Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Numerators
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.		$ (302,219,000)	$ 686,000	$ (52,672,000)	$ (89,748,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities		0	(17,000)	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders - Basic		(302,219,000)	669,000	(52,672,000)	(89,748,000)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Forest City Enterprises, Inc.		(302,219,000)	686,000	(52,672,000)	(76,786,000)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities		0	(17,000)	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to common shareholders - Basic		$ (302,219,000)	$ 669,000	$ (52,672,000)	$ (76,786,000)
Denominators
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Basic		255,417,396	198,893,584	230,778,223	198,328,900
Effect of stock options and performance shares		0	750,295	0	0
Weighted average shares outstanding ‑ Diluted	[1]	255,417,396	199,643,879	230,778,223	198,328,900
Earnings per share
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Basic and Diluted Share		$ (1.18)	$ 0.00	$ (0.23)	$ (0.45)
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted		$ (1.18)	$ 0.00	$ (0.23)	$ (0.39)

[1] Incremental shares from dilutive options, restricted stock, performance shares and convertible units aggregating 17,959,278, 25,382,494 and 37,238,228, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and the nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive due to the loss from continuing operations. Incremental shares from restricted stock, Class A common units and convertible securities aggregating 36,120,026 for the three months ended September 30, 2014 were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive. Weighted-average options, restricted stock and performance shares of 2,666,555 and 2,304,807 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and 3,240,497 and 3,470,348 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because their effect is anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method.