DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY CORP
PRE 14A, 1997-03-21
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS
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<PAGE>   1
 
?                                                 DRAFT OF: MARCH 21, 1997
 
                           THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
                              IN THIS DOCUMENT IS
       ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CONFIDENTIAL
       ------------------------------------------------------------------
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                   please consider the following suggestions:
 
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<TABLE>
<C>   <C>                                                             <S>
                   SEE ? ABOVE FOR MARKING (BLACKLINING)
</TABLE>
 
                              *** EDGAR ALERT ***
 
   As of May 6th, 1996, ALL domestic filings with the Securities and Exchange
                                Commission MUST
     be submitted via the E.D.G.A.R. system. Careful planning -- especially
                                concerning fees,
  exhibits and ancillary documents -- will greatly facilitate this procedure.
                              Please contact your
   Bowne representative for suggestions on how we might better work together.
 
                                     (LOGO)
   [ ] Bowne of Cleveland                    (216) 621-8384   FAX (216) 621-1132
   [ ] Bowne of Columbus                     (614) 221-8384   FAX (614) 221-8427
   [ ] Bowne of Cincinnati                   (513) 621-8384   FAX (513) 621-2901
   [ ] Bowne of Pittsburgh                   (412) 281-3838   FAX (412) 281-4546
<PAGE>   2
 
================================================================================
 
                                  SCHEDULE 14A
                                   (RULE 14a)
                    INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
          PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES
                              EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
Filed by the Registrant  [X]
 
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  [ ]
 
Check the appropriate box:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                             <C>
[X]  Preliminary Proxy Statement                [ ]  CONFIDENTIAL, FOR USE OF THE COMMISSION
                                                ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY RULE 14a-6(e)(2))
[ ]  Definitive Proxy Statement
[ ]  Definitive Additional Materials
[ ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to sec.240.14a-11(c) or sec.240.14a-12
</TABLE>
 
                   DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY CORPORATION
                (NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 
                                 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
    (NAME OF PERSON(S) FILING PROXY STATEMENT, IF OTHER THAN THE REGISTRANT)
 
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X]  No fee required.
[ ]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
 
     (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:   Not
Applicable
 
     (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:   Not
Applicable
 
     (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
         pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the
         filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):   Not
         Applicable
 
     (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:   Not Applicable
 
     (5) Total fee paid:   Not Applicable
 
[ ]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
 
[ ]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
     0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
     previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
     or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
 
     (1) Amount Previously Paid:   Not Applicable
 
     (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:   Preliminary Proxy
Materials
 
     (3) Filing Party:   Developers Diversified Realty Corporation
 
     (4) Date Filed:   March 21, 1997
 
================================================================================
<PAGE>   3
 
                   DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY CORPORATION
 
                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
                            ------------------------
 
     Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of shareholders of
Developers Diversified Realty Corporation, an Ohio corporation (the "Company"),
will be held at the Glenmoor Country Club, 4191 Glenmoor Road, N.W., Canton,
Ohio, on Monday, May 12, 1997, at 10:00 a.m., local time, for the following
purposes:
 
          1. To elect seven directors, each to serve for a term of one year.
 
          2. To consider a proposal to amend Article Fourth of the Company's
     Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to incorporate a New York
     Stock Exchange requirement relating to settlement of stock trades.
 
          3. To consider a proposal to amend the Developers Diversified Realty
     Corporation 1992 Employees' Share Option Plan to reserve for issuance under
     such plan an additional 500,000 Common Shares of the Company.
 
          4. To transact such other business as may properly come before the
     meeting.
 
     Only shareholders of record at the close of business on March 31, 1997,
will be entitled to notice of and to vote at said meeting or any adjournment
thereof. Shareholders are urged to complete, date and sign the enclosed proxy
and return it in the enclosed envelope.
 
                                   By order of the Board of Directors,
 
                                   JOAN U. ALLGOOD
                                   Secretary
 
Dated: April   , 1997
<PAGE>   4
 
                   DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY CORPORATION
 
                                PROXY STATEMENT
 
     This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of
proxies to be used at the annual meeting of shareholders (the "Annual Meeting")
of Developers Diversified Realty Corporation, an Ohio corporation (the
"Company"), to be held at the Glenmoor Country Club, 4191 Glenmoor Road, N.W.,
Canton, Ohio, on Monday, May 12, 1997, at 10:00 a.m., local time. This proxy
statement and the accompanying notice and proxy will first be sent to
shareholders by mail on or about April 7, 1997.
 
     Annual Report.  A copy of the Company's Annual Report to Shareholders for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, is enclosed with this proxy statement.
 
     Solicitation and Revocation of Proxies.  This solicitation of proxies is
made by and on behalf of the Board of Directors. The cost of the solicitation of
proxies will be borne by the Company. The Company has retained Corporate
Investor Communications, Inc. at an estimated cost of $6,000, plus reimbursement
of expenses, to assist in the solicitation of proxies from brokers, nominees,
institutions and individuals. In addition to the solicitation of proxies by
mail, Corporate Investor Communications, Inc. and regular employees of the
Company may solicit proxies by telephone or facsimile.
 
     If the enclosed proxy is properly executed and returned, the Common Shares,
without par value (the "Common Shares"), represented thereby will be voted in
accordance with any specifications made therein by the shareholder. In the
absence of any such specification, they will be voted to elect the directors
listed in Proposal One and FOR Proposals Two and Three. A shareholder's presence
alone at the Annual Meeting will not operate to revoke such shareholder's proxy.
The proxy is revocable by a shareholder at any time insofar as it has not been
exercised by giving notice to the Company in writing at its principal executive
offices located at 34555 Chagrin Boulevard, Moreland Hills, Ohio 44022, or in
open meeting.
 
     Outstanding Shares.  The close of business on March 31, 1997, has been
fixed as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to
notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. On such date, the Company's voting
securities outstanding consisted of           Common Shares, each of which is
entitled to one vote at the Annual Meeting.
 
