenues per person.

Observatory revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $106.0 million, a 155.4% increase from $41.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The observatory revenue increase was driven by higher visitation levels in 2022.

Observatory revenue and admissions are dependent upon the following: (i) the number of tourists (domestic and international) that come to New York City and visit the observatory, as well as any related tourism trends; (ii) the prices per admission that can be charged; (iii) seasonal trends affecting the number of visitors to the observatory; (iv) competition, in particular from other new and existing observatories; and (v) weather trends. See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Non-Real Estate Operations in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional factors that may influence our observatory operations.

Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses generally consist of depreciation and amortization, real estate taxes, ground lease expenses, repairs and maintenance, security, utilities, property-related payroll, and insurance. Factors that may affect our ability to control these operating costs include: increases in insurance premiums, tax rates, the cost of periodic repair, redevelopment costs and the cost of re-leasing space, the cost of compliance with governmental regulation, including zoning and tax laws, the potential for liability under applicable laws and interest rate levels. If our operating costs increase as a result of any of the foregoing factors, our future cash flow and results of operations may be adversely affected.

The expenses of owning and operating a property are not necessarily reduced when circumstances, such as market factors and competition, cause a reduction in income from the property. If revenues drop, we may not be able to reduce our expenses accordingly. Costs associated with real estate investments, such as real estate taxes and maintenance generally, will not be materially reduced even if a property is not fully occupied or other circumstances cause our revenues to decrease. As a result, if revenues decrease in the future, static operating costs may adversely affect our future cash flow and results of operations. If similar economic conditions exist in the future, we may experience future losses. See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Properties in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional factors that may influence our operating expenses.

Cost of Funds and Interest Rates

As of December 31, 2022, 100% of our debt was fixed rate debt with the inclusion of existing interest rate swap agreements. We may incur variable rate debt to the extent we use available borrowing capacity from our unsecured credit facility.

Competition

The leasing of real estate is highly competitive in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan market in which we operate. We compete with numerous acquirers, developers, owners and operators of commercial real estate, many of which own or may seek to acquire or develop properties similar to ours in the same markets in which our properties are located. The principal means of competition are rent charged, location, services provided and the nature and condition of the facility to be leased. In addition, we face competition from other real estate companies including other REITs, private real estate funds, domestic and foreign financial institutions, life insurance companies, pension trusts, partnerships, individual investors and others that may have greater financial resources or access to capital than we do or that are willing to acquire properties in transactions which are more highly leveraged or are less attractive from a financial viewpoint than we are willing to pursue. In addition, competition from new and existing observatories and/or broadcasting operations could have a negative impact on revenues from our observatory and/or broadcasting operations. Adverse impacts on domestic travel and changes in foreign currency exchange rates may also decrease demand in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. If our competitors offer space at rental rates below current market rates, below the rental rates we currently charge our tenants, in better locations within our markets or in higher quality facilities, we may lose potential tenants and may be pressured to reduce our rental rates below those we currently charge in order to retain tenants when our tenants’ leases expire.

See ITEM 1A. Risk Factors in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional factors that that may influence future results of operations.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

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The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP and with the rules and regulations of the SEC represent our assets and liabilities and operating results. The consolidated financial statements include our accounts and our wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

We consolidate entities in which we have a controlling financial interest. In determining whether we have a controlling financial interest in a partially owned entity and the requirement to consolidate the accounts of that entity, we consider factors such as ownership interest, board representation, management representation, authority to make decisions, and contractual and substantive participating rights of the partners/members as well as whether the entity is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and we are the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is the entity that has (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could be significant to the VIE. The primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the VIE.

We will assess the accounting treatment for each investment we may have in the future. This assessment will include a review of each entity’s organizational agreement to determine which party has what rights and whether those rights are protective or participating. For all VIEs, we will review such agreements in order to determine which party has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and benefit. In situations where we or our partner could approve, among other things, the annual budget, or leases that cover more than a nominal amount of space relative to the total rentable space at each property, we would not consolidate the investment as we consider these to be substantive participation rights that result in shared power of the activities that would most significantly impact the performance and benefit of such joint venture investment.

A non-controlling interest in a consolidated subsidiary is defined as the portion of the equity (net assets) in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to a parent. Non-controlling interests are required to be presented as a separate component of equity in the consolidated balance sheets and in the consolidated statements of income by requiring earnings and other comprehensive income to be attributed to controlling and non-controlling interests.

Goodwill

Goodwill is tested annually for impairment and is tested for impairment more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount, including goodwill, exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value and the implied fair value of goodwill is less than the carrying amount of that goodwill. Non-amortizing intangible assets, such as trade names and trademarks, are subject to an annual impairment test based on fair value and amortizing intangible assets are tested whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

From the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and for each subsequent quarter through our annual goodwill testing on October 1, 2022, we bypassed the optional qualitative goodwill impairment assessment and proceeded directly to a quantitative assessment of the observatory reportable segment and engaged a third-party valuation consulting firm to perform the valuation process. This was done in response to the closure of the observatory on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was subsequently fully reopened on August 24, 2020. The quantitative analysis used a combination of the discounted cash flow method (a form of the income approach) utilizing Level 3 unobservable inputs and the guideline company method (a form of the market approach). Significant assumptions under the former included revenue and cost projections, weighted average cost of capital, long-term growth rate and income tax considerations while the latter included guideline company enterprise values, revenue multiples and control premium rates. Our methodology to review goodwill impairment, which included a significant amount of judgment and estimates, provided a reasonable basis to determine whether impairment had occurred. Each quantitative analysis performed concluded the fair value of the standalone observatory reporting unit exceeds its carrying value. Many of the factors employed in determining whether or not goodwill is impaired are outside of our control, and it is reasonably likely that assumptions and estimates will change in future periods. We will continue to assess the impairment of the observatory reporting unit goodwill going forward.

Income Taxes

We are generally not subject to federal and state income taxes as our taxable income or loss is reportable by our partners. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal and state income taxes. ESRT elected, together with ESRT Observatory TRS, L.L.C., our subsidiary that holds our observatory operations, to treat ESRT Observatory TRS, L.L.C. as a taxable REIT subsidiary ("TRS"), and ESRT has elected, together with ESRT Holdings TRS, L.L.C., our subsidiary that holds our third party management, restaurant, cafeteria, health clubs and certain cleaning operations, to treat ESRT Holdings TRS, L.L.C. as a TRS. TRSs may participate in non-real estate activities and/or perform non-customary services for tenants and their operations are generally subject to regular corporate income taxes. Each of our TRSs account for their income taxes in accordance with GAAP, which includes an estimate of the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our financial statements or tax returns. The calculation of the TRSs tax provisions may require interpreting tax laws and regulations and could result in the use of judgments or estimates which could cause its recorded tax liability to differ from the actual amount due. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income

50

tax purposes. The TRSs periodically assess the realizability of deferred tax assets and the adequacy of deferred tax liabilities, including the results of local, state, or federal tax audits or estimates and judgments used.

