Segment Information (Details 1) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2013	Apr. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	$ (19,553,000)	$ 18,902,000
Preferred dividends	185,000	3,850,000	13,060,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(19,368,000)	22,752,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	(69,495,000)	(50,474,000)
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	1,510,000
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	(16,047,000)	(7,914,000)
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		1,381,000
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	5,608,000	3,052,000
Impairment of depreciable real estate		(536,000)
FFO	53,143,000	89,152,000
Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	81,333,000	68,021,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	107,000	2,396,000
Commercial Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(4,149,000)	55,910,000
Preferred dividends	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(4,149,000)	55,910,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	(45,629,000)	(38,094,000)
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	1,510,000
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	(222,000)	(7,914,000)
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		1,381,000
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate		0
FFO	51,832,000	98,555,000
Commercial Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	54,693,000	47,687,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	1,491,000
Residential Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	18,457,000	10,808,000
Preferred dividends	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	18,457,000	10,808,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	(13,609,000)	(11,944,000)
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	(15,825,000)	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate		0
FFO	23,844,000	31,939,000
Residential Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	21,105,000	20,226,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	107,000	905,000
Arena [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(7,511,000)	1,749,000
Preferred dividends	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(7,511,000)	1,749,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	(9,405,000)	0
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate		0
FFO	(2,014,000)	1,749,000
Arena [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	5,497,000	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
Land Development Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	2,818,000	956,000
Preferred dividends	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	2,818,000	956,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	(98,000)	(107,000)
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate		0
FFO	2,856,000	1,064,000
Land Development Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	38,000	108,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
The Nets [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(2,981,000)	(6,958,000)
Preferred dividends	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(2,981,000)	(6,958,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate		0
FFO	(2,981,000)	(6,958,000)
The Nets [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
Corporate Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(26,187,000)	(43,563,000)
Preferred dividends	185,000	3,850,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(26,002,000)	(39,713,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	(754,000)	(329,000)
Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	5,608,000	3,052,000
Impairment of depreciable real estate		(536,000)
FFO	(20,394,000)	(37,197,000)
Corporate Activities [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	$ 0	$ 0