                                        1
<PAGE>   5
 
         SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
     The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial
ownership of Common Shares of the Company as of March 15, 1997 (except as
otherwise disclosed in the notes below), by (a) the Company's directors
(including nominees for directors), (b) each other person who is known by the
Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding Common Shares, (c)
the Company's Chief Executive Officer and the Company's other named executive
officers, and (d) the Company's executive officers and directors as a group.
Except as otherwise described in the notes below, the following beneficial
owners have sole voting power and sole investment power with respect to all
Common Shares set forth opposite their respective names.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES       PERCENTAGE
                                                           BENEFICIALLY OWNED          OWNERSHIP
                                                         -----------------------       ----------
<S>                                                      <C>                           <C>
Bert L. Wolstein......................................             2,082,607(1)               %
34555 Chagrin Boulevard
Moreland Hills, Ohio
FMR Corp..............................................             1,136,400(2)           5.25%
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc................             1,801,300(3)           8.31%
757 Third Ave.
New York, New York
Scott A. Wolstein.....................................          240,943.4451(4)               %
James A. Schoff.......................................          105,433.1244(5)              *
John R. McGill........................................                33,892(6)              *
Joan U. Allgood.......................................                    --(7)              *
Loren F. Henry........................................           58,870.1615(8)              *
William H. Schafer....................................              698.1802(6)              *
Alan Bobman...........................................                    --                 *
Steven M. Dorsky......................................                    --                 *
Robin R. Walker.......................................                    --(9)              *
Walter H. Teninga.....................................                 7,000                 *
William N. Hulett III.................................                   600(10)             *
Ethan Penner..........................................                                       *
Albert T. Adams.......................................                    --(10)             *
Dean S. Adler.........................................                    --                 *
All Executive Officers and Directors as a Group (13
  persons)............................................           447,445.112                  %
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
<TABLE>
<S>   <C>
*     Less than 1%.
(1)   Does not include 123,788.818 Common Shares owned by Iris S. Wolstein, Bert L.
      Wolstein's wife, beneficial ownership of which is disclaimed by Mr. Wolstein. Also does
      not include 233,333 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable or
      exercisable within 60 days.
(2)   According to a report on Schedule 13G dated February 12, 1997, filed with the
      Securities and Exchange Commission, FMR Corp. ("FMR"), an investment advisory firm,
      beneficially owned 1,136,400 of the outstanding Common Shares as of December 31, 1996.
      FMR disclosed in such Schedule 13G that it has sole dispositive power with respect to
      all of such Common Shares and sole voting power with respect to 173,700 of such Common
      Shares.
</TABLE>
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   6
 
<TABLE>
<S>   <C>
(3)   According to a report on Schedule 13G dated January 30, 1997, filed with the Securities
      and Exchange Commission, Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. ("Cohen"), an
      investment advisory firm, beneficially owned 1,801,300 of the outstanding Common Shares
      as of December 31, 1996. Cohen disclosed in such Schedule 13G that it has sole
      dispositive power with respect to all of such Common Shares and sole voting power with
      respect to 1,580,600 of such Common Shares.
(4)   Does not include 333,333 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable or
      exercisable within 60 days.
(5)   Does not include any of the following Common Shares, beneficial ownership of which is
      disclaimed by Mr. Schoff: (a) 227.594 Common Shares owned by a trust, the trustee of
      each of which is Mr. Schoff's wife and the beneficiary of which is Mr. Schoff's
      daughter, (b) 300 Common Shares owned by Mr. Schoff's wife, (c) 44 Common Shares owned
      by Mr. Schoff's son, (d) 400 Common Shares owned by an individual retirement account
      held by Mr. Schoff's wife, and (e) 1,000 Common Shares owned by a partnership in which
      Mr. Schoff owns a one-half interest. Also does not include 98,333 Common Shares subject
      to options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
(6)   Does not include 41,667 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable or
      exercisable within 60 days.
(7)   Does not include (a) 41,667 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable or
      exercisable within 60 days and (b) 1,000 Common Shares owned by Mrs. Allgood's husband,
      beneficial ownership of which is disclaimed by Mrs. Allgood.
(8)   Does not include (a) 16,667 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable or
      exercisable within 60 days, (b) 66.2452 Common Shares owned by Mr. Henry's wife,
      beneficial ownership of which is disclaimed by Mr. Henry, (c) 1,544 Common Shares
      subject to options currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days owned by Mr.
      Henry's wife, beneficial ownership of which is disclaimed by Mr. Henry and (d) 1,200
      Common Shares owned by Mr. Henry's daughters, beneficial ownership of which is
      disclaimed by Mr. Henry.
(9)   Does not include 3,333 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable or
      exercisable within 60 days.
(10)  Does not include 5,000 Common Shares subject to options currently exercisable for each
      of Mr. Hulett and Mr. Adams.
</TABLE>
 
PROPOSAL ONE: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
     At the Annual Meeting, the Common Shares represented by proxy, unless
otherwise specified, will be voted for the election of the seven nominees
hereinafter named, each to serve for a term of one year and until his respective
successor is duly elected and qualified.
 
     The nominees for director are Scott A. Wolstein, James A. Schoff, Walter H.
Teninga, William N. Hulett III, Ethan Penner, Albert T. Adams, and Dean S.
Adler. Messrs. Wolstein, Schoff, Teninga, Hulett, Penner and Adams are presently
directors of the Company. Mr. Adler is a new nominee for director.
 
     If notice in writing is given by any shareholder to the President or the
Secretary of the Company, not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for
holding the Annual Meeting, that such shareholder desires that the voting for
the election of directors shall be cumulative, and if an announcement of the
giving of such notice is made upon the convening of the Annual Meeting by the
President or the Secretary or by or on behalf of the shareholder giving such
notice, each shareholder shall have the right to cumulate such voting power as
such shareholder possesses at such election and to give one candidate an amount
of votes equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number
of such shareholder's Common Shares, or to distribute such shareholder's votes
on the same principle among two or more candidates, as such shareholder sees
fit.
 
     If voting for the election of directors is cumulative, the persons named in
the enclosed proxy will vote the Common Shares represented by proxies given to
them in such fashion so as to elect as many of the nominees as possible.
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   7
 
     If for any reason any of the nominees is not a candidate (which is not
expected) when the election occurs, it is intended that proxies will be voted
for the election of a substitute nominee designated by management. The following
information is furnished with respect to each person nominated for election as a
director.
 
                  NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            EXPIRATION
                                                                             PERIOD          OF TERM
                                                                           OF SERVICE       FOR WHICH
     NAME AND AGE                    PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION                 AS DIRECTOR        PROPOSED
- -----------------------    -----------------------------------------    ----------------    ----------
<S>                        <C>                                          <C>                 <C>
Scott A. Wolstein          Chairman of the Board of Directors of the     11/92-Present         1998
  44                       Company; President and Chief Executive
                           Officer of the Company
James A. Schoff            Executive Vice President and Chief            11/92-Present         1998
  51                       Operating Officer of the Company
Walter H. Teninga          Former President and Chief Executive           2/93-Present         1998
  69                       Officer of American ClubStores, Inc.
William N. Hulett III      Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer        2/93-Present         1998
  53                       of the Rock and Roll Hall Fame and Museum
Ethan Penner               President of Nomura Asset Capital              4/96-Present         1998
  35                       Corporation (real estate financing)
Albert T. Adams            Partner, Baker & Hostetler LLP (law firm)      4/96-Present         1998
  46
Dean S. Adler              Principal, Lubert-Adler Partners, L.P.              --              1998
  40
</TABLE>
 
     Scott A. Wolstein has been the President, Chief Executive Officer and a
Director of the Company since its organization. Prior to the organization of the
Company, Mr. Wolstein was a principal and executive officer of DDG. Mr. Wolstein
is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and of the
University of Michigan Law School. He has served as President of the Board of
Trustees of the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Cleveland and as a
member of the Board of the Great Lakes Theater Festival, Heartland PAC,
Neighborhood Progress, Inc., The Park Synagogue, the Convention and Visitors
Bureau of Greater Cleveland, and Bellefaire. Mr. Wolstein is the son of Bert L.
Wolstein.
 