As of December 31, 2022, our parent and general partner, Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., had $99.8 million of net operating loss (" NOL") carryforwards that may be used in the future to reduce the amount otherwise required to be distributed by ESRT to meet REIT requirements. However, for federal income tax purposes, the NOL will not be able to offset more than 80% of ESRT’s REIT taxable income and, therefore, may not be able to reduce the amount required to be distributed by ESRT to meet REIT requirements to zero. The federal NOL may be carried forward indefinitely. Other limitations may apply to ESRT’s ability to use its NOL to offset taxable income.

As of December 31, 2022, the Observatory TRS had a federal income tax receivable of $2.5 million. This receivable reflects an anticipated refund resulting from the carryback of 2020 NOL to previous tax years. The Observatory TRS has $10.2 million NOL carryforwards that may be used to offset future taxable income, if any. The federal NOL may be carried forward indefinitely and the state and local NOL can be carried forward for up to 20 years.

We apply provisions for measuring and recognizing tax benefits associated with uncertain income tax positions. Penalties and interest, if incurred, would be recorded as a component of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we do not have a liability for uncertain tax positions. As of December 31, 2022, the tax years ended December 31, 2019 through December 31, 2022 remain open for an audit by the Internal Revenue Service, state or local authorities.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation for time-based equity awards is measured at the fair value of the award on the date of grant and recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the shorter of (i) the stated vesting period, which is generally three, four or five years, or (ii) the period from the date of grant to the date the employee becomes retirement eligible, which may occur upon grant. An employee is retirement eligible when the employee attains the (i) age of 65 for awards granted in 2020 and after and age of 60 for awards granted before 2020 and (ii) the date on which the employee has first completed ten years of continuous service with us or our affiliates. Share-based compensation for market-based equity awards and performance-based equity awards is measured at the fair value of the award on the date of grant and recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over three or four years. Additionally, for the performance-based equity awards, we assess, at each reporting period, whether it is probable that the performance conditions will be satisfied. We recognize expense respective to the number of awards we expect to vest at the conclusion of the measurement period. Changes in estimate are accounted for in the period of change through a cumulative catch-up adjustment. Any forfeitures of share-based compensation awards are recognized as they occur.

The determination of fair value of these awards is subjective and involves significant estimates and assumptions including expected volatility of ESRT stock, expected dividend yield, expected term, and assumptions of whether these awards will achieve parity with other operating partnership units or achieve performance thresholds. We believe that the assumptions and estimates utilized are appropriate based on the information available to management at the time of grant.

Accounting Standards Update

See "Financial Statements - Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies"for information about recently issued and recently adopted accounting standards.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Our future income, cash flows and fair values relevant to financial instruments are dependent upon prevalent market interest rates. Market risk refers to the risk of loss from adverse changes in market prices and interest rates. We are exposed to interest rate changes primarily on our unsecured revolving credit facility and debt refinancings. Our objectives with respect to interest rate risk are to limit the impact of interest rate changes on operations and cash flows, and to lower our overall borrowing costs. To achieve these objectives, we may borrow at fixed rates and may enter into derivative financial instruments such as interest rate swaps or caps in order to mitigate our interest rate risk. We do not enter into derivative or interest rate transactions for speculative purposes.

Subject to maintaining ESRT's qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we may mitigate the risk of interest rate volatility through the use of hedging instruments, such as interest rate swap agreements and interest rate cap agreements. Our primary objectives when undertaking hedging transactions and derivative positions will be to reduce our floating rate exposure and to fix a portion of the interest rate for anticipated financing and refinancing transactions. This in turn will reduce the risk that the variability of cash flows will impose on floating rate debt. However, we can provide no assurances that our efforts to manage interest rate volatility will successfully mitigate the risks of such volatility on our commercial portfolio. We are not subject to foreign currency risk.

On March 5, 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) announced that USD LIBOR will no longer be published after June 30, 2023. This announcement has several implications, including setting the spread that may be used to automatically convert contracts from LIBOR to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR").

As of December 31, 2022, we have interest rate LIBOR swap and cap agreements and SOFR swap agreements with an aggregate notional value of $574.8 million and which mature between October 1, 2024 and November 1, 2033. These "variable to fixed" interest rate swaps have been designated as cash flow hedges and are deemed highly effective with fair values of $17.9 million which is included in prepaid assets and other expenses on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022. Given the phasing out of LIBOR, we have entered into SOFR swap agreements to begin the replacement of our LIBOR swap agreements. Additionally, in August 2022, we amended our BofA Credit Facility and Wells Term Loan Facility to replace LIBOR with SOFR given the phase out of LIBOR. See "Financial Statements - Note 5 Debt" for more information. We will continue to work with our lenders and counterparties to replace or modify, as appropriate, the interest rate provisions in our other LIBOR swap and cap agreements.

As of December 31, 2022, the weighted average interest rate on the $2.3 billion of fixed-rate indebtedness outstanding was 3.9% per annum, each with maturities at various dates through March 17, 2035.

As of December 31, 2022, the fair value of our outstanding debt was approximately $2.0 billion which was approximately $207.2 million less than the historical book value as of such date. Interest risk amounts were determined by considering the impact of hypothetical interest rates on our financial instruments. These analyses do not consider the effect of any change in overall economic activity that could occur in that environment. Further, in the event of a change of that magnitude, we may take actions to further mitigate our exposure to the change. However, due to the uncertainty of the specific actions that would be taken and their possible effects, these analyses assume no changes in our financial structure.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The financial statements beginning on Page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports under the Exchange Act is processed, recorded, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including ESRT's Chief Executive Officer and Principal

52

Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

As of December 31, 2022, the end of the period covered by this Report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of ESRT management, including ESRT's Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, regarding the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures at the end of the period covered by this Report. Based on the foregoing, ESRT's Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded, as of that time, that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by us in reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act (i) is processed, recorded, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to our management, including ESRT's Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

No significant changes to our internal control over financial reporting were identified in connection with the evaluation referenced above that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

(a) Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management of Empire State Realty OP, L.P. is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rule 13(a)-15(f). Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022 as required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rule 13(a)-15(c). In making this assessment, we used the criteria set forth in the framework in Internal Control–Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the "COSO criteria"). Based on our evaluation under the COSO criteria, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2022 to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm that audited our Financial Statements included in this Annual Report, has issued an attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, which appears in paragraph (b) of this Item 9A.

(b) Attestation report of the independent registered public accounting firm

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Partners of Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have audited Empire State Realty OP, L.P.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework)(the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Empire State Realty OP, L.P. (the Operating Partnership) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based onthe COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 2022 consolidated financial statements of the Operating Partnership and our report dated February 28, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

The Operating Partnership’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Operating Partnership’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are

53

required to be independent with respect to the Operating Partnership in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York

February 28, 2023

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

None.

ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS

Not applicable.

PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

We are managed by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. in its capacity as our sole general partner. The information required by Item 10 will be set forth in Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.'s definitive proxy statement for its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (which is scheduled to be held on May 11, 2023), to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the ESRT Proxy Statement, and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

We are managed by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. in its capacity as our sole general partner. The information required by Item 11 will be set forth in the ESRT Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The information required by Item 12 will be set forth in the ESRT Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information under Item 5 of this Form 10-K under the heading “Securities Authorized For Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans” is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

The information required by Item 13 will be set forth in the ESRT Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

The information required by Item 14 will be set forth in the ESRT Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES

(a) The following documents are filed as part of this report:

1.The consolidated financial statements are set forth in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

2.The following financial statement schedules should be read in conjunction with the financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Schedule III-Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation as of December 31, 2022 on page F-42.

Schedules other than those listed are omitted as they are not applicable or the required or equivalent information has been included in the financial statements or notes thereto.

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(b) The exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K (§229.601 of this chapter) are listed below:

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No. Description

3.1 Certificate of Limited Partnership of Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

56

57

21.1* Subsidiaries of Registrant

23.1* Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

101.SCH* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

101.CAL* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Document

101.DEF* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definitions Document

101.LAB* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Document

101.PRE* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Document

Notes:

* Filed herewith.

ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY

None.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

EMPIRE STATE REALTY OP, L.P.

By: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., its general partner

Date: February 28, 2023 By:/s/ Anthony E. Malkin

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: February 28, 2023 By:/s/ Christina Chiu

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

Date: February 28, 2023 By:/s/ Stephen V. Horn

Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., as general partner of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature Title Date

Anthony E. Malkin

(Principal Executive Officer)

Christina Chiu

Stephen V. Horn (Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/ Thomas J. DeRosa Director February 28, 2023

Thomas J. DeRosa

/s/ Steven J. Gilbert Lead Independent Director February 28, 2023

Steven J. Gilbert

/s/ S. Michael Giliberto Director February 28, 2023

S. Michael Giliberto

/s/ Patricia S. Han Director February 28, 2023

Patricia S. Han

/s/ Grant H. Hill Director February 28, 2023

Grant H. Hill

/s/ R. Paige Hood Director February 28, 2023

R. Paige Hood

/s/ James D. Robinson IV Director February 28, 2023

James D. Robinson IV

59

EMPIRE STATE REALTY OP, L.P.

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

PAGE

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 42) F-1

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 F-3

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-9

Financial Statement Schedule:

Schedule III - Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation F-42

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Partners of Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Opinion on the Financial Statements:

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Empire State Realty OP, L.P. (the Operating Partnership) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), capital and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes and financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a) (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Operating Partnership at December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Operating Partnership's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework), and our report dated February 28, 2023, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion:

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Operating Partnership’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Operating Partnership’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Operating Partnership in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

F-1

Valuation of goodwill - observatory

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Operating Partnership’s auditor since 2010.

New York, New York

February 28, 2023

F-2

Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(amounts in thousands, except unit and per unit amounts)

Commercial real estate properties, at cost:

Assets held for sale 35,538 —

LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL

Liabilities:

Unsecured revolving credit facility — —

Deferred revenue and other liabilities 76,091 84,358

Liabilities related to assets held for sale 5,943 —

Commitments and contingencies

Capital:

Private perpetual preferred units:

Series PR operating partnership units:

Non-controlling interest in other partnerships 15,466 13,252

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

F-3

Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(amounts in thousands, except per unit amounts)

For the Year Ended December 31,

Revenues:

Operating expenses:

Other income (expense):

Gain on sale/disposition of properties 33,988 — —

Loss on early extinguishment of debt — (214) (86)

IPO litigation expense — — (1,165)

Private perpetual preferred unit distributions (4,201) (4,201) (4,197)

Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest in other partnerships 243 17 —

Total weighted average units:

Earnings (loss) per unit:

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

F-4

Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(amounts in thousands)

For the Year Ended December 31,

Other comprehensive income (loss):

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

F-5

Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Consolidated Statements of Capital

(amounts in thousands)

General Partner Limited Partners

Repurchases of common units — — (4,887) (46,704) — — — — — — — — — (46,704)

Repurchases of common units — — (11,571) (90,176) — — — — — — — — — (90,176)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

F-6

Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(amounts in thousands)

For the Year Ended December 31,

Cash Flows From Operating Activities

Gain on sale/disposition of properties (33,988) — —

Amortization of non-cash items within interest expense 9,799 10,862 9,482

Amortization of acquired below-market ground leases 7,831 7,831 7,831

Settlement of derivative contract — — (20,281)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt — 214 86

Accounts payable and accrued expenses 4,705 (99) (3,305)

Cash Flows From Investing Activities

Net proceeds from disposition of real estate 11,005 — —

Development costs (35) (165) —

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

F-7

Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (continued)

(amounts in thousands)

For the Year Ended December 31,

Cash Flows From Financing Activities

Proceeds from mortgage notes payable — — 180,000

Proceeds from unsecured senior notes — — 175,000

Proceeds from unsecured term loan — — 175,000

Repayment of unsecured term loan — — (50,000)

Proceeds from unsecured revolving credit facility — — 550,000

Repayment of unsecured revolving credit facility — — (550,000)

Contributions from consolidated joint ventures 224 — —

Private perpetual preferred unit distributions (4,201) (4,201) (4,197)

Reconciliation of Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash:

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:

Non-cash investing and financing activities:

Transfer of assets related to assets held for sale 35,538 — —

Transfer of liabilities related to assets held for sale 5,943 — —

Mortgage assumed in connection with sale of real estate 30,117 — —

Debt assumed with the acquisition of real estate properties — 177,453 —

Contribution from other partnerships — 13,269 —

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements

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Empire State Realty OP, L.P.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

1. Description of Business and Organization

As used in these consolidated financial statements, unless the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us,” "our," and the "company,” mean Empire State Realty OP, L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Empire State Realty OP, L.P. is the entity through which Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. ("ESRT"), a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust, or REIT, conducts all of its business and owns (either directly or through subsidiaries) substantially all of its assets. We own, manage, operate, acquire and reposition office, retail and multifamily properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area. Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.'s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ESRT." We were organized as a Delaware limited partnership on November 28, 2011.

ESRT as the sole general partner in our company, has responsibility and discretion in the management and control in our company, and our limited partners, in such capacity, have no authority to transact business for, or participate in the management activities of our company. As of December 31, 2022, ESRT owned approximately 59.4% of our operating partnership units.

As of December 31, 2022, our office and retail portfolio contained 9.7 million rentable square feet of office and retail space, and was 85.2% occupied. Including signed leases not yet commenced, our total office and retail portfolio was 88.6% leased. As of December 31, 2022, we owned 12 office properties (including three long-term ground leasehold interests) encompassing approximately 8.9 million rentable square feet of office space, which were approximately 85.1% occupied or 88.3% leased including signed leases not yet commenced. Nine properties are located in the midtown Manhattan market and encompass approximately 7.6 million rentable square feet of office space, including the Empire State Building. Our Manhattan office and multifamily properties also contain 0.5 million rentable square feet of premier retail space on their ground floor and/or contiguous levels. Three office properties are located in Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester County, New York, encompassing approximately 1.3 million rentable square feet. The majority of the square footage for these three properties is located in densely populated metropolitan communities with immediate access to mass transportation. Additionally, we have entitled land at the Stamford Transportation Center in Stamford, Connecticut, adjacent to one of our office properties, that will support the development of an approximately 0.4 million rentable square foot office building and garage, which we refer to herein as Metro Tower. As of December 31, 2022, our commercial portfolio also included four standalone retail properties located in Manhattan and two standalone retail properties located in the city center of Westport, Connecticut, encompassing 0.2 million rentable square feet in the aggregate. On February 1, 2023, the two retail properties in Westport, Connecticut were sold. Note 3 Acquisitions and Dispositions. As of December 31, 2022, our standalone retail properties were 97.6% leased. Additionally, as of December 31, 2022, our portfolio included three multifamily properties located in Manhattan totaling 721 units of which 96.3% were leased.

We have two entities that elected, together with ESRT, to be treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries, or TRSs, of ESRT. The TRSs, through several wholly owned limited liability companies, conduct third-party services businesses, which include the Empire State Building observatory, cleaning services, cafeteria, restaurant and health clubs, and asset and property management services.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements, have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), represent our assets and liabilities and operating results. The consolidated financial statements include our accounts and our partially owned and wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

We consolidate entities in which we have a controlling financial interest. In determining whether we have a controlling financial interest in a partially owned entity and the requirement to consolidate the accounts of that entity, we consider factors such as ownership interest, board representation, management representation, authority to make decisions, and contractual and substantive participating rights of the partners/members as well as whether the entity is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and

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whether we are the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is the entity that has (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could be significant to the VIE. The primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the VIE.

As of December 31, 2022, we have a variable interest in and are deemed to be the primary beneficiary of ESRT 298 Mulberry, L.L.C. which is the entity through which we acquired a multifamily asset located at 298 Mulberry Street in Manhattan in December 2022 (see Note 3 Acquisitions and Dispositions). We had no VIEs as of December 31, 2021.

We will assess the accounting treatment for each investment we may have in the future. This assessment will include a review of each entity’s organizational agreement to determine which party has what rights and whether those rights are protective or participating. For all VIEs, we will review such agreements in order to determine which party has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and benefit. In situations where we or our partner could approve, among other things, the annual budget, or leases that cover more than a nominal amount of space relative to the total rentable space at each property, we would not consolidate the investment as we consider these to be substantive participation rights that result in shared power of the activities that would most significantly impact the performance and benefit of such joint venture investment.

A non-controlling interest in a consolidated subsidiary is defined as the portion of the equity (net assets) in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to a parent. Non-controlling interests are required to be presented as a separate component of equity in the consolidated balance sheets and in the consolidated statements of income by requiring earnings and other comprehensive income to be attributed to controlling and non-controlling interests.

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to use estimates and assumptions that in certain circumstances affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include allocation of the purchase price of acquired real estate properties among tangible and intangible assets, determination of the useful life of real estate properties and other long-lived assets, valuation and impairment analysis of commercial real estate properties, goodwill, right-of-use assets and other long-lived assets, estimate of tenant expense reimbursements, valuation of the allowance for doubtful accounts, and valuation of derivative instruments, ground lease liabilities, senior unsecured notes, mortgage notes payable, unsecured revolving credit and term loan facilities, and equity based compensation. These estimates are prepared using management’s best judgment, after considering past, current, and expected events and economic conditions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Rental Revenue

Rental revenue includes base rents that each tenant pays in accordance with the terms of its respective lease and is reported on a straight-line basis over the non-cancellable term of the lease which includes the effects of rent steps and rent abatements under the leases. In general, we commence rental revenue recognition when the tenant takes possession of the leased space or controls the physical use of the leased space and the leased space is substantially ready for its intended use. We account for all of our leases as operating leases. Deferred rent receivables, including free rental periods and leasing arrangements allowing for increased base rent payments, are accounted for in a manner that provides an even amount of fixed lease revenues over the respective non-cancellable lease terms. Differences between rental income recognized and amounts due under the respective lease agreements are recognized as an increase or decrease to deferred rent receivables.

In addition to base rent, our tenants also generally will pay their pro rata share of increases in real estate taxes and operating expenses for the building over a base year. In some leases, in lieu of paying additional rent based upon increases in building operating expenses, the tenant will pay additional rent based upon increases in an index such as the Consumer Price Index over the index value in effect during a base year, or contain fixed percentage increases over the base rent to cover escalations.

We recognize rental revenue of acquired in-place above- and below-market leases at their fair values over the terms of the respective leases, including, for below-market leases, fixed option renewal periods, if any.

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Lease termination fees are recognized when the fees are determinable, tenant vacancy has occurred, collectability is reasonably assured, we have no continuing obligation to provide services to such former tenants and the payment is not subject to any conditions that must be met or waived.

