Discontinued Operations (Details 1) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Summary of operating results of discontinued operations
Revenues		$ 0		$ 7,034,000
Expenses
Operating expenses		0		3,026,000
Depreciation and amortization		0		987,000
Total expenses		0		4,013,000
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0		28,100,000
Interest expense		0		(5,538,000)
Amortization of mortgage procurement costs		0		(41,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		(448,000)
Earnings before income taxes		0		25,094,000
Income tax expense		0		12,082,000
Earnings from discontinued operations	$ 0	0	$ 0	13,012,000
Noncontrolling interest
Gain on disposition of rental properties		0		58,000
Operating loss from rental properties		0		(8,000)
Earnings from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 0	0	$ 0	50,000
Earnings from discontinued operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.		$ 0		$ 12,962,000