Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Numerators
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	$ (54,209,000)		$ 3,698,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0		(106,000)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders - Basic	(54,209,000)		3,592,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0		106,000
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	(54,209,000)		3,698,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(54,209,000)		15,520,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0		(444,000)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders - Basic	(54,209,000)		15,076,000
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0		444,000
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ (54,209,000)		$ 15,520,000
Denominators
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Basic	202,963,083		197,739,076
Effect of stock options, restricted stock and performance shares	0		1,926,005
Effect of convertible debt	0		0
Effect of convertible Class A Common Units	0		3,646,755
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Diluted	202,963,083	[1]	203,311,836	[1]
Earnings per share
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders ‑ Basic	$ (0.27)		$ 0.02
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ (0.27)		$ 0.02
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders ‑ Basic	$ (0.27)		$ 0.08
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders ‑ Diluted	$ (0.27)		$ 0.08

[1] Incremental shares from dilutive options, restricted stock, performance shares and convertible securities aggregating 33,828,488 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 were not included in the computation of EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive due to the loss from continuing operations. Weighted-average shares issuable upon the conversion of convertible debt of 32,138,215 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 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 2,444,380 and 3,195,616 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method.