Observatory Revenue

Revenues from the sale of observatory tickets are recognized upon admission or ticket expirations. Deferred revenue related to unused and unexpired tickets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $1.4 million and $0.9 million, respectively, and is included in deferred revenue and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

Gains on Sale/Disposition of Real Estate

We record a gain on sale of real estate pursuant to provisions under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 610-20, Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets. Under ASC 610-20, we must first determine whether the transaction is a sale to a customer or non-customer. We do not sell real estate within the ordinary course of our business and therefore, expect that sale transactions will not be contracts with customers. We will next determine whether we would have a controlling financial interest in the property after the sale. If we determine that we do not have a controlling financial interest in the real estate, we would evaluate whether a contract exists under ASC 606 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and whether the buyer has obtained control of the asset that was sold. We recognize the full gain on sale of real estate when the derecognition criteria under ASC 610-20 have been met.

Third-Party Management and Other Fees

We earn revenue arising from contractual agreements with related party entities for asset and property management services. This revenue is recognized as the related services are performed under the respective agreements in place.

Other Revenues and Fees

Other revenues and fees includes parking income, legal, tax and insurance settlements, demand response energy use earnings and sales from our restaurant at the Empire State Building.

Advertising and Marketing Costs

Advertising and marketing costs are expensed as incurred. The expense for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 was $10.8 million, $7.9 million and $7.4 million, respectively, and is included within operating expenses in our consolidated statements of operations.

Real Estate Properties and Related Intangible Assets

Land and buildings and improvements are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The recorded cost includes cost of acquisitions, development and construction and tenant allowances and improvements. Expenditures for ordinary repairs and maintenance are charged to property operating expense as incurred. Significant replacements and betterments which improve or extend the life of the asset are capitalized. Tenant improvements which improve or extend the life of the asset are capitalized. If a tenant vacates its space prior to the contractual termination of its lease, the unamortized balance of any tenant improvements are written off if they are replaced or have no future value. For developed properties, direct and indirect costs that clearly relate to projects under development are capitalized. Costs include construction costs, professional services such as architectural and legal costs, capitalized interest and direct payroll costs. We begin capitalization when the project is probable. The assets relating to the project are stated at cost and are not depreciated. Once construction is completed and the assets are placed in service, the assets are reclassified to the appropriate asset class and depreciated in accordance with the useful lives as indicated below. Capitalization of interest ceases when the asset is ready for its intended use, which is generally near the date that a certificate of occupancy is obtained. There was no capitalized interest for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method for financial reporting purposes. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over the shorter of 39 years, the useful life, or the remaining term of any leasehold interest. Tenant improvement costs, which are included in building and improvements in the consolidated balance sheets, are depreciated over the shorter of (i) the related remaining lease term or (ii) the life of the improvement. Corporate and other equipment is depreciated over three to seven years.

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Acquisitions of properties are accounted for utilizing the acquisition method and accordingly the purchase cost is allocated to tangible and intangible assets and liabilities based on their fair values. The fair value of tangible assets acquired is determined by valuing the property as if it were vacant, applying methods similar to those used by independent appraisers of income-producing property. The resulting value is then allocated to land, buildings and improvements, and tenant improvements based on our determination of the fair value of these assets. The assumptions used in the allocation of fair values to assets acquired are based on our best estimates at the time of evaluation.

Fair value is assigned to above-market and below-market leases based on the difference between (a) the contractual amounts to be paid by the tenant based on the existing lease and (b) our estimate of current market lease rates for the corresponding in-place leases, over the remaining terms of the in-place leases. Capitalized above-market lease amounts are amortized as a decrease to rental revenue over the remaining terms of the respective leases. Capitalized below-market lease amounts are amortized as an increase to rental revenue over the remaining terms of the respective leases. If a tenant vacates its space prior to the contractual termination of the lease and no rental payments are being made on the lease, any unamortized balance of the related intangible will be written off.

The aggregate value of other acquired intangible assets consists of acquired ground leases and acquired in-place leases and tenant relationships. The fair value allocated to acquired in-place leases consists of a variety of components including, but not necessarily limited to: (a) the value associated with avoiding the cost of originating the acquired in-place leases (i.e. the market cost to execute a lease, including leasing commissions, if any); (b) the value associated with lost revenue related to tenant reimbursable operating costs estimated to be incurred during the assumed lease-up period (i.e. real estate taxes, insurance and other operating expenses); (c) the value associated with lost rental revenue from existing leases during the assumed lease-up period; and (d) the value associated with any other inducements to secure a tenant lease.

We assess the potential for impairment of our long-lived assets, including real estate properties, annually or whenever events occur or a change in circumstances indicate that the recorded value might not be fully recoverable. We determine whether impairment in value has occurred by comparing the estimated future undiscounted cash flows expected from the use and eventual disposition of the asset to its carrying value. If the undiscounted cash flows do not exceed the carrying value, the real estate is adjusted to fair value and an impairment loss is recognized. Assets held for sale are recorded at the lower of cost or fair value less costs to sell and depreciation expense is no longer recorded.

During the fourth quarter 2021, we suspended debt service related to a $30 million mortgage secured by our property in Norwalk, Connecticut and we identified this action as an indicator of impairment. We concluded that the cost basis of the asset exceeded its fair value when considering our reduced holding period given our intent to transfer property ownership to the lender. As such, we incurred a $7.7 million impairment charge in the year ended December 31, 2021. Our methodology to calculate the fair value of the property involved a combination of the discounted cash flow method, utilizing Level 3 unobservable inputs such as market capitalization rates obtained from external sources, and the market- based approach utilizing recent sales comparables. During April 2022, we transferred 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT back to the lender in a consensual foreclosure. Refer to Note 3 Acquisitions and Dispositions. We do not believe that the value of any of our other properties and intangible assets were impaired during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, government money markets, demand deposits with financial institutions and short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased. Cash and cash equivalents held at major commercial banks may at times exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation limit. To date, we have not experienced any losses on our invested cash.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of amounts held for tenants in accordance with lease agreements such as security deposits and amounts held by lenders and/or escrow agents to provide for future real estate tax expenditures and insurance expenditures, tenant vacancy related costs and debt service obligations.

Short-term Investments

Short-term investments include time deposits with original maturities of greater than three months and remaining

maturities of less than one year.

Tenant and Other Receivables

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Tenant and other receivables, other than deferred rent receivable, are generally expected to be collected within one year.

