Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Series L Preferred Units [Member]	Series F And Series H Preferred Units [Member]	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Units	Preferred Units Series L Preferred Units [Member]	Preferred Units Series F And Series H Preferred Units [Member]	Class A Units Owned by Vornado	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Real estate fund investments	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Other
Beginning balance, Units at Dec. 31, 2012						51,185			186,735
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 7,904,144					$ 1,240,278			$ 7,202,878	$ (1,573,275)	$ (18,946)	$ 1,053,209
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	500,788									500,788
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(24,817)									(24,817)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	63,952			$ 53,427								63,952
Distributions to Vornado	(545,913)									(545,913)
Distributions to preferred unitholders	(82,807)									(82,807)
Issuance of preferred units, Units							12,000
Issuance of preferred units, Value		$ 290,306					$ 290,306
Redemption of preferred units, Units								(10,500)
Redemption of preferred units, Value			$ (253,269)					$ (253,269)
Class A units issued to Vornado:
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, Units									299
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, Value	25,317								$ 25,317
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, Units									104
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, Value	5,808								$ 5,915	(107)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, Units									22
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,851								$ 1,851
Upon acquisition of real estate, Units									128
Upon acquisition of real estate, Value	11,461								$ 11,461
Contributions:
Contributions				28,078	$ 15,886								$ 28,078	$ 15,886
Distribution:
Distributions				(47,268)	(133,153)								(47,268)	(133,153)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	0
Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Units						(2)			3
Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Value						$ (90)			$ 90
Deferred compensation units and options, Units									(6)
Deferred compensation units and options, Value	9,270								$ 9,577	(307)
(Reduction) increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	142,281										142,281
Amounts reclassified related to sale of available-for-sale securities	(42,404)										(42,404)
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(22,814)										(22,814)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	18,183										18,183
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(108,252)								(108,252)
Redeemable partnership units' share of above adjustments	(5,296)										(5,296)
Preferred unit redemptions	(1,130)									(1,130)
Deconsolidation of partially owned entity	(165,427)											(165,427)
Consolidation of a partially owned entity	16,799											16,799
Other	(6,830)								$ 2,472	(7,271)	533	(2,564)
Ending balance, Units at Dec. 31, 2013						52,683			187,285
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2013	7,594,744					$ 1,277,225			$ 7,151,309	(1,734,839)	71,537	829,512
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	912,465									912,465
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(47,613)									(47,613)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	96,561			92,728								96,561
Distributions to Vornado	(547,831)									(547,831)
Distributions to preferred unitholders	(81,464)									(81,464)
Class A units issued to Vornado:
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, Units									271
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, Value	27,273								$ 27,273
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, Units									304
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, Value	14,047								$ 17,440	(3,393)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, Units									17
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,804								$ 1,804
Contributions:
Contributions				5,297	32,998								5,297	32,998
Distribution:
Distributions	(33,469)			(182,964)	(4,463)								(182,964)	(4,463)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	(33,028)											(33,028)
Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Units						(4)			5
Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Value						$ (193)			$ 193
Deferred compensation units and options, Units									5
Deferred compensation units and options, Value	5,512								$ 5,852	(340)
(Reduction) increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	14,465										14,465
Amounts reclassified related to sale of available-for-sale securities	0
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,509										2,509
Increase in value of interest rate swap	6,079										6,079
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(315,276)								(315,276)
Redeemable partnership units' share of above adjustments	(1,323)										(1,323)
Preferred unit redemptions	0
Other	(10,410)					$ (6)			$ (8,077)	(2,370)		43
Ending balance, Units at Dec. 31, 2014						52,679			187,887
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2014	7,489,382					$ 1,277,026			$ 6,880,518	(1,505,385)	93,267	743,956
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	803,665									803,665
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(43,231)									(43,231)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	55,765			40,117								55,765
Distribution of Urban Edge Properties	(464,603)									(464,262)		(341)
Distributions to Vornado	(474,751)									(474,751)
Distributions to preferred unitholders	(80,578)									(80,578)
Class A units issued to Vornado:
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, Units									452
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, Value	48,230								$ 48,230
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, Units									214
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, Value	12,762								$ 15,341	(2,579)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, Units									14
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,438								$ 1,438
Contributions:
Contributions				51,725	250								51,725	250
Distribution:
Distributions	(30,263)			$ (72,114)	$ (525)								$ (72,114)	$ (525)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	0
Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Units						(2)			4
Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Value						$ (72)			$ 72
Deferred compensation units and options, Units									6
Deferred compensation units and options, Value	2,080								$ 2,439	(359)
(Reduction) increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(55,326)										(55,326)
Amounts reclassified related to sale of available-for-sale securities	0
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(327)										(327)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	6,435										6,435
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	192,464								192,464
Redeemable partnership units' share of above adjustments	2,866										2,866
Preferred unit redemptions	0
Other	471								$ (2)	700	6	(233)
Ending balance, Units at Dec. 31, 2015						52,677			188,577
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 7,476,078					$ 1,276,954			$ 7,140,500	$ (1,766,780)	$ 46,921	$ 778,483