Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013
Numerators
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	$ 686,000		$ 236,320,000		$ (89,748,000)		$ 170,130,000
Preferred dividends	0		0		0		(185,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(17,000)		(6,759,000)		0		(5,021,000)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders - Basic	669,000		229,561,000		(89,748,000)		164,924,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	17,000		6,759,000		0		5,021,000
Interest on convertible debt	0		4,005,000		0		10,946,000
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	686,000		240,325,000		(89,748,000)		180,891,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	686,000		241,856,000		(76,786,000)		187,325,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(17,000)		(6,917,000)		0		(5,530,000)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders - Basic	669,000		234,939,000		(76,786,000)		181,610,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	17,000		6,917,000		0		5,530,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ 686,000		$ 245,861,000		$ (76,786,000)		$ 198,086,000
Denominators
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Basic	198,893,584		197,442,451		198,328,900		190,919,579
Effect of stock options, restricted stock and performance shares	1,758,916		1,804,200		0		1,684,332
Effect of convertible debt	0		29,877,940		0		29,813,775
Effect of convertible Class A Common Units	2,973,190		3,646,755		0		3,646,755
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Diluted	203,625,690	[1]	232,771,346	[1]	198,328,900	[1]	226,064,441	[1]
Earnings per share
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders ‑ Basic	$ 0.00		$ 1.16		$ (0.45)		$ 0.86
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ 0.00		$ 1.03		$ (0.45)		$ 0.80
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders ‑ Basic	$ 0.00		$ 1.19		$ (0.39)		$ 0.95
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ 0.00		$ 1.06		$ (0.39)		$ 0.88

[1] Incremental shares from dilutive options, restricted stock, performance shares and convertible securities aggregating 37,238,228 for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 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 185,199 for the nine months ended September 30, 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 3,240,497 and 3,470,348 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, and 3,455,487 and 3,514,529 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method.