Segment Information (Details 1) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	$ (54,209,000)	$ 15,520,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	61,814,000	55,009,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties		467,000
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities		(24,796,000)
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		(26,766,000)
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		19,898,000
FFO	20,571,000	55,329,000
Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	74,780,000	70,020,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		986,000
Commercial Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(67,000)	12,330,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	32,851,000	30,259,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties		467,000
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities		0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		(26,766,000)
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
FFO	45,617,000	29,726,000
Commercial Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	45,684,000	42,709,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		986,000
Residential Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	5,637,000	32,167,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	19,376,000	15,396,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties		0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities		(24,796,000)
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
FFO	29,637,000	29,708,000
Residential Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	24,000,000	22,337,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		0
Arena [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(5,048,000)	(3,292,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	8,790,000	8,532,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties		0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities		0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
FFO	7,000	1,649,000
Arena [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	5,055,000	4,941,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		0
Land Development Group [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	10,562,000	11,593,000
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	89,000	86,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties		0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities		0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
FFO	10,603,000	11,626,000
Land Development Group [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	41,000	33,000
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		0
Corporate Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.	(65,293,000)	(37,278,000)
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	708,000	736,000
Net loss on disposition of partial interests in rental properties		0
Gain on disposition of unconsolidated entities		0
Discontinued operations:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0
Income tax benefit (expense) on non-FFO:
Gain on disposition of rental properties		19,898,000
FFO	(65,293,000)	(17,380,000)
Corporate Activities [Member] | Real Estate Groups [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups	0	0
Discontinued operations:
Depreciation and amortization - Real Estate Groups		$ 0