Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Operating activities
Net loss	$ (1,835)	$ (13,140)	$ (13,967)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	49,472	48,465	51,936
Stock based compensation	2,785	2,541	2,118
Amortization of above and below market leases	1,274	1,663	1,344
(Gain) loss on investments, net	(2,074)	7,949	10,886
Provision for loss on property investment	16,423		15,999
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt	(15,163)	293	(9,829)
Gain attributable to non-controlling interest in consolidated subsidiaries	(20)	(52)	(51)
Straight-lining of rents	(1,886)	(4,189)	(1,377)
Amortization of discounts/premiums, and origination fees/costs, net	(549)	(625)	(495)
Amortization of debt issuance costs, leasing commissions and fair market value of debt issued or assumed	2,266	2,785	3,603
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other assets	839	(436)	(2,696)
Accounts payable and other liabilities	(3,732)	2,433	(59)
Deposits and escrows	(33)	2	(48)
Net cash provided by operating activities	47,768	47,689	57,364
Investing activities
Purchases of real estate investments	(22,773)	(33,513)
Real estate improvements, additions, rebates and construction in progress	(18,133)	(8,077)	(1,389)
Proceeds from sale of real estate investments	5,171	3,410	6,544
Leasing commission costs	(152)	(1,298)	(794)
Proceeds from sale or prepayments of loans	86,946		41,206
Additions to loans held for investment			(790)
Principal received from borrowers	10,032	11,205	15,458
Proceeds from sale of CDO, net of liabilities assumed	22,273
Purchase of commercial mortgage-backed securities			(496)
Proceeds from sale of securities	31,285		7,475
Repayments of commercial mortgage-backed securities	4,974	3,256	3,134
Purchases of furniture, fixtures, equipment and leasehold improvements	(17)	(34)	(6)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	119,605	(25,051)	70,342
Financing activities
Borrowings from mortgages on real estate investments	19,485	1,752	1,574
Repayments of mortgages on real estate investments	(20,649)	(16,104)	(13,650)
Repayments of collateralized debt obligations	(105,266)	(9,139)
Collateralized debt obligations repurchased	(1,605)		(2,881)
Funds held by trustee of CDO pending distribution	3,757		(750)
Borrowings from credit agreement		15,610
Repayments on credit agreement	(34,676)	(36,526)	(63,000)
Repayments on secured term loan	(13,737)	(12,191)	(9,649)
Convertible senior notes repurchased		(17,335)	(9,583)
Debt issuance costs	(1,002)	(815)	(645)
Escrows held with mortgage lender			212
Common stock issued, net of offering costs	54,269	25,102	11,046
Common stock repurchased	(6,736)
Preferred stock issued, net of offering costs		40,222
Distributions to non-controlling interest	(41)	(37)	(23)
Dividends paid on common and preferred stock	(22,754)	(18,981)	(10,250)
Net cash used in financing activities	(128,955)	(28,442)	(97,599)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	38,418	(5,804)	30,107
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	32,742	38,546	8,439
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	71,160	32,742	38,546
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid during the year for interest expense (excluding capitalized interest)	76,440	81,026	86,332
Cash paid during the year for income taxes		201
Distributions declared but not paid	10	10	9
Dividends declared but not paid	5,935	5,363	3,813
Supplemental disclosure of noncash operating, investing and financing information
Value of in-place leases and above-market leases acquired	1,948	2,820
Mortgage notes payable assumed on properties acquired	34,633
Mortgage notes payable transferred on properties sold			14,400
Collateralized debt obligations transferred on sale (notional)	152,950
Collateralized debt obligations reclassified to mortgages on real estate investments (notional)	30,718
Collateralized debt obligations reclassified to commercial mortgage-backed securities (fair value)	$ 4,903