     James A. Schoff has been Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
and a Director of the Company since its organization. Prior to the organization
of the Company, Mr. Schoff was a principal and executive officer of DDG. After
graduating from Hamilton College and Cornell University Law School, Mr. Schoff
practiced law with the firm of Thompson, Hine and Flory in Cleveland, Ohio,
where he specialized in the acquisition and syndication of real estate
properties. Mr. Schoff serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the
Western Reserve Historical Society, the Cleveland Ballet and the Children's Aid
Society.
 
     Walter H. Teninga was the President and Chief Executive Officer of American
ClubStores, Inc., from January 1992 to September 1993. Mr. Teninga founded the
Warehouse Club, a wholesale cash-and-carry membership warehouse business, the
stock of which became publicly traded during Mr. Teninga's 10-year tenure as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to forming the Warehouse Club, Mr.
Teninga served as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial and Development Officer of
Kmart Corporation, where he was employed from 1956 to 1979. He is a past
president and former director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern
Michigan.
 
     William N. Hulett III is the Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. From 1981 to 1993, Mr.
Hulett was the President of Stouffer Hotel Company, the owner of a national
hotel chain. Prior to that time, Mr. Hulett served as Vice President of
Operations for Westin Hotels, based in Seattle, Washington. In December 1991, he
completed a third
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   8
 
consecutive term as Chairman of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater
Cleveland. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the New Cleveland
Campaign, a director of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, a director of
Boykin Lodging Company and a member of the 1992 U.S. Savings Bonds Volunteer
Committee appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Mr. Hulett was named
Business Executive of the year for 1995 by the Sales and Marketing Executive
Association.
 
     Ethan Penner has been the President of Nomura Asset Capital Corporation
(Nomura's real estate finance arm), as well as a member of Nomura's Operating
Committee since 1994. Mr. Penner has also been the Executive Managing Director
of Nomura Securities International, Inc. since 1994. From 1992 to 1994, Mr.
Penner was President of Magellan Financial Services, an investment banking firm
which he founded in 1992. Prior to founding Magellan Financial Services, Mr.
Penner was a Principal at Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. from 1987 to 1992. Mr.
Penner serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of
the National Realty Committee, a director of Nomura Asset Securities Corp., a
director of Asset Securitization Corp., a member of the Urban Land Institute, a
member of the Board of Trustees of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and a member of
the Advisory Board for the Elton John Aids Foundation.
 
     Albert T. Adams has been a partner with the law firm of Baker & Hostetler
LLP in Cleveland, Ohio since 1984, and has been affiliated with the firm since
1977. Mr. Adams is a graduate of Harvard College, Harvard Business School and
Harvard Law School. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the
Western Reserve Historical Society and is a Vice President of the Harvard
Business School Club of Northeastern Ohio. Mr. Adams also serves as a director
of Associated Estates Realty Corporation and Boykin Lodging Company.
 
     Dean S. Adler is currently a partner with Lubert-Adler Partners, L.P. From
1987 through 1996, Mr. Adler was a principal and co-head of the private equity
group of CMS Companies, specializing in acquiring operating businesses and real
estate within the private equity market. He serves as a member of the Board of
Directors of The Lane Company and Trans World Entertainment Corporation. Mr.
Adler has served on such community boards as the UJA National Young Leadership
Cabinet and he is currently a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
 
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
     During the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, the Board of Directors held
six meetings. The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, an Executive
Compensation Committee, a Dividend Declaration Committee and an Option Grant
Committee. The Board of Directors does not have a Nominating Committee. Of the
incumbent members of the Board of Directors, only Mr. Penner attended less than
75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board of Directors and the number
of meetings held by all committees of the Board on which he served.
 
     Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee, which consists of Messrs. Teninga,
Hulett and Adams, makes recommendations concerning the engagement of independent
public accountants, reviews with the independent public accountants the audit
plans and results of the audit engagement, approves professional services
provided by the independent public accountants, reviews the independence of the
independent public accountants, considers the range of audit and non-audit fees
and reviews the adequacy of the Company's internal accounting controls. The
Audit Committee held two meetings in 1996.
 
     Executive Compensation Committee.  The Executive Compensation Committee,
which in 1996 consisted of Messrs. Teninga, Penner and Adams, determines
compensation for the Company's executive officers and administers the Company's
stock option plan. The Executive Compensation Committee held two meetings in
1996.
 
     Dividend Declaration Committee.  The Dividend Declaration Committee, which
consists of Messrs. B. Wolstein, S. Wolstein and Schoff, determines if and when
the Company should declare dividends on its capital stock and the amount
thereof, consistent with the dividend policy adopted by the Board of Directors.
The Dividend Declaration Committee held four meetings in 1996.
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   9
 
     Option Grant Committee.  The Option Grant Committee was established in
order to comply with amended Rule 16b-3. The Option Grant Committee, which
consists of Messrs. Teninga, Hulett and Penner, determines if and when the
Company should grant stock options to executive officers or employees, and the
terms of such stock options, consistent with the option granting policy adopted
by the Board of Directors and pursuant to the terms of the Developers
Diversified Realty Corporation 1992 Employees' Share Option Plan and the
Developers Diversified Realty Corporation Equity-Based Award Plan. The Option
Grant Committee did not hold any meetings in 1996.
 
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
 
     The Company pays an annual fee of $16,000, plus a fee of $1,000 for
attending Board and/or committee meetings or $250 for participating in
telephonic meetings, to its directors who are not employees or officers of the
Company. Employees and officers of the Company who are also directors are not
paid any such director fees. Each non-employee director is also reimbursed for
expenses incurred in attending meetings. With the exception of Ethan Penner,
each director who is not an employee of the Company has also been granted
10-year options to acquire 10,000 Common Shares, 5,000 Common Shares of which
may be acquired at an exercise price of $22 per Common Share (the price at which
the Common Shares were sold to the public in the Company's initial public
offering in February 1993 (the "IPO")) and 5,000 Common Shares of which may be
acquired at an exercise price of $30.75 per Common Share, subject to equitable
adjustment for stock splits, combinations, stock dividends and
recapitalizations. Ethan Penner has been granted a 10-year option to acquire
5,000 Common Shares at an exercise price of $30.75 per Common Share. The options
to acquire shares at an exercise price of $22 per Common Share are currently
exercisable, the balance of the options will not be exercisable until July 17,
1997. The optionees may elect to pay for the shares to be received upon exercise
of the options in cash or through a cashless exercise procedure set forth in the
agreement pursuant to which such options were granted. For his services as
Chairman of the Board of Directors during the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, Bert L. Wolstein received cash compensation in the amount of $200,000.
 
     Non-employee directors are permitted to defer all or a portion of their
fees pursuant to the Company's Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan. The plan
is unfunded and participants' contributions are converted to units the value of
which fluctuate according to the market value of the Company's Common Shares.
 
