Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	$ 505,062	$ 486,914	$ 1,521,127	$ 1,443,478
Straight-line rent adjustments	15,809	11,391	47,989	53,169
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	11,820	13,256	40,326	39,569
Total rentals	532,691	511,561	1,609,442	1,536,216
Tenant expense reimbursements	84,638	79,215	236,580	220,679
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	4,893	72,651	34,026	184,014
BMS cleaning fees	15,898	16,945	49,071	49,437
Signage Revenue	8,738	4,783	23,566	14,252
Management and leasing fees	7,982	7,234	19,675	16,534
Lease termination fees	20,432	282	87,587	1,172
Other income	8,108	10,381	26,431	24,494
Total Revenues	683,380	703,052	2,086,378	2,046,798
Operating expenses	264,422	261,512	784,031	749,213
Depreciation and amortization	124,079	122,241	400,952	381,270
General and administrative	48,250	48,456	157,155	150,578
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	3,239	70,431	29,764	177,127
Acquisition related costs	2,818	1,070	6,769	4,314
Total expenses	442,808	503,710	1,378,671	1,462,502
Operating income (loss)	240,572	199,342	707,707	584,296
Income from partially owned entities	(32,756)	12,683	(45,620)	142,187
Income from real estate fund	22,913	5,509	73,947	37,572
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	(10,275)	10,523	(32,933)	(22,984)
Interest and debt expense	(119,870)	(119,330)	(363,128)	(373,257)
Net gain (loss) on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	15,138	0	(20,581)	4,856
Income (loss) before income taxes	115,722	108,727	319,392	372,670
Income tax expense	(2,222)	(3,015)	(6,172)	(17,319)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	113,500	105,712	313,220	355,351
Income from discontinued operations	18,751	158,444	290,279	247,297
Net income (loss)	132,251	264,156	603,499	602,648
Consolidated subsidiaries	(23,833)	(6,610)	(50,049)	(30,928)
Operating Partnership	(5,032)	(14,837)	(27,814)	(31,445)
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	(12)	(1,403)	(1,146)	(9,150)
Net income attributable to Vornado	103,374	241,306	524,490	531,125
Interest and debt expense (2)	183,116	183,241	551,357	567,265
Depreciation and amortization (2)	172,756	177,593	549,072	552,794
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	(20,292)	3,850	18,101	50,076
EBITDA	438,954	605,990	1,643,020	1,701,260
Toys R Us [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	1,453	21,268	23,691	53,491
New York Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	277,855	255,703	839,349	735,587
Straight-line rent adjustments	9,430	8,140	27,289	42,334
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	7,151	8,458	26,184	23,776
Total rentals	294,436	272,301	892,822	801,697
Tenant expense reimbursements	47,142	45,164	128,598	118,861
BMS cleaning fees	21,191	23,918	63,192	70,476
Signage Revenue	8,738	4,783	23,566	14,252
Management and leasing fees	2,615	1,816	7,533	4,037
Lease termination fees	19,496	78	24,986	334
Other income	581	1,116	4,550	3,449
Total Revenues	394,199	349,176	1,145,247	1,013,106
Operating expenses	160,465	159,048	478,318	447,910
Depreciation and amortization	58,058	57,967	203,679	168,391
General and administrative	7,849	6,739	25,552	21,980
Total expenses	226,372	223,754	707,549	638,281
Operating income (loss)	167,827	125,422	437,698	374,825
Income from partially owned entities	4,189	9,309	14,020	20,345
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	1,468	1,057	4,076	3,166
Interest and debt expense	(42,538)	(36,817)	(125,991)	(109,365)
Income (loss) before income taxes	130,946	98,971	329,803	288,971
Income tax expense	(65)	(815)	(1,298)	(2,480)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	130,881	98,156	328,505	286,491
Income from discontinued operations		0		(640)
Net income (loss)	130,881	98,156	328,505	285,851
Consolidated subsidiaries	(6,556)	(2,092)	(9,518)	(7,266)
Net income attributable to Vornado	124,325	96,064	318,987	278,585
Interest and debt expense (2)	59,344	46,823	163,579	140,294
Depreciation and amortization (2)	67,294	62,905	220,280	188,480
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	67	871	1,444	2,677
EBITDA	251,030	206,663	704,290	610,036
New York Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	4,189	9,309	14,020	20,345
Washington DC Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	113,737	115,641	338,742	356,459
Straight-line rent adjustments	234	1,267	4,242	4,382
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	521	506	1,543	1,537
Total rentals	114,492	117,414	344,527	362,378
Tenant expense reimbursements	10,462	9,601	31,264	30,471
Management and leasing fees	5,263	4,615	11,529	9,782
Lease termination fees	867	128	1,417	256
Other income	6,520	8,288	17,915	18,846
Total Revenues	137,604	140,046	406,652	421,733
Operating expenses	49,646	50,305	145,258	143,923
Depreciation and amortization	31,109	29,825	92,678	107,395
General and administrative	6,857	6,668	20,655	19,849
Total expenses	87,612	86,798	258,591	271,167
Operating income (loss)	49,992	53,248	148,061	150,566
Income from partially owned entities	(2,003)	(2,182)	(6,545)	(4,571)
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	17	24	99	97
Interest and debt expense	(27,246)	(28,311)	(83,350)	(85,408)
Income (loss) before income taxes	20,760	22,779	58,265	60,684
Income tax expense	(766)	25	(1,949)	(1,277)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	19,994	22,804	56,316	59,407
