CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Former Taubman Asia President Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ (70,703)	$ 25	$ 604	$ 657,281	$ (35,916)	$ (549,914)	$ (142,783)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016		39,529,059	60,430,613
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 13, 14, and 15)	0		$ (1)	(1)
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 13, 14, and 15), shares		(90,945)	(90,950)
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 13)	18,049		$ 3	18,046
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 13), shares			311,355
Former Asia President redeemable equity adjustment (Note 9)	1,204			1,204
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 9)	(924)			(1,197)	(23)		296
Dividends and distributions	(251,927)					(177,266)
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest Holders							(74,661)
Other	(332)					(332)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 9)	113,681					80,705	32,976
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	57				41		16
Cumulative translation adjustment	33,303				23,615		9,688
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	7,564				5,364		2,200
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	(150,028)	$ 25	$ 608	675,333	(6,919)	(646,807)	(172,268)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017		39,438,114	60,832,918
Payments for Repurchase of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 13, 14, and 15)	0		$ (1)	(1)
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 13, 14, and 15), shares		(75,120)	(77,584)
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 13)	6,068		$ 2	6,066
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 13), shares			158,606
Former Asia President redeemable equity adjustment (Note 9)	(300)			(300)				300
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 9)	(280)			(601)	47		274
Dividends and distributions	(253,420)					(185,392)
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest Holders							(68,028)
Cumulative Effect New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoption					(679)
Other	(872)			(4,400)	(679)	4,483	(276)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 9)	116,022					83,486	32,536
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	(38)				(26)		(12)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(23,240)				(16,513)		(6,727)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	(1,809)				(1,286)		523
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	(307,897)	$ 25	$ 611	676,097	(25,376)	(744,230)	(215,024)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018		39,362,994	61,069,108
Payments for Repurchase of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest								(6,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 13, 14, and 15)	0
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 13, 14, and 15), shares		(55,704)	(60,155)
Issuance of equity for acquisition of interest in UJV (Note 2)	79,320	$ 1					79,319
Issuance of equity for acquisition of interest in UJV (Note 2), shares		1,500,000
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 13)	7,435		$ 1	7,434
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 13), shares		91,183	99,316
Former Asia President redeemable equity adjustment (Note 9)	1,800			1,800				$ (1,800)
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 9)	(237)			55,695	(76)		(55,856)
Dividends and distributions	(263,442)					(190,771)
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest Holders							(72,671)
Cumulative Effect New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoption	4,919					3,156	1,763
Partial dispositions of ownership interests in UJVs (Note 2)	0				9,739	(9,739)
Other	(776)					(776)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 9)	330,611					229,476	101,135
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	(14,038)				(9,806)		(4,232)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(14,171)				(12,835)		(1,336)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	(930)				(649)		(281)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ (177,406)	$ 26	$ 612	$ 741,026	$ (39,003)	$ (712,884)	$ (167,183)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2019		40,898,473	61,228,579