Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 679,101	$ 657,209	$ 652,972	$ 646,658	$ 649,403	$ 655,883	$ 658,550	$ 705,433	$ 2,635,940	$ 2,669,269	$ 2,649,217
Total expenses									1,820,298	1,819,009	1,921,425
Operating income (loss)									815,642	850,260	727,792
(Loss) income from partially owned entities, including Toys									(58,131)	(338,785)	423,126
Income from real estate fund									163,034	102,898	63,936
Interest and other investment income (loss), net									38,787	(24,876)	(261,179)
Interest and debt expense									(467,715)	(481,304)	(484,794)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets									13,568	3,407	13,347
Income (loss) before income taxes									505,185	111,600	482,228
Income tax expense									(11,002)	6,406	(8,132)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									494,183	118,006	474,096
Income from discontinued operations									514,843	446,734	220,445
Net income (loss)									1,009,026	564,740	694,541
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(144,174)	(88,769)	(77,281)
Net income attributable to Vornado									864,852	475,971	617,260
Interest and debt expense (2)									654,398	758,781	760,523
Depreciation and amortization (2)									685,973	732,757	735,293
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)									24,248	26,371	7,026
EBITDA									2,229,471	1,993,880	2,120,102
Real estate at cost	18,845,392				17,418,946				18,845,392	17,418,946	17,365,533	15,444,754
Investments in partially owned entities	1,246,496				1,249,667				1,246,496	1,249,667	1,704,297
Total assets	21,248,320				20,097,224				21,248,320	20,097,224	22,065,049
New York Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									1,520,845	1,470,907	1,319,470
Total expenses									946,466	910,498	835,563
Operating income (loss)									574,379	560,409	483,907
(Loss) income from partially owned entities, including Toys									20,701	15,527	207,773
Income from real estate fund									0	0	0
Interest and other investment income (loss), net									6,711	5,357	4,002
Interest and debt expense									(183,427)	(181,966)	(146,350)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									418,364	399,327	549,332
Income tax expense									(4,305)	(2,794)	(3,491)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									414,059	396,533	545,841
Income from discontinued operations									463,163	160,314	30,293
Net income (loss)									877,222	556,847	576,134
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(8,626)	(10,786)	(2,138)
Net income attributable to Vornado									868,596	546,061	573,996
Interest and debt expense (2)									241,959	236,645	187,855
Depreciation and amortization (2)									324,239	293,974	252,257
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)									4,395	3,002	3,751
EBITDA									1,439,189	1,079,682	1,017,859
Real estate at cost	9,732,818				8,422,297				9,732,818	8,422,297	8,687,141
Investments in partially owned entities	1,036,130				904,278				1,036,130	904,278	576,336
Total assets	10,752,763				9,255,964				10,752,763	9,255,964	9,215,438
Washington DC Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									537,151	541,161	554,028
Total expenses									358,019	347,686	360,056
Operating income (loss)									179,132	193,475	193,972
(Loss) income from partially owned entities, including Toys									(3,677)	(6,968)	(5,612)
Income from real estate fund									0	0	0
Interest and other investment income (loss), net									183	129	126
Interest and debt expense									(75,395)	(102,277)	(115,574)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									100,243	84,359	72,912
Income tax expense									(242)	14,031	(1,650)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									100,001	98,390	71,262
Income from discontinued operations									0	0	167,766
Net income (loss)									100,001	98,390	239,028
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado									100,001	98,390	239,028
Interest and debt expense (2)									89,448	116,131	133,625
Depreciation and amortization (2)									145,853	142,409	157,816
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)									288	(15,707)	1,943
EBITDA									335,590	341,223	532,412
Real estate at cost	4,383,418				4,243,048				4,383,418	4,243,048	4,171,879
Investments in partially owned entities	102,635				100,543				102,635	100,543	95,670
Total assets	4,310,974				4,107,636				4,310,974	4,107,636	4,196,694
Retail Properties Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									326,947	372,435	318,566
Total expenses									197,206	199,650	189,480
Operating income (loss)									129,741	172,785	129,086
(Loss) income from partially owned entities, including Toys									1,730	2,097	1,458
Income from real estate fund									0	0	0
Interest and other investment income (loss), net									35	11	21
Interest and debt expense									(54,754)	(55,219)	(53,772)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets									0	1,377	8,491
Income (loss) before income taxes									76,752	121,051	85,284
Income tax expense									(1,721)	(2,311)	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations									75,031	118,740	85,284
Income from discontinued operations									50,873	287,067	(52,561)
Net income (loss)									125,904	405,807	32,723
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(119)	(3,065)	1,812
Net income attributable to Vornado									125,785	402,742	34,535
Interest and debt expense (2)									59,322	63,803	79,462
Depreciation and amortization (2)									73,433	72,161	86,529
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)									1,721	2,311	0
EBITDA									260,261	541,017	200,526
Real estate at cost	2,057,374				2,060,093				2,057,374	2,060,093	2,108,328
Investments in partially owned entities	6,007				6,640				6,007	6,640	7,083
Total assets	3,580,803				3,374,896				3,580,803	3,374,896	3,583,999
Toys R Us Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
(Loss) income from partially owned entities, including Toys									(73,556)	(362,377)	14,859
Income (loss) before income taxes									(73,556)	(362,377)	14,859
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(73,556)	(362,377)	14,859
Net income (loss)									(73,556)	(362,377)	14,859
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado									(73,556)	(362,377)	14,859
Interest and debt expense (2)									100,549	181,586	147,880
Depreciation and amortization (2)									64,533	135,178	135,179
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)									12,106	33,532	(16,629)
EBITDA									103,632	(12,081)	281,289
Real estate at cost	0				0				0	0	0
Investments in partially owned entities	0				83,224				0	83,224	478,041
Total assets	0				83,224				0	83,224	478,041
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues									250,997	284,766	457,153
Total expenses									318,607	361,175	536,326
Operating income (loss)									(67,610)	(76,409)	(79,173)
(Loss) income from partially owned entities, including Toys									(3,329)	12,936	204,648
Income from real estate fund									163,034	102,898	63,936
Interest and other investment income (loss), net									31,858	(30,373)	(265,328)
Interest and debt expense									(154,139)	(141,842)	(169,098)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets									13,568	2,030	4,856
Income (loss) before income taxes									(16,618)	(130,760)	(240,159)
Income tax expense									(4,734)	(2,520)	(2,991)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(21,352)	(133,280)	(243,150)
Income from discontinued operations									807	(647)	74,947
Net income (loss)									(20,545)	(133,927)	(168,203)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(135,429)	(74,918)	(76,955)
Net income attributable to Vornado									(155,974)	(208,845)	(245,158)
Interest and debt expense (2)									163,120	160,616	211,701
Depreciation and amortization (2)									77,915	89,035	103,512
Income tax (benefit) expense (2)									5,738	3,233	17,961
EBITDA									90,799	44,039	88,016
Real estate at cost	2,671,782				2,693,508				2,671,782	2,693,508	2,398,185
Investments in partially owned entities	101,724				154,982				101,724	154,982	547,167
Total assets	$ 2,603,780				$ 3,275,504				$ 2,603,780	$ 3,275,504	$ 4,590,877