The weighted average grant date fair value of share-based award plans other than stock option plans that were not exercised or put into effect during the reporting period as a result of the occurrence of a terminating event specified in the contractual agreement of the plan.

Name:	egp_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedDuringPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	egp
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

STOCK (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
STOCK (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Shareholder Return Awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Minimum shares to be awarded in future under share-based compensation plan (in shares)			0
Maximum shares to be awarded in future under share-based compensation plan (in shares)			53,680
Vesting rights for shares to be awarded in future under share-based compensation plan			vest 25% per year on January 1 in years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015
Company Performance Awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Minimum shares to be awarded in future under share-based compensation plan (in shares)			0
Maximum shares to be awarded in future under share-based compensation plan (in shares)			50,705
Vesting rights for shares to be awarded in future under share-based compensation plan			vest 20% on the date shares are determined and awarded and 20% per year on each January 1 for the subsequent four years
Equity Incentive Plan 2004 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Amount of shares authorized to be issued (in shares)	1,900,000		1,900,000
Total shares available for grant (in shares)	1,407,156		1,407,156
Stock-based compensation cost	$ 555,000	$ 470,000	$ 1,903,000	$ 1,331,000
Stock-based compensation costs capitalized as part of Company's development costs	102,000	10,000	188,000	39,000
Fair value of shares vested	0		613,000
Shares withheld for tax obligations (in shares)	0		3,564
Restricted Stock Activity [Roll Forward]
Nonvested at Start of period (in shares)	235,162		170,575
Granted (in shares)	0		78,491
Forfeited (in shares)	(233)		(233)
Vested (in shares)	0		(13,904)
Nonvested at end of period (in shares)	234,929		234,929
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value [Abstract]
Nonvested at beginning of period (per share)	$ 38.89		$ 36.29
Granted (per share)	$ 0.00		$ 45.05
Forfeited (per share)	$ 35.85		$ 35.85
Vested (per share)	$ 0.00		$ 41.77
Nonvested at end of period (per share)	$ 38.89		$ 38.89
Directors Equity Plan 2005 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Amount of shares authorized to be issued (in shares)	50,000		50,000
Stock-based compensation cost	$ 75,000	$ 60,000	$ 195,000	$ 180,000