Segment Information (Details 1) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		11 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (92,992,000)	$ (34,940,000)	$ (77,472,000)	$ (54,716,000)
Preferred dividends	0	0	0	185,000	185,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(92,992,000)	(34,940,000)	(77,472,000)	(54,531,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	59,318,000	80,452,000	114,327,000	148,256,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties	0	0	467,000	0
(Gain) Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	(16,090,000)	1,510,000	(40,886,000)	1,510,000
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	129,059,000	1,175,000	129,059,000	1,175,000
Discontinued operations:
(Gain) loss on disposition of rental properties	(1,276,000)		(28,042,000)	(15,636,000)
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	8,820,000	(649,000)	28,718,000	5,472,000
Impairment of depreciable real estate	(50,053,000)	(456,000)	(50,053,000)	(456,000)
FFO	53,129,000	64,062,000	108,458,000	119,560,000
Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	75,661,000	93,215,000	145,681,000	173,522,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		4,207,000	986,000	8,504,000
Commercial Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders				(46,258,000)
Preferred dividends				0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(135,934,000)	(22,300,000)	(123,604,000)	(46,258,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	32,193,000	58,102,000	62,452,000	99,787,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties			467,000
(Gain) Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	(16,090,000)	1,510,000	(16,090,000)	1,510,000
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	129,059,000	0	129,059,000	0
Discontinued operations:
(Gain) loss on disposition of rental properties	(1,276,000)		(28,042,000)	189,000
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
FFO	21,523,000	50,299,000	51,249,000	81,382,000
Commercial Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	45,764,000	66,914,000	88,473,000	117,608,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		4,175,000	986,000	8,333,000
Residential Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders				21,198,000
Preferred dividends				0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	10,934,000	5,002,000	43,101,000	21,198,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	17,656,000	13,490,000	33,052,000	30,021,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties			0
(Gain) Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0	0	(24,796,000)	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0	1,175,000	0	1,175,000
Discontinued operations:
(Gain) loss on disposition of rental properties	0		0	(15,825,000)
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
FFO	35,789,000	27,704,000	65,497,000	52,703,000
Residential Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	24,855,000	21,495,000	47,192,000	45,984,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		32,000	0	171,000
Arena [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders				(13,043,000)
Preferred dividends				0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(4,511,000)	(6,757,000)	(7,803,000)	(13,043,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	8,674,000	8,001,000	17,206,000	16,374,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties			0
(Gain) Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations:
(Gain) loss on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
FFO	489,000	(2,100,000)	2,138,000	(3,494,000)
Arena [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	5,000,000	4,657,000	9,941,000	9,549,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		0	0	0
Land Development Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders				28,742,000
Preferred dividends				0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	11,493,000	7,350,000	23,086,000	28,742,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	95,000	103,000	181,000	429,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties			0
(Gain) Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations:
(Gain) loss on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	0	0	0	0
Impairment of depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
FFO	11,535,000	7,499,000	23,161,000	29,123,000
Land Development Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	42,000	149,000	75,000	381,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		0	0	0
Corporate Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders				(45,355,000)
Preferred dividends				185,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	25,026,000	(18,235,000)	(12,252,000)	(45,170,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	700,000	756,000	1,436,000	1,645,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties			0
(Gain) Loss on disposition of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Impairment of consolidated depreciable real estate	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations:
(Gain) loss on disposition of rental properties	0		0	0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties	8,820,000	(649,000)	28,718,000	5,472,000
Impairment of depreciable real estate	(50,053,000)	(456,000)	(50,053,000)	(456,000)
FFO	(16,207,000)	(19,340,000)	(33,587,000)	(40,154,000)
Corporate Activities [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0