Deferred Leasing Costs

Deferred leasing costs consist of fees incurred to initiate and renew leases, are amortized on a straight-line basis over the related lease term and the expense is included in depreciation and amortization in our consolidated statements of income. Upon the early termination of a lease, unamortized deferred leasing costs are charged to expense.

Deferred Financing Costs

Fees and costs incurred to obtain long-term financing have been deferred and are amortized as a component of interest expense in our consolidated statements of income over the life of the respective long-term financing on the straight-line method which approximates the effective interest method. Unamortized deferred financing costs are expensed when the associated debt is refinanced or repaid before maturity. Costs incurred in seeking debt, which do not close, are expensed in the period in which it is determined that the financing will not close.

Equity Method Investments

We account for investments under the equity method of accounting where we do not have control but have the ability to exercise significant influence. Under this method, investments are recorded at cost, and the investment accounts are adjusted for our share of the entities’ income or loss and for distributions and contributions. Equity income (loss) is allocated based on the portion of the ownership interest that is controlled by us. The agreements may designate different percentage allocations among investors for profits and losses; however, our recognition of the entity’s income or loss generally follows the entity’s distribution priorities, which may change upon the achievement of certain investment return thresholds.

To the extent that we contributed assets to an entity, our investment in the entity is recorded at cost basis in the assets that were contributed to the entity. Upon contributing assets to an entity, we make a judgment as to whether the economic substance of the transaction is a sale. In accordance with the provisions of ASC 610-20, we will recognize a full gain on both the retained and sold portions of real estate contributed or sold to an entity by recognizing our new equity method investment interest at fair value.

To the extent that the carrying amount of these investments on our combined balance sheets is different than the basis reflected at the entity level, the basis difference would be amortized over the life of the related asset and included in our share of equity in net income of the entity.

On a periodic basis, we assess whether there are any indicators that the carrying value of our investments in entities may be impaired on an other than temporary basis. An investment is impaired only if management’s estimate of the fair value of the investment is less than the carrying value of the investment on an other than temporary basis. To the extent impairment has occurred, the loss shall be measured as the excess of the carrying value of the investment over the fair value of the investment.

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had no equity method investments.

Goodwill

Goodwill is tested annually for impairment and is tested for impairment more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount, including goodwill, exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value and the implied fair value of goodwill is less than the carrying amount of that goodwill. Non-amortizing intangible assets, such as trade names and trademarks, are subject to an annual impairment test based on fair value and amortizing intangible assets are tested whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Fair Value

Fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement, and should be determined based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. As a basis for considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, the FASB guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity (observable

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inputs that are classified within levels one and two of the hierarchy) and the reporting entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions (unobservable inputs classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy).

The methodologies used for valuing financial instruments have been categorized into three broad levels as follows:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments.

Level 2 - Valuations based principally on other observable market parameters, including:

•Quoted prices in active markets for similar instruments;

•Quoted prices in less active or inactive markets for identical or similar instruments;

•Other observable inputs (such as risk free interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks and default rates); and

•Market corroborated inputs (derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data).

Level 3 - Valuations based significantly on unobservable inputs, including:

•Valuations based on third-party indications (broker quotes or counterparty quotes) which were, in turn, based significantly on unobservable inputs or were otherwise not supportable; and

•Valuations based on internal models with significant unobservable inputs.

These levels form a hierarchy. We follow this hierarchy for our financial instruments measured or disclosed at fair value on a recurring and nonrecurring basis and other required fair value disclosures. The classifications are based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

We use the following methods and assumptions in estimating fair value disclosures for financial instruments.

Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short term investments, tenant and other receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets, deferred revenue, tenant security deposits, accounts payable and accrued expenses carrying values approximate their fair values due to the short term maturity of these instruments.

The fair value of derivative instruments is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each derivative. Although the majority of the inputs used to value our derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with our derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by ourselves and our counterparties. The impact of such credit valuation adjustments, determined based on the fair value of each individual contract, was not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, all of our derivatives were classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

The fair value of our mortgage notes payable, senior unsecured notes - Series A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, and unsecured term loan facilities which are determined using Level 3 inputs, are estimated by discounting the future cash flows using current interest rates at which similar borrowings could be made to us.

Derivative Instruments

We are exposed to the effect of interest rate changes and manage these risks by following policies and procedures including the use of derivatives. To manage exposure to interest rates, derivatives are used primarily to fix the rate on debt based on floating-rate indices. We record all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value. We incorporate credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both our own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. We measure the credit risk of our derivative instruments that are subject to master netting agreements on a net basis by counterparty portfolio. For derivatives that qualify as cash flow hedges, we report the gain or loss on the derivative designated as a hedge as part of other comprehensive income (loss) and subsequently reclassify the gain or loss into income in the period that the hedged transaction affects income.

Income Taxes

We are generally not subject to federal and state income taxes as our taxable income or loss is reportable by our partners. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal and state income taxes. ESRT has elected, together with ESRT

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Observatory TRS, L.L.C., our subsidiary that holds our observatory operations, to treat ESRT Observatory TRS, L.L.C. as a TRS. ESRT has elected, together with ESRT Holdings TRS, L.L.C., our subsidiary that holds our third party management, restaurant, cafeteria, health clubs and certain cleaning operations, to treat ESRT Holdings TRS, L.L.C. as a TRS. TRSs may participate in non-real estate activities and/or perform non-customary services for tenants and their operations are generally subject to regular corporate income taxes. Our TRSs account for their income taxes in accordance with GAAP, which includes an estimate of the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our financial statements or tax returns. The calculation of the TRSs' tax provisions may require interpreting tax laws and regulations and could result in the use of judgments or estimates which could cause its recorded tax liability to differ from the actual amount due. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The TRSs periodically assess the realizability of deferred tax assets and the adequacy of deferred tax liabilities, including the results of local, state, or federal statutory tax audits or estimates and judgments used.

We apply provisions for measuring and recognizing tax benefits associated with uncertain income tax positions. Penalties and interest, if incurred, would be recorded as a component of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we do not have a liability for uncertain tax positions. As of December 31, 2022, the tax years ended December 31, 2019 through December 31, 2022 remain open for an audit by the Internal Revenue Service, state or local authorities.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation for time-based equity awards is measured at the fair value of the award on the date of grant and recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the shorter of (i) the stated vesting period, which is generally three, four or five years, or (ii) the period from the date of grant to the date the employee becomes retirement eligible, which may occur upon grant. An employee is retirement eligible when the employee attains the (i) age of 65 for awards granted in 2020 and after and age of 60 for awards granted before 2020 and (ii) the date on which the employee has first completed ten years of continuous service with us or our affiliates. Share-based compensation for market-based equity awards and performance-based equity awards is measured at the fair value of the award on the date of grant and recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over three or four years. Additionally, for the performance-based equity awards, we assess, at each reporting period, whether it is probable that the performance conditions will be satisfied. We recognize expense respective to the number of awards we expect to vest at the conclusion of the measurement period. Changes in estimate are accounted for in the period of change through a cumulative catch-up adjustment. Any forfeitures of share-based compensation awards are recognized as they occur.

