Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 613,037	$ 606,802
Total expenses	613,317	439,088
Operating (loss) income	(280)	167,714
(Loss) income from partially owned entities	(4,240)	(2,405)
Income from real estate fund investments	11,284	24,089
Interest and other investment income, net	3,518	10,792
Interest and debt expense	(100,489)	(91,674)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	714	1,860
(Loss) income before income taxes	(89,493)	110,038
Income tax expense	(2,831)	(971)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(92,324)	109,067
Income from discontinued operations	716	16,179
Net (loss) income	(91,608)	125,246
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(9,678)	(15,882)
Net (loss) income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	(101,286)	109,364
Interest and debt expense (2)	126,120	114,675
Depreciation and amortization (2)	174,811	156,450
Income tax expense (2)	3,261	(739)
EBITDA	202,906	379,750
Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
(Loss) income from partially owned entities	(4,240)	(2,743)
New York Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	410,825	399,513
Total expenses	269,595	252,760
Operating (loss) income	141,230	146,753
(Loss) income from partially owned entities	(3,563)
Interest and other investment income, net	1,115	1,862
Interest and debt expense	(54,586)	(45,351)
(Loss) income before income taxes	84,196	97,601
Income tax expense	(959)	(943)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	83,237	96,658
Income from discontinued operations		0
Net (loss) income	83,237	96,658
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(3,429)	(1,506)
Net (loss) income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	79,808	95,152
Interest and debt expense (2)	71,198	58,667
Depreciation and amortization (2)	108,403	94,124
Income tax expense (2)	1,090	1,002
EBITDA	260,499	248,945
New York Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
(Loss) income from partially owned entities		(5,663)
Washington DC Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	128,012	133,968
Total expenses	256,565	92,997
Operating (loss) income	(128,553)	40,971
(Loss) income from partially owned entities	(2,043)
Interest and other investment income, net	58	13
Interest and debt expense	(15,935)	(18,160)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(146,473)	22,955
Income tax expense	(264)	674
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(146,737)	23,629
Net (loss) income	(146,737)	23,629
Net (loss) income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	(146,737)	23,629
Interest and debt expense (2)	19,406	21,512
Depreciation and amortization (2)	42,681	40,752
Income tax expense (2)	265	(2,636)
EBITDA	(84,385)	83,257
Washington DC Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
(Loss) income from partially owned entities		131
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	74,200	73,321
Total expenses	87,157	93,331
Operating (loss) income	(12,957)	(20,010)
(Loss) income from partially owned entities	1,366
Income from real estate fund investments	11,284	24,089
Interest and other investment income, net	2,345	8,917
Interest and debt expense	(29,968)	(28,163)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	714	1,860
(Loss) income before income taxes	(27,216)	(10,518)
Income tax expense	(1,608)	(702)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(28,824)	(11,220)
Income from discontinued operations	716	16,179
Net (loss) income	(28,108)	4,959
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(6,249)	(14,376)
Net (loss) income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	(34,357)	(9,417)
Interest and debt expense (2)	35,516	34,496
Depreciation and amortization (2)	23,727	21,574
Income tax expense (2)	1,906	895
EBITDA	$ 26,792	47,548
Other Segment [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
(Loss) income from partially owned entities		$ 2,789