Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses, Past Due (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	$ 2,559,621,000	$ 2,521,303,000
Loans that are 90 days past due and still accruing interest	0	0
Number of days past due	90 days
Commercial [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	235,347,000	248,163,000
Commercial [Member] | Commercial real estate [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	208,061,000	214,327,000
Commercial [Member] | Other [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	27,286,000	33,836,000
Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	2,320,203,000	2,268,989,000
Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | First mortgages [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	1,961,566,000	1,908,645,000
Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | Home equity loans [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	41,480,000	47,306,000
Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | Home equity lines of credit [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	317,157,000	313,038,000
Installment [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
Total nonperforming loans	4,071,000	4,151,000
New York and other states [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	5,166,000	9,336,000
60-89 Days Past Due	3,454,000	2,822,000
90+ Days Past Due	26,463,000	26,676,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	35,083,000	38,834,000
Current	2,264,888,000	2,251,050,000
Total nonperforming loans	2,299,971,000	2,289,884,000
New York and other states [Member] | Commercial [Member] | Commercial real estate [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	228,000	400,000
60-89 Days Past Due	68,000	0
90+ Days Past Due	3,132,000	3,157,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	3,428,000	3,557,000
Current	179,937,000	185,544,000
Total nonperforming loans	183,365,000	189,101,000
New York and other states [Member] | Commercial [Member] | Other [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	22,000	0
60-89 Days Past Due	6,000	0
90+ Days Past Due	98,000	0
Total 30+ days Past Due	126,000	0
Current	27,044,000	33,734,000
Total nonperforming loans	27,170,000	33,734,000
New York and other states [Member] | Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | First mortgages [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	3,859,000	7,850,000
60-89 Days Past Due	2,947,000	2,313,000
90+ Days Past Due	20,172,000	20,294,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	26,978,000	30,457,000
Current	1,729,041,000	1,700,670,000
Total nonperforming loans	1,756,019,000	1,731,127,000
New York and other states [Member] | Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | Home equity loans [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	343,000	186,000
60-89 Days Past Due	110,000	32,000
90+ Days Past Due	449,000	852,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	902,000	1,070,000
Current	39,591,000	45,012,000
Total nonperforming loans	40,493,000	46,082,000
New York and other states [Member] | Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | Home equity lines of credit [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	632,000	871,000
60-89 Days Past Due	307,000	473,000
90+ Days Past Due	2,612,000	2,371,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	3,551,000	3,715,000
Current	285,364,000	282,047,000
Total nonperforming loans	288,915,000	285,762,000
New York and other states [Member] | Installment [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	82,000	29,000
60-89 Days Past Due	16,000	4,000
90+ Days Past Due	0	2,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	98,000	35,000
Current	3,911,000	4,043,000
Total nonperforming loans	4,009,000	4,078,000
Florida [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	1,029,000	2,024,000
60-89 Days Past Due	1,548,000	1,593,000
90+ Days Past Due	14,787,000	14,722,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	17,364,000	18,339,000
Current	242,286,000	213,080,000
Total nonperforming loans	259,650,000	231,419,000
Florida [Member] | Commercial [Member] | Commercial real estate [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	0	1,042,000
60-89 Days Past Due	0	0
90+ Days Past Due	8,435,000	5,000,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	8,435,000	6,042,000
Current	16,261,000	19,184,000
Total nonperforming loans	24,696,000	25,226,000
Florida [Member] | Commercial [Member] | Other [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	0	0
60-89 Days Past Due	0	0
90+ Days Past Due	0	0
Total 30+ days Past Due	0	0
Current	116,000	102,000
Total nonperforming loans	116,000	102,000
Florida [Member] | Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | First mortgages [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	666,000	813,000
60-89 Days Past Due	1,312,000	1,502,000
90+ Days Past Due	5,981,000	8,973,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	7,959,000	11,288,000
Current	197,588,000	166,230,000
Total nonperforming loans	205,547,000	177,518,000
Florida [Member] | Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | Home equity loans [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	64,000	68,000
60-89 Days Past Due	0	0
90+ Days Past Due	42,000	65,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	106,000	133,000
Current	881,000	1,091,000
Total nonperforming loans	987,000	1,224,000
Florida [Member] | Real estate mortgage - 1 to 4 family [Member] | Home equity lines of credit [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	288,000	100,000
60-89 Days Past Due	236,000	91,000
90+ Days Past Due	328,000	684,000
Total 30+ days Past Due	852,000	875,000
Current	27,390,000	26,401,000
Total nonperforming loans	28,242,000	27,276,000
Florida [Member] | Installment [Member]
Aging of the recorded investment in past due loans [Abstract]
30-59 Days Past Due	11,000	1,000
60-89 Days Past Due	0	0
90+ Days Past Due	1,000	0
Total 30+ days Past Due	12,000	1,000
Current	50,000	72,000
Total nonperforming loans	$ 62,000	$ 73,000