Income from discontinued operations		126,437		130,979
Net income (loss)	19,994	149,241	56,316	190,386
Net income attributable to Vornado	19,994	149,241	56,316	190,386
Interest and debt expense (2)	30,717	33,280	93,715	99,486
Depreciation and amortization (2)	35,403	35,071	105,799	122,987
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	828	(25)	2,134	1,532
EBITDA	86,942	217,567	257,964	414,391
Washington DC Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	(2,003)	(2,182)	(6,545)	(4,571)
Retail Properties Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	63,361	63,408	189,964	190,671
Straight-line rent adjustments	1,491	1,873	3,741	5,265
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	2,894	2,882	8,669	9,989
Total rentals	67,746	68,163	202,374	205,925
Tenant expense reimbursements	21,670	19,787	63,601	61,307
Management and leasing fees	371	736	1,170	2,640
Lease termination fees	0	73	59,797	74
Other income	656	569	1,448	1,232
Total Revenues	90,443	89,328	328,390	271,178
Operating expenses	31,628	30,726	98,374	97,154
Depreciation and amortization	16,455	16,359	47,935	51,877
General and administrative	4,240	6,103	14,824	18,803
Total expenses	52,323	53,188	161,133	167,834
Operating income (loss)	38,120	36,140	167,257	103,344
Income from partially owned entities	188	342	1,512	1,040
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	1	4	5	24
Interest and debt expense	(10,839)	(13,292)	(34,523)	(45,362)
Net gain (loss) on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	1,377		1,377
Income (loss) before income taxes	28,847	23,194	135,628	59,046
Income tax expense	(731)		(1,480)	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	28,116	23,194	134,148	59,046
Income from discontinued operations	19,012	11,370	290,267	37,456
Net income (loss)	47,128	34,564	424,415	96,502
Consolidated subsidiaries	(2,970)	97	(3,079)	308
Net income attributable to Vornado	44,158	34,661	421,336	96,810
Interest and debt expense (2)	12,119	17,499	40,057	58,039
Depreciation and amortization (2)	17,573	21,345	52,440	65,751
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	731	0	1,480	0
EBITDA	74,581	73,505	515,313	220,600
Retail Properties Segment [Member] | All Equity Method Investees Excluding Toys [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	188	342	1,512	1,040
Toys R Us Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
Income (loss) before income taxes	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
Net income (loss)	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
Net income attributable to Vornado	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
Interest and debt expense (2)	38,435	34,526	119,347	103,388
Depreciation and amortization (2)	32,176	33,160	103,732	100,371
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	(22,690)	(11,118)	10,959	17,982
EBITDA	13,712	47,983	164,727	310,437
Toys R Us Segment [Member] | Toys R Us [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from partially owned entities	(34,209)	(8,585)	(69,311)	88,696
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property rentals	50,109	52,162	153,072	160,761
Straight-line rent adjustments	4,654	111	12,717	1,188
Amortization of acquired below-market leases, net	1,254	1,410	3,930	4,267
Total rentals	56,017	53,683	169,719	166,216
Tenant expense reimbursements	5,364	4,663	13,117	10,040
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	4,893	72,651	34,026	184,014
BMS cleaning fees	(5,293)	(6,973)	(14,121)	(21,039)
Management and leasing fees	(267)	67	(557)	75
Lease termination fees	69	3	1,387	508
Other income	351	408	2,518	967
Total Revenues	61,134	124,502	206,089	340,781
Operating expenses	22,683	21,433	62,081	60,226
Depreciation and amortization	18,457	18,090	56,660	53,607
General and administrative	29,304	28,946	96,124	89,946
Cleveland Medical Mart development project	3,239	70,431	29,764	177,127
Acquisition related costs	2,818	1,070	6,769	4,314
Total expenses	76,501	139,970	251,398	385,220
Operating income (loss)	(15,367)	(15,468)	(45,309)	(44,439)
Income from partially owned entities	(921)	13,799	14,704	36,677
Income from real estate fund	22,913	5,509	73,947	37,572
Interest and other investment (loss) income, net	(11,761)	9,438	(37,113)	(26,271)
Interest and debt expense	(39,247)	(40,910)	(119,264)	(133,122)
Net gain (loss) on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	13,761		(21,958)	4,856
Income (loss) before income taxes	(30,622)	(27,632)	(134,993)	(124,727)
Income tax expense	(660)	(2,225)	(1,445)	(13,562)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(31,282)	(29,857)	(136,438)	(138,289)
Income from discontinued operations	(261)	20,637	12	79,502
Net income (loss)	(31,543)	(9,220)	(136,426)	(58,787)
Consolidated subsidiaries	(14,307)	(4,615)	(37,452)	(23,970)
Operating Partnership	(5,032)	(14,837)	(27,814)	(31,445)
Preferred unit distributions of the Operating Partnership	(12)	(1,403)	(1,146)	(9,150)
Net income attributable to Vornado	(50,894)	(30,075)	(202,838)	(123,352)
Interest and debt expense (2)	42,501	51,113	134,659	166,058
Depreciation and amortization (2)	20,310	25,112	66,821	75,205
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)	772	14,122	2,084	27,885
EBITDA	12,689	60,272	726	145,796
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	$ (921)	$ 13,799	$ 14,704	$ 36,677