2.2.0.7 false Business 0201 - Disclosure - Business true false false false 1 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ 2 Business [Abstract] 0 wpc_BusinessAbstract wpc false na duration Business. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string Business. false 3 Business 1 us-gaap_NatureOfOperations us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0   <div align="left" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin-left: 0in; ">   <div align="left"> </div> <div align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt"><b> </b></div> <div align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt"><b></b> </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt"><b>Note 1. Business</b> </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt">W. P. Carey & Co. LLC (“W. P. Carey” and, together with its consolidated subsidiaries and predecessors, “we”, “us” or “our”) provides long-term financing via sale-leaseback and build-to-suit transactions for companies worldwide and manages a global investment portfolio. We invest primarily in commercial properties domestically and internationally that are each triple-net leased to single corporate tenants, which requires each tenant to pay substantially all of the costs associated with operating and maintaining the property. We also earn revenue as the advisor to publicly owned, non-listed real estate investment trusts, which are sponsored by us under the Corporate Property Associates brand name (the “CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup> REITs”) and invest in similar properties. We are currently the advisor to the following CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup> REITs: Corporate Property Associates 14 Incorporated (“CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup>:14”), Corporate Property Associates 15 Incorporated (“CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup>:15”), Corporate Property Associates 16 — Global Incorporated (“CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup>:16 — Global”) and Corporate Property Associates 17 — Global Incorporated (“CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup>:17 — Global”). At June 30, 2010, we owned and managed 922 properties domestically and internationally. Our own portfolio was comprised of our full or partial ownership interest in 167 properties, substantially all of which were net leased to 80 tenants, and totaled approximately 14 million square feet (on a pro rata basis) with an occupancy rate of approximately 92%. </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt"><b>Primary Business Segments</b> </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt"><i>Investment Management </i>— We structure and negotiate investments and debt placement transactions for the CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup> REITs, for which we earn structuring revenue, and manage their portfolios of real estate investments, for which we earn asset-based management and performance revenue. We earn asset-based management and performance revenue from the CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup> REITs based on the value of their real estate-related assets under management. As funds available to the CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup> REITs are invested, the asset base from which we earn revenue increases. In addition, we also receive a percentage of distributions of available cash from CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup>:17 — Global’s operating partnership. We may also earn incentive and disposition revenue and receive other compensation in connection with providing liquidity alternatives to CPA<sup style="font-size: 85%; vertical-align: text-top">®</sup> REIT shareholders. </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt"><i>Real Estate Ownership </i>— We own and invest in commercial properties in the United States of America (“U.S.”) and the European Union that are then leased to companies, primarily on a triple-net leased basis. We may also invest in other properties if opportunities arise. </div> </div>  <!-- Begin Block Tagged Note false false false us-types:textBlockItemType textblock Describes the nature of an entity's business, the major products or services it sells or provides and its principal markets, including the locations of those markets. If the entity operates in more than one business, the disclosure also indicates the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination (for example, assets, revenues, or earnings). Disclosures about the nature of operations need not be quantified; relative importance could be conveyed by use of terms such as "predominately", "about equally", or "major and other". This element is also referred to as "Business Description". Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 94-6 -Paragraph 10 false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true