Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	$ 499,237	$ 474,989
Straight-line rent adjustments	18,532	21,348
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	16,866	13,774
Total rentals	534,635	510,111
Tenant expense reimbursements	77,013	70,793
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	12,143	55,059
BMS cleaning fees	16,664	15,510
Signage Revenue	6,481	4,590
Management and leasing fees	5,258	4,754
Lease termination fees	60,026	411
Other income	8,796	8,013
Total Revenues	721,016	669,241
Operating expenses	260,569	246,746
Depreciation and amortization	142,354	131,541
General and administrative	54,582	55,290
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	11,374	52,761
Impairment losses, acquisition related costs and tenant buy-outs	601	685
Total expenses	469,480	487,023
Operating income (loss)	251,536	182,218
Income from partially owned entities	22,525	136,131
Income from real estate fund	16,564	11,762
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	(49,074)	15,665
Interest and debt expense	(121,888)	(130,059)
Net loss on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	(36,724)	0
Income before income taxes	82,939	215,717
Income tax expense	(1,073)	(6,825)
Income from continuing operations	81,866	208,892
Income from discontinued operations	207,061	71,372
Net income	288,927	280,264
Consolidated subsidiaries	(11,286)	(9,597)
Operating Partnership	(13,933)	(15,271)
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	(786)	(3,874)
Net income attributable to Vornado	262,922	251,522
Interest and debt expense (2)	188,780	193,082
Depreciation and amortization (2)	194,185	191,173
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	60,759	51,440
EBITDA	706,646	687,217
Toys R Us [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	1,759	116,471
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	20,766	19,660
New York Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	274,650	233,936
Straight-line rent adjustments	10,326	17,129
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	12,089	7,695
Total rentals	297,065	258,760
Tenant expense reimbursements	42,671	36,712
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
BMS cleaning fees	21,022	22,647
Signage Revenue	6,481	4,590
Management and leasing fees	2,064	1,108
Lease termination fees	58	23
Other income	715	1,757
Total Revenues	370,076	325,597
Operating expenses	160,231	145,672
Depreciation and amortization	76,234	53,759
General and administrative	8,822	8,587
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Impairment losses, acquisition related costs and tenant buy-outs		0
Total expenses	245,287	208,018
Operating income (loss)	124,789	117,579
Income from partially owned entities	5,605	4,185
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	1,165	1,052
Interest and debt expense	(40,618)	(36,141)
Net loss on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	0
Income before income taxes	90,941	86,675
Income tax expense	(272)	(601)
Income from continuing operations	90,669	86,074
Income from discontinued operations	0	(608)
Net income	90,669	85,466
Consolidated subsidiaries	(1,581)	(2,176)
Operating Partnership	0	0
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado	89,088	83,290
Interest and debt expense (2)	49,689	47,058
Depreciation and amortization (2)	78,413	61,911
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	347	693
EBITDA	217,537	192,952
New York Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	5,605	4,185
Washington DC Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	112,272	122,804
Straight-line rent adjustments	2,777	1,857
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	506	523
Total rentals	115,555	125,184
Tenant expense reimbursements	10,136	10,008
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Management and leasing fees	2,807	2,783
Lease termination fees	368	0
Other income	5,865	5,590
Total Revenues	134,731	143,565
Operating expenses	47,322	46,202
Depreciation and amortization	30,950	42,553
General and administrative	6,925	6,950
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Total expenses	85,197	95,705
Operating income (loss)	49,534	47,860
Income from partially owned entities	(2,093)	(1,870)
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	76	44
Interest and debt expense	(28,250)	(29,098)
Income before income taxes	19,267	16,936
Income tax expense	(378)	(450)
Income from continuing operations	18,889	16,486
Income from discontinued operations	0	1,586
Net income	18,889	18,072
Operating Partnership	0	0
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado	18,889	18,072
Interest and debt expense (2)	31,753	33,657
Depreciation and amortization (2)	35,148	48,260
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	454	523
EBITDA	86,244	100,512
Washington DC Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	(2,093)	(1,870)
Retail Properties Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	65,134	65,150
Straight-line rent adjustments	1,482	1,333
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	2,922	4,188
Total rentals	69,538	70,671
Tenant expense reimbursements	20,633	21,272
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Management and leasing fees	479	836
Lease termination fees	59,599	0
Other income	577	341
Total Revenues	150,826	93,120
Operating expenses	34,695	35,250
Depreciation and amortization	16,990	17,907
General and administrative	5,415	6,333
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Impairment losses, acquisition related costs and tenant buy-outs		0
Total expenses	57,100	59,490
Operating income (loss)	93,726	33,630
Income from partially owned entities	901	404
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	52	14
Interest and debt expense	(11,641)	(16,352)
Income before income taxes	83,038	17,696
Income tax expense		0
Income from continuing operations	83,038	17,696
Income from discontinued operations	206,642	10,220
Net income	289,680	27,916
Consolidated subsidiaries	(96)	114
Operating Partnership	0	0
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado	289,584	28,030
Interest and debt expense (2)	14,223	20,438
Depreciation and amortization (2)	18,519	22,275
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	0	0
EBITDA	322,326	70,743
Retail Properties Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	901	404
Toys R Us Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Straight-line rent adjustments	0	0
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Lease termination fees	0	0
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	0	0
Income from partially owned entities	1,759	116,471
Income before income taxes	1,759	116,471
Income from continuing operations	1,759	116,471
Net income	1,759	116,471
Operating Partnership	0	0
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado	1,759	116,471
Interest and debt expense (2)	43,182	31,569
Depreciation and amortization (2)	37,674	34,706
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	59,346	43,203
EBITDA	141,961	225,949
Toys R Us Segment [Member] | Toys R Us [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	1,759	116,471
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	47,181	53,099
Straight-line rent adjustments	3,947	1,029
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	1,349	1,368
Total rentals	52,477	55,496
Tenant expense reimbursements	3,573	2,801
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	12,143	55,059
BMS cleaning fees	(4,358)	(7,137)
Management and leasing fees	(92)	27
Lease termination fees	1	388
Other income	1,639	325
Total Revenues	65,383	106,959
Operating expenses	18,321	19,622
Depreciation and amortization	18,180	17,322
General and administrative	33,420	33,420
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	11,374	52,761
Impairment losses, acquisition related costs and tenant buy-outs	601	685
Total expenses	81,896	123,810
Operating income (loss)	(16,513)	(16,851)
Income from partially owned entities	16,353	16,941
Income from real estate fund	16,564	11,762
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	(50,367)	14,555
Interest and debt expense	(41,379)	(48,468)
Net loss on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	(36,724)
Income before income taxes	(112,066)	(22,061)
Income tax expense	(423)	(5,774)
Income from continuing operations	(112,489)	(27,835)
Income from discontinued operations	419	60,174
Net income	(112,070)	32,339
Consolidated subsidiaries	(9,609)	(7,535)
Operating Partnership	(13,933)	(15,271)
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	(786)	(3,874)
Net income attributable to Vornado	(136,398)	5,659
Interest and debt expense (2)	49,933	60,360
Depreciation and amortization (2)	24,431	24,021
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	612	7,021
EBITDA	(61,422)	97,061
Other Segment [Member] | Toys R Us [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	0
Other Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	$ 16,353	$ 16,941