                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
     The following information is set forth with respect to the Company's Chief
Executive Officer and the other four most highly compensated executive officers,
each of whom was serving as an executive officer at December 31, 1996 (the
"named executive officers").
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   10
 
                         I.  SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            LONG TERM
                                                                       COMPENSATION AWARDS
                                                               -----------------------------------
                                       ANNUAL COMPENSATION     RESTRICTED
        NAME AND          FISCAL     -----------------------      STOCK      SECURITIES UNDERLYING         OTHER
   PRINCIPAL POSITION      YEAR      SALARY($)   BONUS($)(1)   AWARD(S)($)      OPTIONS/SARS(#)      COMPENSATION($)(2)
- -----------------------------------  ---------   -----------   -----------   ---------------------   ------------------
<S>                     <C>          <C>         <C>           <C>           <C>                     <C>
Scott A. Wolstein.......     1996     400,000      300,000       768,750(3)         100,000                49,380
  President and Chief       1995      400,000      100,000            --                -0-                33,886
  Executive Officer         1994      325,000      300,000            --            200,000                 2,619
James A. Schoff.........     1996     275,000      137,500            --            120,000                46,609
  Executive Vice            1995      275,000       50,000            --             50,000                28,403
    President
  and Chief Operating       1994      275,000      150,000            --             30,000                 2,210
  Officer
John R. McGill..........     1996     162,500       63,000            --             55,000                   -0-
  Vice President and        1995      150,000       20,000            --             10,000                   -0-
  Director of               1994      150,000          -0-            --             10,000                   -0-
    Development
Joan U. Allgood.........     1996     162,500       43,750            --             55,000                   -0-
  Vice President and        1995      150,000       20,000            --             10,000                   -0-
  General Counsel           1994      120,000          -0-            --             10,000                   -0-
Loren F. Henry..........     1996     162,500       35,000            --             55,000                 2,766
  Vice President and        1995      150,000       20,000            --             10,000                 2,372
  Director of Management     1994     120,000          -0-            --             10,000                 1,125
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) For a description of the method used in determining the bonuses paid to
    Messrs. Wolstein and Schoff, see "Employment Agreements."
 
(2) Represents the dollar value, at December 31, 1996, of contributions of
    Common Shares and Common Shares equivalents, respectively, made by the
    Company pursuant to the Company's Profit Sharing Plan and Trust and the
    Company's Elective Deferred Compensation Plan. The dollar value of the
    Company's contributions made pursuant to the Company's Profit Sharing Plan
    and Trust plan equalled $1,500, $1,500, $0, $0, and $2,278, respectively,
    for Mr. S. Wolstein, Mr. Schoff, Mr. McGill, Mrs. Allgood and Mr. Henry. The
    dollar value of contributions made pursuant to the Company's Elective
    Deferred Compensation Plan equalled $6,000, $3,376, $0, $0, and $488,
    respectively, for Mr. S. Wolstein, Mr. Schoff, Mr. McGill, Mrs. Allgood and
    Mr. Henry. In addition, Messrs. S. Wolstein and Schoff each received $10,000
    allowances relating to fiscal year 1995 tax and financial planning expenses
    pursuant to their employment agreements. Messrs. S. Wolstein and Schoff also
    received other compensation aggregating $31,880 and $31,733, respectively,
    pursuant to their employment agreements.
 
(3) On July 17, 1996, Mr. S. Wolstein was granted 25,000 restricted shares of
    Common Stock. Pursuant to the terms of the restricted shares agreement
    between the Company and Mr. Wolstein, 5,000 restricted shares vested
    immediately on the date of the grant. The remaining restricted shares vest
    in 5,000 share increments on each subsequent July 17th following the date of
    grant.
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   11
 
                   II.  OPTION/SAR GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
 
     The following table sets forth information with respect to the awarding of
stock options in 1996 to the named executive officers included in the Summary
Compensation Table.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       NUMBER OF         PERCENT OF
                       SECURITIES           TOTAL
                       UNDERLYING      OPTIONS GRANTED                                      GRANT DATE
                      OPTIONS/SARS     TO EMPLOYEES IN       EXERCISE       EXPIRATION       PRESENT
       NAME              (#)(1)        FISCAL YEAR(2)      PRICE ($/SH)        DATE        VALUE ($)(3)
- ------------------    ------------     ---------------     ------------     ----------     ------------
<S>                   <C>              <C>                 <C>              <C>            <C>
Scott A. Wolstein        100,000             18.8%            $30.75         July 2006        249,370
James A. Schoff          120,000             22.6%            $30.75         July 2006        299,244
John R. McGill            55,000             10.4%            $30.75         July 2006        137,154
Joan U. Allgood           55,000             10.4%            $30.75         July 2006        137,154
Loren F. Henry            55,000             10.4%            $30.75         July 2006        137,154
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Options vest in one-third increments on each of the first three consecutive
    anniversaries of the date of grant and may be exercised, if at all, only
    with respect to those options which have vested.
 
(2) Based on options to purchase an aggregate of 531,119 Common Shares granted
    to employees during 1996.
 
(3) Based on the Black-Scholes options pricing model, adapted for use in valuing
    stock options granted to executives. The following assumptions were used in
    determining the values set forth in the table: (a) expected volatilities of
    17.1283, which reflect the daily closing prices of the Common Shares on the
    New York Stock Exchange for the twelve-month period ended July 17, 1996, (b)
    risk-free rates of return of 6.83% for the options which expire in July 2006
    (the "Options") (which percentage represents the yield on a United States
    Government Zero Coupon bond with a 10-year maturity prevailing on the date
    on which the respective options were granted), (c) dividend yields of 7.8%
    for the Options (which percentage represents an annualized distribution of
    $2.40 per Common Share divided by the exercise prices of the Options) and
    (d) the exercise of the options at the end of their respective 10-year
    terms. No adjustments were made for nontransferability or risk of forfeiture
    of the options. The calculations were made using prices per Common Share and
    option exercise prices of $30.75 for the Options (which represented the
    closing sale price of the Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange on
    the date prior to the date on which the options were granted). The estimated
    present values in the table are not intended to provide, nor should they be
    interpreted as providing, any indication or assurance concerning future
    values of the Common Shares.
 
    III.  AGGREGATE OPTION EXERCISES IN 1996 AND 1996 YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
 
     The following table sets forth information with respect to the value of
options held by the named executive officers included in the Summary
Compensation Table on December 31, 1996.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               NUMBER OF SECURITIES
                                                              UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED         VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                                  OPTIONS AT 1996            IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                                                                   YEAR-END (#)              AT 1996 YEAR-END ($)
                       SHARES ACQUIRED         VALUE         -------------------------     -------------------------
        NAME           ON EXERCISE (#)     REALIZED ($)      EXERCISABLE/UNEXERCISABLE     EXERCISABLE/UNEXERCISABLE
- ---------------------  ----------------    -------------     -------------------------     -------------------------
<S>                    <C>                 <C>               <C>                           <C>
Scott A. Wolstein....                                             333,333/166,677             3,941,667/1,320,833
James A. Schoff......       15,000            170,625             91,667/163,333               871,875/1,180,000
John R. McGill.......                                              35,000/65,000                468,125/440,625
Joan U. Allgood......                                              35,000/65,000                468,125/440,625
Loren F. Henry.......       25,000            290,625              10,000/65,000                90,000/440,625
</TABLE>
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   12
 
          IV.  LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLANS -- AWARDS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         ESTIMATED FUTURE PAYOUTS
                                           PERFORMANCE              UNDER NON-STOCK PRICE-BASED PLANS
                      NUMBER OF              OR OTHER           ------------------------------------------
                    SHARES, UNITS          PERIOD UNTIL         THRESHOLD          TARGET          MAXIMUM
      NAME         OR OTHER RIGHTS     MATURATION OR PAYOUT        (#)              (#)              (#)
- -----------------  ---------------     --------------------     ---------     ----------------     -------
<S>                <C>                 <C>                      <C>           <C>                  <C>
Scott A.                                                                             15,000 --
  Wolstein.......       15,000(1)         December 31, 2000        -0-                 100,000     100,000
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Mr. Wolstein entered into a Performance Unit Agreement with the Company
    pursuant to the Developers Diversified Realty Corporation's Equity-Based
    Award Plan. Under this agreement, Mr. Wolstein was granted 15,000 units (the
    "Performance Units"), which will be converted to between 0 and 100,000 of
    the Company's Common Shares based on annualized total shareholder return
    over a five-year period beginning on January 1, 1996.
 
