Discontinued Operations and Investment Properties Held for Sale (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012 property	Dec. 31, 2011
Assets and liabilities associated with investment properties held for sale
Number of properties held for sale	2
Assets
Accumulated depreciation	$ (1,284,426)	$ (1,180,767)
Investment properties held for sale	8,633	0
Liabilities
Liabilities associated with investment properties held for sale	228	0
Investment properties held for sale
Assets and liabilities associated with investment properties held for sale
Number of properties held for sale	2
Assets
Land, building and other improvements	8,996
Accumulated depreciation	(379)
Net investment properties held for sale	8,617
Other assets	16
Investment properties held for sale	8,633
Liabilities
Other liabilities	228
Liabilities associated with investment properties held for sale	$ 228
Investment properties held for sale \| Bakersfield, California
Assets and liabilities associated with investment properties held for sale
Square footage	75,100
Investment properties held for sale \| Phoenix, Arizona
Assets and liabilities associated with investment properties held for sale
Square footage	117,600

Represents the number of real estate properties held for sale as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents other liabilities of investment properties held for sale as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of real estate investment property, net accumulated depreciation, that is classified as held for sale as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	rpai_
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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Area of a real estate property.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Definition

Long-lived assets that are held for sale apart from normal operations and anticipated to be sold in less than one year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1107-107759

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 144

-Paragraph 46

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Liability (such as a mortgage) related to a disposal group that is held for sale and anticipated to be sold in less than one year. The liability is expected to be discharged as part of the plan of sale for the asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1436-107760

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15)

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- Definition

The lower of the carrying value or fair value less cost to sell of assets held-for-sale, other than loans receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1107-107759

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 35

-Paragraph 43

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16397438&loc=d3e1739-110224

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-Paragraph 34, 46

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of investments in land and buildings held for sale, excluding real estate considered to be inventory of the entity.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

The cumulative amount of depreciation for real estate property held for investment purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(3))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 7

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