Investments in and Advances to Joint Ventures - Summary of Company's Equity Method Joint Ventures Included in Investments in and Advances (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012
Sonae Sierra Brasil BV SARL [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	33.30%
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	Eight shopping centers, a management company and two development projects in Brazil
DDR Domestic Retail Fund I [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	20.00%
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	59 grocery-anchored retail centers in several states
DDR Markaz II LLC [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	20.00%
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	13 neighborhood grocery-anchored retail centers in several states
DDR-SAU Retail Fund LLC [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	20.00%
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	27 grocery-anchored retail centers in several states
DDRTC Core Retail Fund LLC [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	15.00%
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	39 shopping centers in several states
Coventry II Joint Ventures [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	Four shopping centers in several states
BRE DDR Retail Holdings, LLC [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	5.00%
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	46 shopping centers in several states
Other Joint Venture Interests [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Assets Owned	14 shopping centers in several states and a management company
Minimum [Member] | Coventry II Joint Ventures [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	10.00%
Minimum [Member] | Other Joint Venture Interests [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	25.25%
Maximum [Member] | Coventry II Joint Ventures [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	20.00%
Maximum [Member] | Other Joint Venture Interests [Member]
Equity Method Investments Included In Investments In And Advances To Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Effective Ownership Percentage	79.45%