Schedule III - Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation - Footnotes (Details) $ in Thousands							1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2020 USD ($) facility	Jan. 02, 2020 USD ($) facility	Nov. 19, 2019 USD ($) facility	May 01, 2019 USD ($) facility	Feb. 01, 2019 USD ($) facility	Nov. 30, 2020 USD ($) facility	May 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) facility	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2019:
Accumulated depreciation per Schedule III									$ (857,812)						$ (857,812)			$ (857,812)
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(1,423,235)
Reconciliation of total Buildings and Improvements to consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018:
Property, plant, and equipment																		6,148,812	$ 4,149,214
Building and improvements financing leases per consolidated balance sheet																		169,929	88,038
Total per Schedule III																		4,353,243
Reconciliation of total mortgage notes and term loans to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2018:
Total per Schedule III																		276,693
Unsecured																		2,387,525
Deferred financing costs, net of amortization																		(15,952)	(12,996)
Total mortgage notes, senior unsecured notes and term loan per consolidated balance sheet*																		2,648,266	1,695,447
Secured notes related to Monmouth, IL																		4,038,330	2,337,665
Aggregate cost for federal tax purposes of real estate assets																		3,400,000
Accumulated Depreciation:
Ending balance									(857,812)						(857,812)
Total sale-leaseback financing obligations																		185,060	115,759
Impairment of long-lived assets									2,200		$ 2,900	$ 9,600			8,236	$ 13,485	$ 747
Gain (loss) on disposition of property													$ (900)	$ 8,400	22,124	(34)	7,471
Percentage of facility to be partially demolished												75.00%
Operating facilities purchased															2,062,780	1,287,491
New facility acquired													13,800
Reconciliation of Real Estate Activity
Total real estate facilities gross amount per Schedule III																		5,016,126
Real estate facilities, at cost - ending balance																		5,706,760
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption
Accumulated depreciation per Schedule III									(857,812)						$ (857,812)			(857,812)
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(1,423,235)
Boston, MA
Accumulated Depreciation:
Gain (loss) on disposition of property									20,100
Waco, TX
Accumulated Depreciation:
Gain (loss) on disposition of property									500
Minimum
Reconciliation of total mortgage notes and term loans to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2018:
Life on which depreciation is calculated															5 years
Maximum
Reconciliation of total mortgage notes and term loans to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2018:
Life on which depreciation is calculated															43 years
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Reconciliation of total mortgage notes and term loans to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2018:
Secured notes related to Monmouth, IL																		4,700	4,900
Real Estate
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2019:
Accumulated depreciation per Schedule III									(1,080,922)			$ (827,892)	(827,892)		$ (1,080,922)	(827,892)	(827,892)	(1,080,922)	(936,422)	$ (827,892)
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(1,080,922)	(936,422)	(827,892)
Real Estate Facilities, at Cost:
Beginning Balance												2,575,367			3,729,589	2,575,367	2,506,656
Capital expenditures															287,220	177,268	50,680
Acquisitions															1,662,650	975,045	0
Newly developed warehouse facilities															58,807	21,316	62,353
Disposition															(62,225)	(7,409)	(30,199)
Impairment															(2,153)	(12,555)	(747)
Conversion of leased assets to owned															7,956	0	8,405
Impact of foreign exchange rate changes															24,916	557	(21,781)
Ending Balance									5,706,760				2,575,367		5,706,760	3,729,589	2,575,367
Accumulated Depreciation:
Beginning balance												(827,892)			(936,422)	(827,892)	(770,006)
Depreciation expense															(146,237)	(114,512)	(87,355)
Dispositions															8,731	6,679	24,672
Impact of foreign exchange rate changes															(6,994)	(697)	4,797
Ending balance									(1,080,922)				(827,892)		(1,080,922)	(936,422)	(827,892)
Total Real Estate Facilities, Net at December 31																		4,625,838	2,793,167	1,747,475
Reconciliation of Real Estate Activity
Real estate facilities, at cost - ending balance																		5,706,760	3,729,589	2,575,367
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption
Accumulated depreciation per Schedule III									(1,080,922)			$ (827,892)	$ (827,892)		$ (1,080,922)	$ (827,892)	$ (827,892)	(1,080,922)	(936,422)	(827,892)
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(1,080,922)	(936,422)	(827,892)
Non-real estate assets
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2019:
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(565,423)
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(565,423)
Buildings and improvements
Reconciliation of total Buildings and Improvements to consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018:
Property, plant, and equipment																		4,004,824	2,696,732
Building and improvements financing leases per consolidated balance sheet																		60,513	11,227
Assets under construction
Reconciliation of total Buildings and Improvements to consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018:
Property, plant, and equipment																		303,531	108,639
Accumulated Depreciation:
Impairment of long-lived assets									1,200
Personal property assets under construction
Reconciliation of total Buildings and Improvements to consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018:
Property, plant, and equipment																		15,625
Refrigeration Equipment
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption as of December 31, 2019:
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(223,110)
Reconciliation of Real Estate Activity
Real estate facilities, at cost - ending balance																		690,625
Reconciliation of total accumulated depreciation and depletion to consolidated balance sheet caption
Accumulated depreciation - ending balance																		(223,110)
Quarry Construction in Progress
Reconciliation of Real Estate Activity
Real estate facilities, at cost - ending balance																		9
Machinery and equipment
Reconciliation of total Buildings and Improvements to consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018:
Property, plant, and equipment																		1,177,572	817,617
Building and improvements financing leases per consolidated balance sheet																		109,416	76,811
Accumulated Depreciation:
Impairment of long-lived assets									$ 500
Caspers Cold Storage
Accumulated Depreciation:
Operating facilities purchased		$ 25,200
International Facilities Previously Operated Under Lease Agreement
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility										2
Operating facilities purchased										$ 8,100
PortFresh Holdings, LLC
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility						1
Operating facilities purchased						$ 35,000
Nova Cold Logistics
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility			4
Operating facilities purchased			$ 171,900
Newport Cold
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility			1
Operating facilities purchased			$ 30,200
AM-C Warehouses
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility		2
Operating facilities purchased		$ 53,200
Hall's Warehouse Corporation
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility							8
Operating facilities purchased							$ 332,700
Agro Merchants Group
Accumulated Depreciation:
Operating facilities purchased	$ 1,080,000
Cloverleaf
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility					21
Operating facilities purchased								$ 891,300
Lanier Cold Storage
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility					2
Operating facilities purchased					$ 60,000
MHW Group Inc.
Accumulated Depreciation:
Number of operating facilities purchased | facility				2
Operating facilities purchased				$ 50,100
Sale Leaseback Transaction Accounted for as a Financing Lease
Accumulated Depreciation:
Total sale-leaseback financing obligations																		$ 165,200	$ 76,800	$ 80,300