Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures (Mortgages and Other Loans Payable)(Details)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) extenstion_option	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	$ 3,299,061,000	$ 3,518,127,000
Total floating rate debt	558,360,000	622,585,000
Total fixed rate and floating rate debt	$ 3,857,421,000	4,140,712,000
Number of extension options | extenstion_option	2
Period of extension options	1 year
521 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	50.50%
Ownership Percentage	50.50%
717 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	10.92%
Ownership Percentage	10.92%
21 East 66th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	32.28%
Ownership Percentage	32.28%
3 Columbus Circle
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	48.90%
Ownership Percentage	48.90%
11 Madison Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	60.00%
Ownership Percentage	60.00%
800 Third Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	60.52%
Ownership Percentage	60.52%
East 400 Street 57
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	41.00%
Ownership Percentage	51.00%		51.00%
Stonehenge Portfolio
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage			90.00%
1745 Broadway
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	56.87%
Ownership Percentage	56.87%
55 West 46th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	25.00%
Ownership Percentage	25.00%
175-225 Third Street Brooklyn, New York
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	95.00%
Ownership Percentage	95.00%
Jericho Plaza
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	11.67%
Ownership Percentage	11.67%
724 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	50.00%
Ownership Percentage	50.00%
1552 Broadway
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	50.00%
Ownership Percentage	50.00%
605 West 42nd Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	20.00%
Ownership Percentage	20.00%
650 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	50.00%
Ownership Percentage	50.00%
280 Park Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	50.00%
Ownership Percentage	50.00%
121 Greene Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	50.00%
Ownership Percentage	50.00%
10 East 53rd Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	55.00%
Ownership Percentage	55.00%
131-137 Spring Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	20.00%
Ownership Percentage	20.00%
11 West 34th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	30.00%
Ownership Percentage	30.00%
100 Park Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	49.90%
Ownership Percentage	49.90%
One Vanderbilt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Economic Interest (as a percent)	71.01%
Total floating rate debt	$ 0	64,030,000
Ownership Percentage	71.01%
One Vanderbilt | Construction Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term (in Years)	5 years
Maximum facility capacity	$ 1,500,000,000.0
Credit facility, interest rate (as a percent)	3.50%
Number of extension options | extenstion_option	2
Period of extension options	1 year
Joint venture
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	$ 3,225,217,000	3,566,846,000
Total floating rate debt	3,585,561,000	2,982,528,000
Total fixed rate and floating rate debt	6,810,778,000	6,549,374,000
Deferred financing costs, net	(121,291,000)	(95,408,000)
Total joint venture mortgages and other loans payable, net	6,689,487,000	6,453,966,000
Joint venture | 521 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	170,000,000	170,000,000
Joint venture | 717 Fifth Avenue | Mortgage loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	300,000,000
Joint venture | 717 Fifth Avenue | Mezzanine loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	355,300,000
Joint venture | 717 Fifth Avenue | Initial Maturity July 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	300,000,000	300,000,000
Joint venture | 717 Fifth Avenue | Initial Maturity July 2022, 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	355,328,000	355,328,000
Joint venture | 21 East 66th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	12,000,000	12,000,000
Total floating rate debt	1,686,000	1,726,000
Joint venture | 3 Columbus Circle
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	350,000,000	350,000,000
Joint venture | 11 Madison Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	1,400,000,000	1,400,000,000
Joint venture | 800 Third Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	177,000,000	177,000,000
Joint venture | East 400 Street 57
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	100,000,000	100,000,000
Joint venture | Stonehenge Portfolio
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	360,889,000	362,518,000
Total floating rate debt	55,340,000	65,577,000
Ownership Percentage			10.00%
Joint venture | Stonehenge Portfolio | Initial Maturity November 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	34,200,000
Joint venture | Stonehenge Portfolio | Initial Maturity August 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	138,300,000
Joint venture | Stonehenge Portfolio | Initial Maturity June 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	173,400,000
Joint venture | Stonehenge Portfolio | Initial Maturity February 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	15,000,000
Joint venture | 1745 Broadway
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total fixed rate debt	0	340,000,000
Total floating rate debt	345,000,000	0
Joint venture | 1745 Broadway | Mortgage loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	375,000,000
Unfunded amount	30,000,000
Joint venture | 55 West 46th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	160,727,000	157,322,000
Joint venture | 55 West 46th Street | Mortgage loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	190,000,000
Unfunded amount	29,300,000
Joint venture | 175-225 Third Street Brooklyn, New York
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	40,000,000	40,000,000
Joint venture | Jericho Plaza
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	$ 78,454,000	76,993,000
Term (in Years)	2 years
Face amount of loan	$ 100,000,000
Joint venture | 724 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	275,000,000	275,000,000
Joint venture | 1552 Broadway
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	185,410,000	185,410,000
Joint venture | 1552 Broadway | Mortgage loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	145,000,000
Unfunded amount	600,000
Joint venture | 1552 Broadway | Mezzanine loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	41,500,000
Unfunded amount	500,000
Joint venture | 605 West 42nd Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	539,000,000	539,000,000
Joint venture | 650 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	86,500,000	77,500,000
Joint venture | 650 Fifth Avenue | Mortgage loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed amount	97,000,000
Unfunded amount	10,500,000
Joint venture | 280 Park Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	900,000,000	900,000,000
Joint venture | 121 Greene Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	15,000,000	15,000,000
Joint venture | 10 East 53rd Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	170,000,000	125,000,000
Joint venture | 131-137 Spring Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	141,000,000	141,000,000
Joint venture | 11 West 34th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	23,000,000	23,000,000
Joint venture | 100 Park Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	360,000,000	360,000,000
Joint venture | One Vanderbilt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total floating rate debt	$ 209,444,000	$ 0
Weighted Average | One Vanderbilt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 521 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	3.73%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 717 Fifth Avenue | Initial Maturity July 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	4.45%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 717 Fifth Avenue | Initial Maturity July 2022, 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	5.50%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 21 East 66th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	3.60%
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	3.21%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 3 Columbus Circle
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	3.61%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 11 Madison Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	3.84%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 800 Third Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	3.37%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | East 400 Street 57
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	3.00%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | Stonehenge Portfolio
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, fixed rate debt (as a percent)	4.17%
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	2.28%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 1745 Broadway
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	2.85%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 55 West 46th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	3.31%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 175-225 Third Street Brooklyn, New York
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	5.04%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | Jericho Plaza
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	5.16%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 724 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	3.43%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 1552 Broadway
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	5.19%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 605 West 42nd Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	3.11%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 650 Fifth Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	4.76%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 280 Park Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	3.01%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 121 Greene Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	2.50%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 10 East 53rd Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	3.26%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 131-137 Spring Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	2.56%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 11 West 34th Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	2.46%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | 100 Park Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	2.76%
Weighted Average | Joint venture | One Vanderbilt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, floating rate debt (as a percent)	4.52%