Debt (Summary of Debt) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages payable (in US Dollars)	$ 9,551,700,000us-gaap_NotesAndLoansPayable	$ 8,331,993,000us-gaap_NotesAndLoansPayable
Senior unsecured notes	1,347,159,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt	1,350,855,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
Revolving credit facility debt	0us-gaap_LineOfCredit	295,870,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Debt Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Collateral Property Net Carrying Value	10,400,000,000vno_CollateralPropertyNetCarryingValue
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2015	500,000,000
2016	0
2017	0
2018	0
2019	450,000,000
Thereafter	400,000,000
Notes And Mortgages Payable Fixed Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages payable (in US Dollars)	7,710,931,000	7,563,133,000
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	4.45%
Notes And Mortgages Payable Variable Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages payable (in US Dollars)	1,840,769,000	768,860,000
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	2.20%
Total Notes And Mortgages Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages payable (in US Dollars)	9,551,700,000	8,331,993,000
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	4.02%
Debt Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
2015	433,699,000
2016	1,552,419,000
2017	626,525,000
2018	340,442,000
2019	996,579,000
Thereafter	5,601,148,000
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes	1,347,159,000	1,350,855,000
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	3.89%
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility debt	0	295,870,000
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt And Revolving Credit Facility	$ 1,347,159,000	$ 1,646,725,000
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	3.89%

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Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 30

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of all notes and loans payable (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of uncollateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

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- Definition

The net carrying value of property collateralizing the notes and mortgages payable

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No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents the toal amount of Unsecured Debt And Revolving Credit Facility.

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No definition available.

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