Dispositions (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jul. 26, 2012
Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Unclassified Balance Sheet Disclosures Abstract
Assets related to discontinued operations	$ 477,620	$ 874,050
Liabilities related to discontinued operations	211	14,709
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Disclosure [Abstract]
Total revenues	70,593	129,860	264,878
Total expenses	36,424	79,458	190,450
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale of real estate	34,169	50,402	74,428
Net gains on sale of real estate	507,192	414,502	245,799
Impairment losses	(26,518)	(18,170)	(119,439)
Gain on sale of Canadian Trade Shows, net of 11,448 of income taxes	0	0	31,105
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations	514,843	446,734	220,445
Canadian Trade Shows [Member]
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Disclosure [Abstract]
Gain on sale of Canadian Trade Shows, net of 11,448 of income taxes	0	0	19,657
Retail Properties Segment [Member]
Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Unclassified Balance Sheet Disclosures Abstract
Assets related to discontinued operations	477,620	735,888
Liabilities related to discontinued operations	211	14,709
New York Segment [Member]
Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Unclassified Balance Sheet Disclosures Abstract
Assets related to discontinued operations	0	138,162
Liabilities related to discontinued operations	0	0
Other Segment [Member]
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Disclosure [Abstract]
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations	807	(647)	74,947
Merchandise Mart Segment [Member] \| Canadian Trade Shows [Member]
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Disclosure [Abstract]
Gain on sale of Canadian Trade Shows, net of 11,448 of income taxes				$ 19,657

Amount classified as assets attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of.

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationIncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of sales or other form of revenues attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationUnclassifiedBalanceSheetDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of intangible assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7,9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of difference between the carrying amount and the sales price of real estate properties sold as part of discontinued operations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfRealEstateDiscontinuedOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income (loss) from a disposal group, net of income tax before extraordinary items allocable to noncontrolling interests. Includes, net of tax, income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e957-107759

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 13

-Article 7

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.14)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount classified as liabilities attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1107-107759

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1436-107760

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationLitigationLossAccrualsImpairments
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Disposal Group Including Discontinued Operation Total Expenses

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationTotalExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the operating income from the properties that were sold or the income from discontinued operations before gains on sale of real estate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_OperatingIncomeFromDiscontinuedOperations
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=vno_CanadianTradeShowsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=vno_MerchandiseMartSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=vno_NewYorkSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=vno_OtherSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=vno_RetailPropertiesSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: