Noncontrolling Interests on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements (Details)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2012 $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) shares $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) unit $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2016 shares	Aug. 31, 2015 shares	Jul. 31, 2015 shares	Jun. 30, 2015 shares	Feb. 28, 2015 shares	Aug. 31, 2014 shares
Organization
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares) | shares		100,185,000	99,345,000	95,774,000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Balance at beginning of period | $		$ 424,206,000
Distributions | $		(15,419,000)	$ (119,784,000)	$ (7,019,000)
Redemption of common units | $			(20,650,000)
Net income | $		10,136,000	10,565,000	18,467,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income allocation | $		1,299,000	(67,000)	$ 175,000
Balance at end of period | $		$ 473,882,000	$ 424,206,000
Number of company common stock issued on conversion of Series B preferred units		6.71348
SL Green Operating Partnership
Organization
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares) | shares		104,508,000	103,244,000	99,288,000
Noncontrolling interest in the operating partnership (as a percent)		4.16%
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Balance at beginning of period | $		$ 424,206,000	$ 469,524,000
Distributions | $		(12,671,000)	(9,710,000)
Issuance of common units | $		78,495,000	30,506,000
Redemption of common units | $		(31,805,000)	(55,697,000)
Net income | $		10,136,000	10,565,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income allocation | $		1,299,000	(67,000)
Fair value adjustment | $		4,222,000	(20,915,000)
Balance at end of period | $		$ 473,882,000	$ 424,206,000	$ 469,524,000
Stock-based compensation plans (shares) | shares		373,000	490,000	408,000
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series G Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares	1,902,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)	4.50%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.125
Operating partnership common stock value use for conversion of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 88.50
Number of company common stock issue on redemption of operation partnership common units		1
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series F Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares		60
Mandatory liquidation preference (in dollars per share) | $		$ 1,000.00
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series K Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares										563,954
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		3.50%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.875
Operating partnership common stock value use for conversion of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 134.67
Preferred Units, shares authorized | shares		700,000
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series L Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares										378,634
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		4.00%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.00
Preferred Units, shares authorized | shares		500,000
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series M Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares									1,600,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		3.75%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.9375
Preferred Units, shares authorized | shares		1,600,000
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series N Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares								552,303
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		3.00%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.75
Preferred Units, shares authorized | shares		552,303
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series O Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		6.25%
Preferred Units, shares authorized | shares		1
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series P Preferred Units
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		200,000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares							200,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		4.00%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.00
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series Q Preferred Units
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		268,000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares							268,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		3.50%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.875
Operating partnership common stock value use for conversion of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 148.95
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series R Preferred Units
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		400,000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares						400,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		3.50%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.875
Operating partnership common stock value use for conversion of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 154.89
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series S Preferred Units
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		1,077,280
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares						1,077,280
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		4.00%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.00
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series T Preferred Stock [Member] [Member]
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		230,000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares					230,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		2.75%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.6875
Operating partnership common stock value use for conversion of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 119.02
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series U Preferred Stock [Member]
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		680,000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares					680,000
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		4.50%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.125
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series A Preferred Units
Organization
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		109,161
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares						109,161
Dividend rate preferred units (as a percent)		3.50%
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1,000.00
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 35.00
SL Green Operating Partnership | Series B Preferred Units
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares		0
SL Green Operating Partnership
Organization
Noncontrolling interest in the operating partnership (as a percent)			3.61%
Number of units of operating partnership owned by the noncontrolling interest unit holders (shares)		4,363,716	3,745,766
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon redemption of units of limited partnership interest in operating partnership (shares) | shares		4,363,716.000
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Distributions | $		$ (15,419,000)	$ (119,784,000)	$ (7,019,000)
Redemption of common units | $			(20,650,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income allocation | $		$ 1,299,000	$ (67,000)	$ 175,000
Number of preferred units issued (in shares) | shares		9,200,000	9,200,000
Liquidation preference of preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 25.00	$ 25.00
Minimum | SL Green Operating Partnership | Series U Preferred Stock [Member]
Rollforward analysis of the activity relating to the noncontrolling interests in the operating partnership
Annual dividends on preferred units (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.75