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS
 
     As of January 1, 1993, the Company entered into separate employment
agreements with Scott A. Wolstein and James A. Schoff. Each of these agreements
provides for an initial three-year term which is automatically extended for an
additional year at the end of each year of the agreement, subject to the right
of either party to terminate by giving one year's prior written notice. Pursuant
to their respective agreements, Messrs. Wolstein and Schoff are required to
devote to the Company their entire business time. The agreements, as amended,
provide for current annual base salaries of $400,000 and $275,000 for Messrs.
Wolstein and Schoff, respectively, as well as the use of an automobile,
membership in a golf club and a business club, and an allowance of up to $10,000
annually for financial planning and tax return preparation services. Pursuant to
the agreements, Mr. Wolstein is entitled to a bonus of from 50% to 125% of his
annual base salary, and Mr. Schoff is entitled to a bonus of from 25% to 100% of
his annual base salary.
 
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
 
     The members of the Executive Compensation Committee are Walter H. Teninga,
Ethan Penner and Albert T. Adams. For a discussion of certain transactions
between the Company and Mr. Adams, see "Certain Transactions."
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   13
 
PERFORMANCE GRAPH
 
     Set forth below is a line graph comparing the cumulative total return of a
hypothetical investment in the Common Shares with the cumulative total return of
a hypothetical investment in each of the Standard & Poor's Composite -- 500
Index and the NAREIT Equity REIT Total Return Index based on the respective
market prices of each such investment on the dates shown below, assuming an
initial investment of $100 on February 1, 1993 and the reinvestment of
dividends.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        Developers
                                        Diversified                            NAREIT Equity
        Measurement Period             Realty Corpo-                           REIT Total R
      (Fiscal Year Covered)               ration              S&P 500           eturn Index
<S>                                  <C>                 <C>                 <C>
2/1/93                                             100                 100                 100
12/31/93                                           138                 112                 110
12/31/94                                           160                 118                 115
12/31/95                                           163                 154                 122
12/31/96                                           218                 184                 178
</TABLE>
 
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
INTRODUCTION
 
     The compensation of the Company's executive officers is currently
determined by the Executive Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of
Directors (the "Committee"). The Committee is comprised of Walter H. Teninga,
Ethan Penner and Albert T. Adams.
 
PHILOSOPHY
 
     The primary objectives of the Committee in determining executive
compensation for 1996 were (i) to provide a competitive total compensation
package that enables the Company to attract and retain qualified executives and
align their compensation with the Company's overall business strategies and (ii)
to provide each executive officer with a significant equity stake in the Company
through stock options.
 
     To this end, the Committee determined executive compensation consistent
with a philosophy of compensating executive officers based on their
responsibilities, the Company's performance and, with respect to Scott A.
Wolstein and James A. Schoff, the achievement of established annual goals. The
primary components of the Company's executive compensation program are (i) base
salaries and certain other annual compensation, (ii) bonuses for certain
executive officers and (iii) stock options. Each of these elements is discussed
below.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   14
 
COMPONENTS OF THE COMPENSATION PROGRAM
 
     Base Salaries and Certain Other Annual Compensation.  The base salaries and
certain other annual compensation for the Company's executive officers in 1996
were determined with reference to the experience of executives in the REIT
industry, together with comparisons of compensation paid by companies of similar
size in the industry, after consulting with the Company's investment advisors
and the managing underwriters of certain public securities offerings of the
Company. Additionally, in 1996 the Company engaged an independent consultant to
assist in the design of a comprehensive executive compensation program for the
Company's officers and key employees. Fundamental requirements of the program
included the establishment of competitive compensation levels and the setting of
rewards consistent with individual contributions.
 
     After analysis, and based upon the recommendation of the Company's
independent consultant, the Committee determined that for 1996 the base salary
of Mr. Wolstein should remain at $400,000 per year in light of the compensation
being paid to other chief executive officers in the REIT industry generally.
Additionally, pursuant to their employment agreements, Messrs. Wolstein and
Schoff also received the use of an automobile, membership in a golf club and a
business club and an allowance of up to $10,000 annually for financial planning
and tax return preparation services. The Board of Directors believed that the
annual compensation in addition to the base salary and allowance would benefit
the Company by facilitating the development of important relationships with
members of the business community.
 
     Bonuses.  The employment agreements for Scott A. Wolstein and James A.
Schoff initially provided for annual bonuses based on the growth in the
Company's Distributable Cash Flow per Common Share (as defined in the
agreements). See "Employment Agreements." In 1995, the Committee elected to base
the annual bonuses of Messrs. Wolstein and Schoff on the growth of the Company's
Funds From Operations per Common Share. It was felt that this measure of growth,
which is used consistently throughout the REIT industry, better aligned the
interests of the Company's key executive officers with the interests of the
shareholders of the Company. The new bonus arrangement entitled Mr. Wolstein to
a bonus of from 12.5% to 75% of his annual base salary, and Mr. Schoff of a
bonus of from 9% to 55% of his annual base salary, if Funds From Operations per
Common Share for any year exceeded, by 5% to 20% or more, the Funds From
Operations per Common Share for the immediately preceding year. In 1995, Mr.
Wolstein earned a bonus equal to 25% of his base salary, and Mr. Schoff earned a
bonus equal to 18.2% of his base salary. In 1995, four other executive officers
of the Company were also given bonus arrangements entitling them to incentive
payments of between $10,000 and $40,000 per year if Funds From Operations per
Common Share for such year exceeded, by 5%-20% or more, the Funds From
Operations per Common Share for the immediately preceding year. In 1995, each of
these executive officers earned a bonus of $20,000.
 
     In 1996, based on the recommendation of the Company's independent
consultant, the Company amended its bonus arrangements with certain key
employees, including Messrs. Wolstein and Schoff, to provide for annual
performance bonuses based upon the participant's level of responsibility and
salary, overall corporate performance and individual or qualitative performance.
These bonus possibilities are in the form of target, minimum and maximum
incentive opportunities which are attained if the Company reaches certain
pre-determined performance benchmarks tied to Funds From Operations per Common
Share and if the participants are given a favorable qualitative assessment of
their individual contributions and efforts. In 1996, Mr. Wolstein earned a bonus
equal to 75% of his base salary, and Mr. Schoff earned a bonus equal to 50% of
his base salary. Additionally, in 1996, one other executive officer earned a
bonus of 36% of his current annualized base salary, and three other executive
officers of the Company earned bonuses equal to 25% of their respective current
annualized base salaries and one executive officer earned a bonus of 20% of his
current annualized base salary.
 
     Restricted Shares and Performance Units.  Mr. Wolstein has entered into a
Restricted Shares Agreement and a Performance Unit Agreement with the Company,
both pursuant to the Developers Diversified Realty Corporation's Equity-Based
Award Plan. Pursuant to the Restricted Share Agreement, Mr. Wolstein was granted
25,000 Common Shares (the "Restricted Shares") which vest in 20% increments. The
first 5,000 Restricted Shares vested on July 17, 1996, the date of grant, and
additional increments of 5,000 Restricted Shares will vest each July 17th
thereafter. Under the Performance Unit Agreement, Mr. Wolstein was granted
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   15
 
15,000 units (the "Performance Units"), the value of which will be determined by
the performance of the Company's Common Shares over a five-year period beginning
on January 1, 1996.
 
     Stock Options.  All of the Company's executive officers are eligible to
receive options to purchase Common Shares of the Company pursuant to the
Developers Diversified Realty Corporation 1992 Employees' Share Option Plan (the
"Plan"). The Company believes that stock option grants are a valuable motivating
tool and provide a long-term incentive to management. Stock option grants
reinforce long-term goals by providing the proper nexus between the interests of
management and the interests of the Company's shareholders. Accordingly, the
Committee granted to current executive officers options to purchase an aggregate
of 440,000 Common Shares under the Plan in 1996, including an option to purchase
100,000 Common Shares to Scott A. Wolstein and an option to purchase 120,000
Common Shares to James A. Schoff. The number of these options granted to each of
the executive officers was determined by the Board of Directors and was based on
the recommendation of the Company's independent consultant and the expected
contribution of each such officer to the performance of the Company.
 
                        EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
 
                                   Walter H. Teninga
                                   Ethan Penner
                                   Albert T. Adams
 
PROPOSAL TWO: TO AMEND ARTICLE FOURTH OF THE COMPANY'S AMENDED AND RESTATED
              ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO INCORPORATE A NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
              REQUIREMENT RELATING TO SETTLEMENT OF STOCK TRADES.
 
     The Board of Directors has approved, and recommends that the shareholders
adopt, an amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation (the "Articles") to incorporate a New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE")
requirement relating to the settlement of stock trades. The proposed amendment
reads as follows:
 
     Securities Exchange Transactions.  Notwithstanding any provision contained
herein to the contrary, nothing in these Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into
through the facilities of the New York Stock Exchange.
 
     The Company's Articles contain certain transfer restrictions applicable to
the Common Shares, as set forth in Article Fourth of the Articles (the "Transfer
Restrictions"), which are similar to provisions found in the charter documents
of many REITs, designed to help the Company monitor compliance with certain REIT
tax law requirements which provide that not more than 50% of the Company's
outstanding capital stock can be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer
persons. On January 9, 1997, an additional 3,350,000 shares of the Company's
Common Shares were listed on the NYSE. During the process of listing the Common
Shares on the NYSE, the NYSE raised certain procedural issues with the Transfer
Restrictions. The NYSE specifically requested that the section in question be
amended to include certain language to the effect that the Board of Directors
and the Company will not take any action to preclude the settlement of a
transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE.
 
     The NYSE requires this amendment to comply with its rules and regulations.
Accordingly, the Company and the Board of Directors agreed it would take no
action that would impair the settlement of any transaction entered into through
the facilities of the NYSE and would seek the approval of the shareholders to
the proposed amendment. The Company and the Board of Directors believes that the
proposed amendment will not adversely affect the Company or the objectives
contemplated by the Articles. The Board of Directors, therefore, has proposed
the amendment and recommends its adoption.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   16
 
PROPOSAL THREE: PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY
                CORPORATION 1992 EMPLOYEES' SHARE OPTION PLAN TO RESERVE FOR
                ISSUANCE UNDER SUCH PLAN AN ADDITIONAL 500,000 COMMON SHARES OF
                THE COMPANY.
 
GENERAL
 
     In addition to the election of directors and a proposal to amend the
Company's Articles to incorporate a NYSE requirement, there will be submitted at
the Annual Meeting for action by the shareholders an amendment to the Plan to
reserve for issuance under the Plan an additional 500,000 Common Shares of the
Company. These proposed amendments have been approved by the Board of Directors
of the Company.
 
     Under the Plan, options to purchase Common Shares ("Options") may be made
to officers and other key employees of the Company or its subsidiaries.
Approximately   employees are eligible to receive Options under the Plan. The
Options provided for under the Plan may be either options intended to qualify
for tax treatment as incentive stock options ("Incentive Options") under Section
422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or options
which do not qualify for such treatment ("Nonqualified Options").
 
     Currently, 1,456,903 Common Shares have been reserved, allotted and set
aside for issuance under the Plan, subject to adjustment for stock dividends,
stock splits and certain other changes in the Company's capitalization. To date,
the Company has granted options to purchase a total of 1,336,903 Common Shares
under the Plan, leaving only 120,000 Common Shares available for issuance in the
future. If Proposal Three is approved by the shareholders, an additional 500,000
Common Shares of the Company will be reserved, allotted and set aside for
issuance under the Plan, which, together with the 1,456,903 Common Shares
already reserved, allotted and set aside, and the 575,000 Common Shares
reserved, allotted and set aside for issuance under the Developers Diversified
Realty Corporation Equity-Based Award Plan, would represent approximately 10.1%
of the Common Shares currently outstanding.
 
     The closing sale price of the Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange
on March   , 1997, was $     .     . At that time, the aggregate market value of
the additional           Common Shares proposed to be reserved for purposes of
the Plan was $          , and the aggregate market value of the Common Shares
currently subject to unexercised Options granted to such date was $          .
 
OPTION PRICE
 
     The option price per Common Share to be paid upon the exercise of an
Option, as determined by the Executive Compensation Committee, may not be less
than the fair market value per Common Share (determined as described below) at
the time the Option is granted. The exercise price of an Option may be paid in
cash, by the surrender of issued and outstanding Common Shares, or a combination
thereof. If an employee, at the time an Incentive Option is granted to him, owns
stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes
of stock of the Company (taking into account the attribution of stock ownership
rules set forth in Section 424(d) of the Code), the option price per Common
Share to be paid upon the exercise of such Option may not be less than 110% of
the fair market value per Common Share at the time the Option is granted. Such
fair market value will be the closing sale price per Common Share (or in the
event there are no sales, then the average of the opening bid and asked prices
per Common Share) on the New York Stock Exchange on the date on which the Option
is granted.
 
TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN
 
     Options may be granted under the Plan at any time until and including
December 31, 2002, on which date the Plan will expire except as to options then
outstanding. Options outstanding at that time will remain in effect until they
have been exercised or have expired.
 
FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES
 
     With respect to Incentive Options, in general, for federal income tax
purposes under present law:
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   17
 
          (i) Neither the grant nor the exercise of an Incentive Option, by
     itself, results in income to the optionee; however, the excess of the fair
     market value of the Common Shares at the time of exercise over the option
     price is includable in alternative minimum taxable income (unless there is
     a disposition of the Common Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option in
     the taxable year of exercise) which may, under certain circumstances,
     result in an alternative minimum tax liability to the optionee.
 
          (ii) If the Common Shares acquired upon exercise of an Incentive
     Option are disposed of in a taxable transaction after the later of two
     years from the date on which the Option is granted or one year from the
     date on which such Common Shares are transferred to the optionee, long-term
     capital gain or loss will be realized by the optionee in an amount equal to
     the difference between the amount realized by the optionee and the
     optionee's basis which, except as provided in (v) below, is the exercise
     price.
 
          (iii) Except as provided in (v) below, if the Common Shares acquired
     upon the exercise of an Incentive Option are disposed of within the
     two-year period from the date of grant or the one-year period after the
     transfer of the Common Shares to the optionee (a "disqualifying
     disposition"):
 
             (a) Ordinary income will be realized by the optionee at the time of
        such disposition in the amount of the excess, if any, of the fair market
        value of the Common Shares at the time of such exercise over the option
        price, but not in an amount exceeding the excess, if any, of the amount
        realized by the optionee over the option price.
 
             (b) Short-term or long-term capital gain will be realized by the
        optionee at the time of any such taxable disposition in an amount equal
        to the excess, if any, of the amount realized over the fair market value
        of the Common Shares at the time of such exercise.
 
             (c) Short-term or long-term capital loss will be realized by the
        optionee at the time of any such taxable disposition in an amount equal
        to the excess, if any, of the option price over the amount realized.
 
          (iv) No deduction will be allowed to the Company with respect to
     Incentive Options granted or Common Shares transferred upon exercise
     thereof, except that if a disposition is made by the optionee within the
     two-year period or the one-year period referred to above, the Company will
     be entitled to a deduction in the taxable year in which the disposition
     occurred in an amount equal to the amount of ordinary income realized by
     the optionee making the disposition.
 
          (v) With respect to the exercise of an Incentive Option and the
     payment of the option price by the delivery of Common Shares, to the extent
     that the number of Common Shares received does not exceed the number of
     Common Shares surrendered, no taxable income will be realized by the
     optionee at that time, the tax basis of the Common Shares received will be
     the same as the tax basis of the Common Shares surrendered, and the holding
     period (except for purposes of the one-year period referred to in (iii)
     above) of the optionee in Common Shares received will include his holding
     period in the Common Shares surrendered. To the extent that the number of
     Common Shares received exceeds the number of Common Shares surrendered, no
     taxable income will be realized by the optionee at that time; such excess
     Common Shares will be considered Incentive Option stock with a zero basis;
     and the holding period of the optionee in such Common Shares will begin on
     the date such Common Shares are transferred to the optionee. If the Common
     Shares surrendered were acquired as the result of the exercise of an
     Incentive Option and the surrender takes place within two years from the
     date the Option relating to the surrendered Common Shares was granted or
     within one year from the date of such exercise, the surrender will result
     in a disqualifying disposition and the optionee will realize ordinary
     income at that time in the amount of the excess, if any, of the fair market
     value at the time of exercise of the Common Shares surrendered over the
     basis of such Common Shares. If any of the Common Shares received are
     disposed of in a disqualifying disposition, the optionee will be treated as
     first disposing of the Common Shares with a zero basis.
 
     With respect to Nonqualified Options, in general, for federal income tax
purposes under present law:
 
          (i) The grant of a Nonqualified Option, by itself, does not result in
     income to the optionee.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   18
 
          (ii) Except as provided in (v) below, the exercise of a Nonqualified
     Option (in whole or in part, according to its terms) results in ordinary
     income to the optionee at that time in an amount equal to the excess (if
     any) of the fair market value of the Common Shares on the date of exercise
     over the option price.
 
          (iii) Except as provided in (v) below, the tax basis of the Common
     Shares acquired upon exercise of a Nonqualified Option, which is used to
     determine the amount of any capital gain or loss on a future taxable
     disposition of such shares, is the fair market value of the Common Shares
     on the date of exercise.
 
          (iv) No deduction is allowable to the Company upon the grant of a
     Nonqualified Option but, upon the exercise of a Nonqualified Option, a
     deduction is allowable to the Company at that time in an amount equal to
     the amount of ordinary income realized by the optionee exercising such
     Option if the Company deducts and withholds appropriate federal withholding
     tax.
 
          (v) With respect to the exercise of a Nonqualified Option and the
     payment of the option price by the delivery of Common Shares, to the extent
     that the number of Common Shares received does not exceed the number of
     Common Shares surrendered, no taxable income will be realized by the
     optionee at that time, the tax basis of the Common Shares received will be
     the same as the tax basis of the Common Shares surrendered, and the holding
     period of the optionee in the Common Shares received will include his
     holding period in the Common Shares surrendered. To the extent that the
     number of Common Shares received exceeds the number of Common Shares
     surrendered, ordinary income will be realized by the optionee at that time
     in the amount of the fair market value of such excess Common Shares; the
     tax basis of such excess Common Shares will be equal to the fair market
     value of such Common Shares at the time of exercise; and the holding period
     of the optionee in such Common Shares will begin on the date such Common
     Shares are transferred to the optionee.
 
     The Company is no longer entitled to deduct annual remuneration in excess
of $1 million (the "Deduction Limitation") paid to certain of its employees
unless such remuneration satisfies an exception to the Deduction Limitation,
including an exception for performance-based compensation. Thus, unless options
granted under the Plan satisfy an exception to the Deduction Limitation, the
Company's deduction with respect to Nonqualified Options and Incentive Options
with respect to which the holding periods set forth above are not satisfied will
be subject to the Deduction Limitation.
 
     Under Treasury Regulations, compensation attributable to a stock option is
deemed to satisfy the performance-based compensation exception if:
 
             "the grant is made by the compensation committee; the plan under
        which the option . . . is granted states the maximum number of shares
        which respect to which options may be granted during a specified period
        to any employee; and, under the terms of the option . . ., the amount of
        compensation the employee could receive is based solely on an increase
        in the value of the stock after the date of grant . . ."
 
     If Proposal Three is approved by the shareholders and a compensation
committee comprised solely of two or more "outside directors" within the meaning
of Section 162(m) of the Code makes the grants, the Company's deduction with
respect to options granted under the Plan would not be subject to the Deduction
Limitation.
 
     The federal income tax information presented herein is only a general
summary of the applicable provisions of the Code and regulations promulgated
thereunder as in effect on the date of this Proxy Statement. The actual federal,
state, local, and foreign tax consequences to the optionee may vary depending
upon his particular circumstances.
 
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
 
     The affirmative vote of the holders of Common Shares entitling such holders
to exercise a majority of the voting power of the Company is required to adopt
this proposal.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   19
 
     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE
PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY
CORPORATION 1992 EMPLOYEES' SHARE OPTION PLAN.
 
                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
MANAGEMENT FEES
 
     The Company received management and leasing fee income of approximately
$103,000 in 1996 pursuant to management agreements with certain partnerships
owned by Mr. B. Wolstein and one partnership owned by Messrs. B. Wolstein and
McGill.
 
LEASE OF CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
 
     The Company leases its corporate headquarters in Moreland Hills, Ohio, from
the spouse of Mr. B. Wolstein. An annual rental payment of approximately
$479,000 was made in 1996 by the Company. Rental payments under the lease
include payment by the Company of all maintenance and insurance expenses, real
estate taxes and operating expenses. The Company currently occupies the space
pursuant to the terms of a lease which expires on December 31, 2009.
 
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
 
     Albert T. Adams, a director of the Company, is a partner of the law firm
Baker & Hostetler LLP in Cleveland, Ohio. The Company retained that firm during
fiscal year 1996 to provide various legal services. The dollar amount of fees
that the Company paid to that firm did not exceed five percent of that firm's
gross revenue for the year. The Company expects that Baker & Hostetler LLP will
continue to provide such services during 1997.
 
            SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
 
     Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company's
directors and executive officers, and owners of more than 10% of a registered
class of the Company's equity securities, to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the New York Stock Exchange initial reports
of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of Common Shares and other
equity securities of the Company. Executive officers, directors and owners of
more than 10% of the Common Shares are required by SEC regulations to furnish
the Company with copies of all forms they file pursuant to Section 16(a).
 
     To the Company's knowledge, based solely on review of the copies of such
reports furnished to the Company and written representations that no other
reports were required, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, all
Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its executive officers,
directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were complied with, except as
noted below.
 
     The following directors and officers each filed one late report on Form 4,
as a result of one transaction for each, that was not reported on a timely
basis: Messrs. Henry, Hulett, McGill, Schafer, Schoff, Teninga and Ms. Allgood.
The following directors and officers each filed two late reports: Messrs. Adams,
Dorsky, Penner, Bert Wolstein and Scott Wolstein. Of the directors and officers
who filed two late reports, Messrs. Adams and Penner each failed to timely file
a Form 3 upon their election to director and a Form 4 to report one transaction
and Messrs. Dorsky, B. Wolstein and S. Wolstein each failed to timely file Form
4s to report two transactions.
 
                  SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
     Price Waterhouse LLP served as independent public accountants to the
Company in 1996 and is expected to do so in 1997. A representative of Price
Waterhouse LLP is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   20
 
                 SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 1998 ANNUAL MEETING
 
     Any shareholder proposals intended to be presented at the Company's 1998
Annual Meeting of Shareholders must be received by the Company at 34555 Chagrin
Boulevard, Moreland Hills, Ohio, on or before December 8, 1997, for inclusion in
the Company's proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the 1998 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders.
 
                                 OTHER MATTERS
 
     If the enclosed proxy is properly executed and returned to the Company, the
persons named in it will vote the shares represented by such proxy at the
meeting. The form of proxy permits specification of a vote for the election of
directors as set forth under "Election of Directors", the withholding of
authority to vote in the election of directors, or the withholding of authority
to vote for one or more specified nominees. With respect to proposals TWO and
THREE, the form of proxy permits specification of vote for, against or in
abstention with respect to the respective proposals.
 
     Where a choice has been specified in the proxy, the shares represented will
be voted in accordance with such specification. If no specification is made,
such shares will be voted at the meeting to elect directors as set forth under
"Election of Directors" above and FOR Proposals TWO and THREE, above. Under Ohio
law and the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, broker
non-votes and abstaining votes will not be counted in favor of or against any
nominee. Under Ohio law and the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation, broker non-votes and abstaining votes with respect to Proposal
TWO and THREE will in effect be votes against such proposals. If any other
matters shall properly come before the meeting, the persons named in the proxy
will vote thereon in accordance with their judgment. Management does not know of
any other matters which will be presented for action at the meeting.
 
                                          By order of the Board of Directors,
 
                                          JOAN U. ALLGOOD
                                          Secretary
 
Dated: April   , 1997
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   21
 
                        DEVELOPERS DIVERSIFIED REALTY CORPORATION
               THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
P         The undersigned hereby appoints Joan U. Allgood and William H. Schafer
R         and each of them, the attorneys and proxies of the undersigned with
O         full power of substitution to vote as indicated herein, all the Common
X         Shares of Developers Diversified Realty Corporation held of record by
Y         the undersigned on March 31, 1997, at the Annual Meeting of
          Shareholders to be held on May 12, 1997, or any adjournment thereof,
          with all the powers the undersigned would possess if then and there
          personally present.
 
          1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.
 
<TABLE>
                     <S>                                              <C>
                     [ ]FOR all nominees listed below                 [ ]WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
                        (except as marked to the contrary below)         to vote for all nominees listed below
</TABLE>
 
 Scott A. Wolstein, James A. Schoff, Walter H. Teninga, William N. Hulett III,
                Ethan Penner, Albert T. Adams and Dean S. Adler.
(INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, write
that nominee's name in the space provided below)
 
          ----------------------------------------------------------------------
          2. Proposal to amend Article Fourth of the Company's Amended and
             Restated Articles of Incorporation to incorporate a New York Stock
             Exchange requirement relating to settlement of stock trades.
 
                               [ ] FOR          [ ] AGAINST          [ ] ABSTAIN
          3. Proposal to amend the Developers Diversified Realty Corporation
             1992 Employees' Share Option Plan to reserve for issuance under
             such plan an additional 1,200,000 Common Shares of the Company.
 
                               [ ] FOR          [ ] AGAINST          [ ] ABSTAIN
 
                                    (Continued and to be signed on reverse side)
 
          4. In their discretion, to vote upon such other business as may
          properly come before the meeting.
 
              This proxy when properly executed will be voted as specified by
          the shareholder. If no specifications are made, the proxy will be
          voted to elect the nominees described in item 1 above and FOR item 2
          and item 3, above.
 
              Receipt of Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the
          related Proxy Statement dated April   , 1997, is hereby acknowledged.
 
                                                  Date , 1997
 
                                                  ------------------------------
 
                                                  ------------------------------
 
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Signature(s) of Shareholder(s)
 
                                                   PLEASE SIGN AS YOUR NAME
                                                  APPEARS HEREON. IF SHARES ARE
                                                  HELD JOINTLY, ALL HOLDERS MUST
                                                  SIGN. WHEN SIGNING AS
                                                  ATTORNEY, EXECUTOR,
                                                  ADMINISTRATOR, TRUSTEE OR
                                                  GUARDIAN, PLEASE GIVE YOUR
                                                  FULL TITLE. IF A CORPORATION,
                                                  PLEASE SIGN IN FULL CORPORATE
                                                  NAME BY PRESIDENT OR OTHER
                                                  AUTHORIZED OFFICER. IF A
                                                  PARTNERSHIP, PLEASE SIGN IN
                                                  PARTNERSHIP NAME BY AUTHORIZED
                                                  PERSON.


                                   Proxy Card


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