FHLBNY ADVANCES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Federal Home Loan Bank, Advances, Branch of FHLB Bank [Line Items]
FHLBNY advances	$ 1,166,725	$ 1,173,725
Average interest cost (in hundredths)	1.65%	2.28%	2.89%
Federal Home Loan Bank, Advances, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2016	$ 613,500
2017	302,075
2018	92,100
2019	96,250
2020	49,800
2021 and beyond	13,000
Total	$ 1,166,725
Interest rate on outstanding advances (in hundredths)	1.32%	1.74%
FHLBNY Borrowing Capacity	$ 1,754,957	$ 1,568,197
Federal Home Loan Bank, Advances, Maturities Summary, Average Interest Rate of Amounts Due [Abstract]
2016	0.79%
2017	2.04%
2018	1.56%
2019	1.65%
2020	2.02%
2021 and beyond	2.68%
TOTAL	1.32%
FHLBNY Advances prepaid	$ 25,000	0	$ 0
Expense incurred on borrowing prepayment	$ 1,362	$ 0	$ 0