Segment Information (Details 1) (USD $)	11 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2012
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	$ (5,492,000)	$ 19,326,000	$ 4,296,000	$ (101,886,000)
Preferred dividends	185,000		13,060,000	15,400,000
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions	185,000	32,129,000	32,129,000	15,400,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(5,307,000)	51,455,000	36,425,000	(86,486,000)
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	279,189,000	195,044,000	218,695,000	198,290,000
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	(496,092,000)	0	0	(17,665,000)
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	(68,430,000)		(51,066,000)	(12,567,000)
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	72,853,000		30,660,000	235,000
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate	0		390,000	40,284,000
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	(35,871,000)		(99,935,000)	(51,796,000)
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	22,519,000		4,254,000	13,692,000
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	233,980,000		58,935,000	31,812,000
Impairment of depreciable real estate	(36,988,000)		(13,692,000)	(21,024,000)
FFO	22,261,000		267,408,000	178,189,000
Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	328,786,000		284,398,000	257,995,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	6,811,000		17,039,000	23,709,000
Commercial Group [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	84,294,000		82,022,000	123,925,000
Preferred dividends	0			0
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	84,294,000		82,022,000	123,925,000
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	187,832,000		155,424,000	146,103,000
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	(496,092,000)			(15,410,000)
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	(68,430,000)		(16,107,000)	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	71,668,000		30,660,000	0
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate			0	40,284,000
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	(19,843,000)		(40,645,000)	(51,796,000)
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	22,519,000		4,254,000	13,692,000
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0		0	0
FFO	(172,983,000)		266,656,000	311,912,000
Commercial Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	226,255,000		192,547,000	180,692,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	6,646,000		13,925,000	20,525,000
Residential Group [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	31,220,000		132,141,000	32,322,000
Preferred dividends	0			0
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	31,220,000		132,141,000	32,322,000
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	55,031,000		51,885,000	50,433,000
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	0			(2,255,000)
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0		(34,959,000)	(12,567,000)
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	1,185,000		0	235,000
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate			0	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	(16,028,000)		(59,290,000)	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0		0	0
FFO	99,696,000		126,983,000	97,973,000
Residential Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	83,154,000		85,977,000	77,054,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	165,000		3,114,000	3,184,000
Arena [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(19,514,000)		(497,000)	8,197,000
Preferred dividends	0			0
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(19,514,000)		(497,000)	8,197,000
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	33,231,000		8,888,000	0
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	0			0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate			0	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0		0	0
FFO	(395,000)		4,716,000	8,197,000
Arena [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	19,119,000		5,213,000	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	0		0	0
Land Development Group [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	18,915,000		(23,833,000)	(149,310,000)
Preferred dividends	0			0
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	18,915,000		(23,833,000)	(149,310,000)
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	364,000		840,000	240,000
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	0			0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate			390,000	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0		0	0
FFO	19,173,000		(22,782,000)	(149,061,000)
Land Development Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	258,000		661,000	249,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	0		0	0
The Nets [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(2,802,000)		(4,672,000)	(26,814,000)
Preferred dividends	0			0
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(2,802,000)		(4,672,000)	(26,814,000)
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	0		0	0
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	0			0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate			0	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0		0	0
FFO	(2,802,000)		(4,672,000)	(26,814,000)
The Nets [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	0		0	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	0		0	0
Corporate Activities [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc. common shareholders	(117,605,000)		(180,865,000)	(90,206,000)
Preferred dividends	185,000			15,400,000
Preferred dividends and inducements of preferred stock conversions			32,129,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(117,420,000)		(148,736,000)	(74,806,000)
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	2,731,000		1,658,000	1,514,000
Net gain on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	0			0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Impairment of unconsolidated real estate			0	0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0		0	0
Income tax expense (benefit) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	233,980,000		58,935,000	31,812,000
Impairment of depreciable real estate	(36,988,000)		(13,692,000)	(21,024,000)
FFO	79,572,000		(103,493,000)	(64,018,000)
Corporate Activities [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Reconciliation of Net Earnings (Loss) to FFO by Segment
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	0		0	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization – Real Estate Groups	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0