The determination of fair value of these awards is subjective and involves significant estimates and assumptions including expected volatility of ESRT stock, expected dividend yield, expected term, and assumptions of whether these awards will achieve parity with other operating partnership units or achieve performance thresholds. We believe that the assumptions and estimates utilized are appropriate based on the information available to management at the time of grant.

Per Unit Data

Basic and diluted earnings per unit are computed based upon the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the respective period.

Segment Reporting

We have identified two reportable segments: (1) Real Estate and (2) Observatory. Our real estate segment includes all activities related to the ownership, management, operation, acquisition, repositioning and disposition of our real estate assets. Our observatory segment operates the 86th and 102nd floor observatories at the Empire State Building. These two lines of businesses are managed separately because each business requires different support infrastructures, provides different services and has dissimilar economic characteristics such as investments needed, stream of revenues and different marketing strategies. We account for intersegment sales and rent as if the sales or rent were to third parties, that is, at current market prices.

Recently Issued or Adopted Accounting Standards

During March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848). ASU 2020-04 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in ASU 2020-04 is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. During the first quarter 2020, we elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged

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transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. We continue to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional changes in the market occur.

In December 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-06, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) Deferral of the Sunset Date of Topic 848 which defers the sunset date of ASU 2022-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform to December 31, 2024. ASU 2022-06 is effective immediately for all companies. ASU 2022-06 did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022.

3. Acquisitions and Dispositions

Acquisitions

On December 20, 2022, we closed on the acquisition of a 100% free-market, full service multifamily asset located at 298 Mulberry Street in Manhattan for a purchase price of $114.9 million. 298 Mulberry Street is located at the intersection of East Houston Street and Mulberry Street, walking distance to New York University’s campus in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. In addition to the 96 residential units, the property also contains retail space leased to CVS and a garage. The purchase price is the fair value at the date of acquisition.

On December 22, 2021, we acquired 90% of two multifamily assets located in Manhattan, the Victory (561 10th Avenue) and 345 East 94th Street, previously owned by a joint venture of Fetner Properties and an institutional owner. The total transaction value was $307.0 million, inclusive of $134.0 million of debt on the Victory, that matures in 2033 and has an effective interest rate of 3.85%, and $52.0 million of debt on 345 East 94th Street, that matures in 2030 and has an effective interest rate of 3.56%. Fetner Properties retained a 10% equity stake and continues to manage onsite operations. We will asset manage the properties and have control over all decision making through our voting interests in each entity. Additionally, we have the right to assume day-to-day management for no additional consideration. The fair value of the non-controlling interest retained by Fetner Properties was equivalent to 10%, the equity stake they retained, of the gross purchase price less their pro-rata share of the debt assumed. The purchase price of the non-controlling interest is its fair value at the date of acquisition.

Assets and liabilities acquired are as follows (amounts in thousands):

Intangibles

Date Acquired Land Building and Improvements Assets Liabilities Total*

*Includes total capitalized transaction costs of $3.1 million.

Dispositions

During April 2022, we transferred 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT, which was encumbered by a $30.0 million mortgage, back to the lender in a consensual foreclosure and recognized a non-cash gain of $27.2 million, which is included in Gain on sale/disposition of properties in our condensed consolidated statement of operations. Prior to the consummation of this transaction, in December 2021, we recorded a $7.7 million impairment charge on the property as we had concluded the cost basis of the asset exceeded its fair value given our reduced holding period and new intent to transfer property ownership to the lender.

On December 7, 2022, we closed on the sale of 10 Bank Street in White Plains, NY, which was encumbered by a $30.0 million mortgage, at a gross asset valuation of $42.0 million and recorded a gain of $6.8 million, which is included in Gain on sale/disposition of properties in our consolidated statement of operations.

In December 2022, we also entered into a purchase and sale agreement for 500 Mamaroneck Avenue in Harrison, NY at a gross asset valuation of $53.0 million. This transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions. The assets and related liabilities of the 500 Mamaroneck property are classified as held for sale in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 having met the held for sale criteria set forth in ASC 360 Property, Plant, and Equipment.

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Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2022, on February 1, 2023 we closed on the sale of 69-97 and 103-107 Main Street in Westport, Connecticut at a gross asset valuation of $40.0 million. The Westport sale was a related party transaction approved in accordance with the Company's protocols. See Note 11 Related Party Transactions.

4. Deferred Costs, Acquired Lease Intangibles and Goodwill

Deferred costs, net, consisted of the following at December 31, 2022 and 2021 (amounts in thousands):

Acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs 160,683 166,491

At December 31, 2022 and 2021, $5.0 million and $7.2 million, respectively, of net deferred financing costs associated with the unsecured revolving credit facility was included in deferred costs, net on the consolidated balance sheets.

Amortization expense related to deferred leasing and acquired deferred leasing costs was $25.4 million, $28.6 million, and $24.8 million, for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Amortization expense related to acquired lease intangibles was $11.8 million, $10.5 million and $7.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Amortizing acquired intangible assets and liabilities consisted of the following at December 31, 2022 and 2021 (amounts in thousands):

Acquired below-market leases, net $ (17,849) $ (24,941)

Rental revenue related to the amortization of below market leases, net of above market leases was $4.8 million, $5.9 million and $3.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The remaining weighted-average amortization period as of December 31, 2022 is 22.6 years, 3.5 years, 3.7 years and 3.1 years for below-market ground leases, in-place leases and deferred leasing costs, above-market leases and below-market leases, respectively. We expect to recognize amortization expense and rental revenue from the acquired intangible assets and liabilities as follows (amounts in thousands):

As of December 31, 2022, we had goodwill of $491.5 million. In 2013, we acquired the interests in Empire State Building Company, L.L.C. and 501 Seventh Avenue Associates, L.L.C. for an amount in excess of their net tangible and

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identified intangible assets and liabilities and as a result we recorded goodwill related to the transaction. Goodwill was allocated $227.5 million to the observatory operations of the Empire State Building, $250.8 million to Empire State Building, and $13.2 million to 501 Seventh Avenue.

