Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013		Oct. 31, 2012		Oct. 31, 2013		Oct. 31, 2012
Numerators
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	$ 152,789,000		$ (13,927,000)		$ 95,141,000		$ (40,124,000)
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversion	0		(17,731,000)		(185,000)		(25,431,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(4,363,000)		0		(2,783,000)		0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders ‑ Basic	148,426,000		(31,658,000)		92,173,000		(65,555,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	4,363,000		0		2,783,000		0
Interest on convertible debt	4,323,000		0		11,137,000		0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders ‑ Diluted	157,112,000		(31,658,000)		106,093,000		(65,555,000)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	153,329,000		(1,078,000)		117,680,000		(22,043,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(4,378,000)		0		(3,444,000)		0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders ‑ Basic	148,951,000		(18,809,000)		114,051,000		(47,474,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	4,378,000		0		3,444,000		0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ 157,652,000		$ (18,809,000)		$ 128,632,000		$ (47,474,000)
Denominators
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Basic	197,721,350		170,777,898		192,512,992		169,817,482
Effect of stock options, restricted stock and performance shares	1,936,522		0		1,460,461		0
Effect of convertible debt	32,138,215		0		29,659,197		0
Effect of convertible Class A Common Units	3,646,755		0		3,646,755		0
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Diluted	235,442,842	[1]	170,777,898	[1]	227,279,405	[1]	169,817,482	[1]
Earnings per share
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders - Basic	$ 0.75		$ (0.19)		$ 0.48		$ (0.39)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders - Diluted	$ 0.67		$ (0.19)		$ 0.47		$ (0.39)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders - Basic	$ 0.75		$ (0.11)		$ 0.59		$ (0.28)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders - Diluted	$ 0.67		$ (0.11)		$ 0.57		$ (0.28)

[1] Incremental shares from dilutive options, restricted stock, performance shares and convertible securities aggregating 51,666,897 and 52,245,656 for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive due to the loss from continuing operations. Weighted-average shares issuable upon the conversion of preferred stock of 108,334 for the nine months ended October 31, 2013 were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive under the if-converted method. Weighted-average options, restricted stock and performance shares of 3,181,351 and 3,695,539 for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2013, respectively, and 3,751,604 and 4,237,027 for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, respectively, were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method.