Partners' Capital (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Quarterly [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Long Term Capital Gain [Member] Special [Member]	Jan. 17, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Quarterly [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Quarterly [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series H Preferred Stock [Member] Subsequent Event [Member]	Jul. 11, 2012 Series K Preferred Stock [Member] Public Offering [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member] Vornado Realty Trust [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Preferred Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member] Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member] Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Aug. 16, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series F Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series F Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series G Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series G Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series H Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series H Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series I Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series I Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series J Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series J Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Jul. 11, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series K Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series K Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Preferred Units [Member] Series K Preferred Stock [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Jul. 11, 2012 Preferred Units [Member] Series K Preferred Stock [Member] Public Offering [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Class A Units Held By Vornado [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Class A Units Held By Vornado [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Redeemable partnership units outstanding, Class A units																																11,215,682	12,160,771
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding										51,184,609	42,186,709		34,609	36,709	0		3,000,000	6,000,000	6,000,000	8,000,000	8,000,000	4,500,000	4,500,000	10,800,000	10,800,000	9,850,000	9,850,000		12,000,000	0		186,734,711	185,080,020
General Partners' Capital Account	$ 8,443,156	$ 8,156,291								$ 1,240,278	$ 1,021,660		$ 1,682	$ 1,787	$ 0		$ 72,248	$ 144,720	$ 144,720	$ 193,135	$ 193,135	$ 108,549	$ 108,549	$ 262,379	$ 262,379	$ 238,842	$ 238,842		$ 290,971	$ 0
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Authorized													83,977	83,977	3,000,000		3,000,000	6,000,000	6,000,000	8,000,000	8,000,000	4,500,000	4,500,000	10,800,000	10,800,000	9,850,000	9,850,000		12,000,000	0
Quarterly Common Distributions				$ 0.69	$ 1.00	$ 0.73	$ 2.92
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions																																699,318
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued, Total									12,000,000
Preferred Stock Dividend Rate Percentage								6.75%	5.70%				6.50%		7.00%			6.75%		6.625%		6.75%		6.625%		6.875%			5.70%
Proceeds from Issuance of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	290,971	238,842	0
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share									$ 25.00
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Issued																												12,000,000
Issuance of units, Value	290,971	238,842								290,971	238,842
Stock Redeemed Or Called During Period Shares										3,000,000		1,600,000
Stock Redeemed Or Called During Period Value	72,248		35,600							72,248		39,982
Preferred Stock Redemption Price Per Share																															$ 25.00
Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference (in dollars per share)													$ 50.00		$ 25.00			$ 25.00		$ 25.00		$ 25.00		$ 25.00		$ 25.00			$ 25.00
Preferred Stock, Distribution Rate (in dollars per unit)													$ 3.25		$ 1.75			$ 1.6875		$ 1.656		$ 1.6875		$ 1.656		$ 1.71875			$ 1.425
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(18,946)	73,729
Preferred Stock, Additional Disclosure [Abstract]
Preferred Stock Redemption Discount	8,948	5,000	4,382
Conversion rate of Class A units per Series A Preferred unit, Units													1.4334
Preferred Stock, Redemption Amount																$ 75,000
Preferred Stock Issued Additional Disclosure									Vornado retained aggregate net proceeds of $290,971,000, after underwriters’ discounts and issuance costs and contributed the net proceeds to us in exchange for 12,000,000 Series K Preferred Units (with economic terms that mirror those of the Series K Preferred Shares).