From the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and for each subsequent quarter through our annual goodwill testing in October 2022, we bypassed the optional qualitative goodwill impairment assessment and proceeded directly to a quantitative assessment of the observatory reportable segment and engaged a third-party valuation consulting firm to perform the valuation process. This was done in response to the closure of the observatory on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was subsequently fully reopened on August 24, 2020. The quantitative analysis used a combination of the discounted cash flow method (a form of the income approach) utilizing Level 3 unobservable inputs and the guideline company method (a form of the market approach). Significant assumptions under the former included revenue and cost projections, weighted average cost of capital, long-term growth rate and income tax considerations while the latter included guideline company enterprise values, revenue multiples and control premium rates. Our methodology to review goodwill impairment, which included a significant amount of judgment and estimates, provided a reasonable basis to determine whether impairment had occurred. Each quantitative analysis performed concluded the fair value of the standalone observatory reporting unit exceeds its carrying value. Many of the factors employed in determining whether or not goodwill is impaired are outside of our control, and it is reasonably likely that assumptions and estimates will change in future periods. We will continue to assess the impairment of the observatory reporting unit goodwill going forward.

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5. Debt

Debt consisted of the following as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 (amounts in thousands):

Fixed rate mortgage debt

Senior unsecured notes: (6)

Unsecured revolving credit facility (6)(7) — — SOFR plus 1.30% — % 3/31/2025

Unamortized debt discount (7,745) (8,547)

_____________

(1)The effective rate is the yield as of December 31, 2022 and includes the stated interest rate, deferred financing cost amortization and interest associated with variable to fixed interest rate swap agreements.

(2)Pre-payment is generally allowed for each loan upon payment of a customary pre-payment penalty.

(3)Represents a $164 million mortgage loan bearing interest of 4.09% and a $14.8 million loan bearing interest at 6.25%.

(4)10 Bank Street was sold in December 2022.

(5)Ownership of 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT was transferred to the lender during April 2022.

(6)At December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with all debt covenants.

(7)As of August 29, 2022, the benchmark index interest rate was converted from LIBOR to SOFR, plus a benchmark adjustment of 10.0 basis points.

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Principal Payments

Aggregate required principal payments at December 31, 2022 are as follows (amounts in thousands):

Year Amortization Maturities Total

Deferred Financing Costs

Deferred financing costs, net, consisted of the following at December 31, 2022 and 2021 (amounts in thousands):

Total deferred financing costs, net $ 16,720 $ 22,112

Amortization expense related to deferred financing costs was $4.9 million, $4.5 million, and $4.1 million, for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and was included in interest expense.

Mortgage Debt

Mortgage debt of $30.0 million on our 383 Main Avenue property in Norwalk, Connecticut was in default as of December 31, 2021. We had suspended debt service as of November 1, 2021 and we identified this action as an indicator of impairment. We concluded that the cost basis of the asset exceeded its fair value when considering our reduced holding period given our intent to transfer property ownership to the lender. We believe this action was in the best interest of our shareholders given the challenging fundamentals of the Norwalk, CT submarket. During the quarter ended December 31, 2021, we had incurred an $7.7 million impairment charge on the same property. Refer to Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. During April 2022, we transferred 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT back to the lender in a consensual foreclosure. Refer to Note 3 Acquisitions and Dispositions. Except as noted above, we were not in default on any of our loan agreements as of December 31, 2021.We were not in default on any of our loan agreements as of December 31, 2022.

Unsecured Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facilities

On August 29, 2022, we entered into a third amendment to our amended and restated credit agreement dated August 29, 2017 with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and the other lenders party thereto, which governs our senior unsecured revolving credit facility and term loan facility (collectively, the “BofA Credit Facility”). The BofA Credit Facility is in the initial maximum principal amount of up to $1.065 billion, which consists of a $850.0 million revolving credit facility that matures on March 31, 2025, and a $215.0 million term loan facility that matures on March 19, 2025. The third amendment revised the terms of the BofA Credit Facility to (i) replace LIBOR with SOFR given the phase out of LIBOR and (ii) permit the addition of multifamily assets as Unencumbered Eligible Property (as defined therein) and add a capitalization rate for such assets. As of December 31, 2022, we had no borrowings under the revolving credit facility and $215.0 million under the term loan facility.

On August 29, 2022, we entered into a second amendment to our credit agreement dated March 19, 2020 with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto, which governs a senior unsecured term loan facility (the “Wells Term Loan Facility”). The Wells Term Loan Facility is in the original principal amount of $175 million and matures on December 31, 2026. The second amendment revised the terms of the Wells Term Loan Facility to (i) replace LIBOR with SOFR given the phase out of LIBOR and (ii) permit the addition of multifamily assets as Unencumbered Eligible Property (as defined therein) and add a capitalization rate for such assets. We may request the Wells Term Loan Facility be increased through one or more increases or the addition of new pari passu term loan tranches, for a maximum aggregate principal amount not to exceed $225 million. As of December 31, 2022, our borrowings amounted to $175.0 million under the Wells Term Loan Facility.

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The terms of both the BofA Credit Facility and the Wells Term Loan Facility include customary covenants, including limitations on liens, investment, distributions, debt, fundamental changes, and transactions with affiliates and require certain customary financial reports. It also requires compliance with financial ratios including a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a minimum unencumbered interest coverage ratio, and a maximum unsecured leverage ratio. The agreements also contain customary events of default (subject in certain cases to specified cure periods), including but not limited to non-payment, breach of covenants, representations or warranties, cross defaults, bankruptcy or other insolvency events, judgments, ERISA events, invalidity of loan documents, loss of real estate investment trust qualification, and occurrence of a change of control. As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with these covenants.

Senior Unsecured Notes

The terms of the senior unsecured notes include customary covenants, including limitations on liens, investment, distributions, debt, fundamental changes, and transactions with affiliates and require certain customary financial reports. It also requires compliance with financial ratios including a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a minimum unencumbered interest coverage ratio, and a maximum unsecured leverage ratio. The agreements also contain customary events of default (subject in certain cases to specified cure periods), including but not limited to non-payment, breach of covenants, representations or warranties, cross defaults, bankruptcy or other insolvency events, judgments, ERISA events, the occurrence of certain change of control transactions and loss of real estate investment trust qualification.. As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with these covenants.

6. Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses