Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Property rentals	$ 548,485	$ 531,576	$ 1,088,957	$ 1,048,199
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	8,349	17,552	22,278	37,615
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	16,812	16,284	33,571	32,055
Total rentals	573,646	565,412	1,144,806	1,117,869
Tenant expense reimbursements	82,325	86,420	173,284	178,350
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	32,369	0	73,068	0
Tenant cleaning fees	15,409	13,468	30,832	27,120
Management and leasing fees	6,989	3,380	11,095	12,520
Lease termination fees	7,323	2,841	8,499	7,811
Other	12,090	12,468	25,678	25,633
Total Revenues	730,151	683,989	1,467,262	1,369,303
Operating expenses	273,152	261,845	563,925	536,538
Depreciation and amortization	131,898	133,277	264,125	267,070
General and administrative	50,251	49,540	109,254	98,170
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	29,940	0	68,218	0
Acquisition and other costs	1,897	1,930	20,167	1,930
Total expenses	487,138	446,592	1,025,689	903,708
Operating income	243,013	237,397	441,573	465,595
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	3,557	(16,552)	132,785	120,662
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	19,058	0	20,138	0
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	8,007	3,876	125,115	18,580
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	(137,202)	(142,175)	(271,967)	(277,902)
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt	0	(1,072)	0	(1,072)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	0	4,382	6,677	7,687
Income loss before income taxes	136,433	85,856	454,321	333,550
Income tax expense	(5,922)	(4,964)	(12,304)	(10,544)
Income from continuing operations	130,511	80,892	442,017	323,006
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	458	(3,681)	134,773	(13,251)
Net income	130,969	77,211	576,790	309,755
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(13,657)	(981)	(15,007)	(1,194)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	(8,731)	(4,124)	(40,539)	(21,903)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	108,581	72,106	521,244	286,658
Interest and debt expense (2)	202,956	207,512	401,804	403,699
Depreciation and amortization (2)	182,496	184,103	368,344	370,252
Income tax expense	(17,343)	(19,140)	49,485	36,566
EBITDA	476,690	444,581	1,340,877	1,097,175
Toys R Us [Member] | New York Office [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	0	0	0	0
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member] | New York Office [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(845)	1,337	243	2,640
New York Office [Member]
Property rentals	197,135	195,248	391,377	387,852
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	3,890	7,255	11,760	15,049
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	8,178	9,134	16,355	18,339
Total rentals	209,203	211,637	419,492	421,240
Tenant expense reimbursements	31,483	32,431	65,359	65,683
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Tenant cleaning fees	23,679	20,639	47,109	41,057
Management and leasing fees	2,112	1,393	3,607	2,850
Lease termination fees	5,571	2,297	5,636	3,025
Other	5,103	4,513	9,866	8,923
Total Revenues	277,151	272,910	551,069	542,778
Operating expenses	116,221	111,055	238,130	226,104
Depreciation and amortization	45,854	44,271	92,000	87,978
General and administrative	4,579	4,767	9,943	9,346
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Acquisition and other costs	0	0	0	0
Total expenses	166,654	160,093	340,073	323,428
Operating income	110,497	112,817	210,996	219,350
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(845)	1,337	243	2,640
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	0		0
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	148	163	320	327
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	(35,033)	(33,047)	(68,119)	(65,733)
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt		0
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets		0	0	0
Income loss before income taxes	74,767	81,270	143,440	156,584
Income tax expense	(440)	(335)	(959)	(809)
Income from continuing operations	74,327	80,935	142,481	155,775
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	74,327	80,935	142,481	155,775
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(2,325)	(2,556)	(4,596)	(4,848)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	72,002	78,379	137,885	150,927
Interest and debt expense (2)	36,953	31,595	68,947	62,587
Depreciation and amortization (2)	47,621	42,736	92,714	84,810
Income tax expense	440	335	959	809
EBITDA	157,016	153,045	300,505	299,133
Toys R Us [Member] | Washington DC Office [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	0	0	0	0
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member] | Washington DC Office [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(767)	188	(4,682)	(4)
Washington DC Office [Member]
Property rentals	141,770	142,952	280,654	279,778
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	(706)	964	(711)	5,172
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	512	621	978	1,242
Total rentals	141,576	144,537	280,921	286,192
Tenant expense reimbursements	8,936	12,546	18,233	27,463
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Tenant cleaning fees	0	0	0	0
Management and leasing fees	4,074	2,384	6,959	10,480
Lease termination fees	900	82	2,011	528
Other	5,317	5,061	10,662	10,898
Total Revenues	160,803	164,610	318,786	335,561
Operating expenses	49,748	50,013	98,584	104,770
Depreciation and amortization	34,065	36,018	67,749	72,230
General and administrative	6,462	6,202	12,999	12,095
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Acquisition and other costs	0	0	0	0
Total expenses	90,275	92,233	179,332	189,095
Operating income	70,528	72,377	139,454	146,466
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(767)	188	(4,682)	(4)
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	0		0
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	48	23	80	49
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	(30,729)	(34,068)	(59,655)	(68,225)
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt		0
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets		0	0	0
Income loss before income taxes	39,080	38,520	75,197	78,286
Income tax expense	(569)	595	(1,307)	(91)
Income from continuing operations	38,511	39,115	73,890	78,195
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	1,137	46,466	(7,186)
Net income	38,511	40,252	120,356	71,009
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	38,511	40,252	120,356	71,009
Interest and debt expense (2)	34,093	34,943	66,314	70,114
Depreciation and amortization (2)	38,306	39,694	80,205	79,535
Income tax expense	607	(617)	1,455	107
EBITDA	111,517	114,272	268,330	220,765
Toys R Us [Member] | Retail [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	0	0	0	0
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member] | Retail [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	924	1,129	1,242	2,520
Retail [Member]
Property rentals	106,662	96,335	214,109	191,442
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	3,730	7,761	7,911	14,119
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	6,996	4,933	13,956	9,449
Total rentals	117,388	109,029	235,976	215,010
Tenant expense reimbursements	36,636	35,351	75,967	72,946
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Tenant cleaning fees	0	0	0	0
Management and leasing fees	1,343	321	1,898	545
Lease termination fees	852	428	852	3,836
Other	1,692	1,005	3,099	1,745
Total Revenues	157,911	146,134	317,792	294,082
Operating expenses	57,194	55,648	117,874	108,775
Depreciation and amortization	27,750	27,528	56,291	55,325
General and administrative	7,291	6,807	15,313	13,748
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Acquisition and other costs	0	0	15,000	0
Total expenses	92,235	89,983	204,478	177,848
Operating income	65,676	56,151	113,314	116,234
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	924	1,129	1,242	2,520
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	0		0
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	(6)	186	2	189
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	(23,344)	(20,315)	(46,413)	(37,957)
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt		0
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets		0	0	0
Income loss before income taxes	43,250	37,151	68,145	80,986
Income tax expense	0	0	(5)	(35)
Income from continuing operations	43,250	37,151	68,140	80,951
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	458	(333)	5,761	(535)
Net income	43,708	36,818	73,901	80,416
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(69)	256	86	498
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	43,639	37,074	73,987	80,914
Interest and debt expense (2)	24,468	22,526	48,632	41,880
Depreciation and amortization (2)	28,400	28,500	57,376	57,311
Income tax expense	0	0	5	35
EBITDA	96,507	88,100	180,000	180,140
Toys R Us [Member] | Merchandise Mart [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	0	0	0	0
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member] | Merchandise Mart [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	178	55	254	231
Merchandise Mart [Member]
Property rentals	56,363	54,441	118,928	112,098
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	653	725	1,443	1,827
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	17	15	34	(106)
Total rentals	57,033	55,181	120,405	113,819
Tenant expense reimbursements	3,744	3,829	7,767	7,806
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	32,369		73,068
Tenant cleaning fees	0	0	0	0
Management and leasing fees	200	19	303	33
Lease termination fees	0	34	0	422
Other	(158)	744	1,878	2,706
Total Revenues	93,188	59,807	203,421	124,786
Operating expenses	32,861	28,727	74,807	65,937
Depreciation and amortization	11,113	11,387	22,175	23,366
General and administrative	6,848	7,157	14,446	14,355
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	29,940		68,218
Acquisition and other costs	0	0	3,040	0
Total expenses	80,762	47,271	182,686	103,658
Operating income	12,426	12,536	20,735	21,128
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	178	55	254	231
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	0		0
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	9	12	18	24
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	(9,437)	(9,464)	(18,775)	(18,827)
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt		0
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets		(31)	0	765
Income loss before income taxes	3,176	3,108	2,232	3,321
Income tax expense	(911)	(402)	(1,321)	(596)
Income from continuing operations	2,265	2,706	911	2,725
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	(4,485)	82,546	(5,530)
Net income	2,265	(1,779)	83,457	(2,805)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	2,265	(1,779)	83,457	(2,805)
Interest and debt expense (2)	9,595	16,478	22,502	29,487
Depreciation and amortization (2)	11,227	12,785	22,402	26,267
Income tax expense	911	402	1,321	655
EBITDA	23,998	27,886	129,682	53,604
Toys R Us [Member] | Toys R Us Segment [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member] | Toys R Us Segment [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	0		0	0
Toys R Us Segment [Member]
Property rentals	0	0	0	0
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	0	0	0	0
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	0	0	0	0
Total rentals	0	0	0	0
Tenant expense reimbursements	0	0	0	0
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Tenant cleaning fees	0	0	0	0
Management and leasing fees	0	0	0	0
Lease termination fees	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0
Total Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Acquisition and other costs	0	0	0	0
Total expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	0		0
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	0	0	0	0
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	0	0	0	0
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt		0
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets		0	0	0
Income loss before income taxes	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
Interest and debt expense (2)	43,393	42,093	83,528	83,233
Depreciation and amortization (2)	32,896	34,444	67,569	69,771
Income tax expense	(23,969)	(24,123)	45,049	25,587
EBITDA	29,474	31,410	286,244	283,457
Toys R Us [Member] | Other Segment [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	0	0	0	0
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member] | Other Segment [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	26,913	1,743	45,630	10,409
Other Segment [Member]
Property rentals	46,555	42,600	83,889	77,029
Straight Line Rent Adjustments	782	847	1,875	1,448
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	1,109	1,581	2,248	3,131
Total rentals	48,446	45,028	88,012	81,608
Tenant expense reimbursements	1,526	2,263	5,958	4,452
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Tenant cleaning fees	(8,270)	(7,171)	(16,277)	(13,937)
Management and leasing fees	(740)	(737)	(1,672)	(1,388)
Lease termination fees	0	0	0	0
Other	136	1,145	173	1,361
Total Revenues	41,098	40,528	76,194	72,096
Operating expenses	17,128	16,402	34,530	30,952
Depreciation and amortization	13,116	14,073	25,910	28,171
General and administrative	25,071	24,607	56,553	48,626
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0		0
Acquisition and other costs	1,897	1,930	2,127	1,930
Total expenses	57,212	57,012	119,120	109,679
Operating income	(16,114)	(16,484)	(42,926)	(37,583)
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	26,913	1,743	45,630	10,409
Income from Real Estate Fund (of which $12,102 and $12,028 is allocated to noncontrolling interests, in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively)	19,058		20,138
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	7,808	3,492	124,695	17,991
Interest and debt expense (including amortization of deferred financing costs of $5,235 and $4,514 in each three-month period, respectively, and $9,868 and $8,915 in each six-month period, respectively)	(38,659)	(45,281)	(79,005)	(87,160)
Net gain on early extinguishment of debt		(1,072)		(1,072)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets		4,413	6,677	6,922
Income loss before income taxes	(994)	(53,189)	75,209	(90,493)
Income tax expense	(4,002)	(4,822)	(8,712)	(9,013)
Income from continuing operations	(4,996)	(58,011)	66,497	(99,506)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	(4,996)	(58,011)	66,497	(99,506)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(11,263)	1,319	(10,497)	3,156
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership, including unit distributions	(8,731)	(4,124)	(40,539)	(21,903)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado	(24,990)	(60,816)	15,461	(118,253)
Interest and debt expense (2)	54,454	59,877	111,881	116,398
Depreciation and amortization (2)	24,046	25,944	48,078	52,558
Income tax expense	4,668	4,863	696	9,373
EBITDA	58,178	29,868	176,116	60,076
Toys R Us [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(22,846)	(21,004)	90,098	104,866
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	$ 26,403	$ 4,452	$ 42,687	$ 15,796