Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares	Common Shares	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Real estate fund investments	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Other
Beginning balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2013				52,683	187,285
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 7,594,744			$ 1,277,225	$ 7,469	$ 7,143,840	$ (1,734,839)	$ 71,537	$ 829,512
Net income attributable to Vornado	331,249						331,249
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	85,239	$ 81,217							85,239
Dividends on common shares	(410,724)						(410,724)
Dividends on preferred shares	(61,099)						(61,099)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares					227
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	22,668				$ 9	22,659
Under employees' share option plan, Shares					199
Under employees' share option plan, Value	12,350				$ 8	12,342	0
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares					13
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,387				$ 0	1,387
Contributions:
Contributions		5,297	$ 5,000							$ 5,297	$ 5,000
Distribution:
Distributions	(25,166)	(182,964)	(643)							(182,964)	(643)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund investments	(33,028)								(33,028)
Conversion Of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Shares				(4)	6
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Value				$ (193)		193
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares					5
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	4,306				$ 1	4,645	(340)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(7,761)							(7,761)
Pro rata share of other comprehensive loss of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(151)							(151)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	5,846							5,846
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(144,231)					(144,231)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	109							109
Other	(2,675)			$ (6)		(297)	(2,372)	0	0
Ending balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2014				52,679	187,735
Ending balance, Value at Sep. 30, 2014	7,224,919			$ 1,277,026	$ 7,487	7,040,538	(1,878,125)	69,580	708,413
Beginning balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2014				52,679	187,887
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2014	7,489,382			$ 1,277,026	$ 7,493	6,873,025	(1,505,385)	93,267	743,956
Net income attributable to Vornado	509,327						509,327
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	38,370	29,453							38,370
Distribution of Urban Edge Properties	(464,603)						(464,262)		(341)
Dividends on common shares	(355,945)						(355,945)
Dividends on preferred shares	(60,213)						(60,213)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares					437
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	46,693				$ 17	46,676
Under employees' share option plan, Shares					198
Under employees' share option plan, Value	11,626				$ 8	14,197	(2,579)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares					11
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,068					1,068
Contributions:
Contributions		51,725								51,725
Distribution:
Distributions	(22,502)	$ (70,875)	$ (397)							$ (70,875)	$ (397)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund investments	0
Conversion Of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Shares				(1)	2
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Value				$ (41)		41
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares					6
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	1,688				$ 1	2,046	(359)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(53,396)							(53,396)
Pro rata share of other comprehensive loss of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,148)							(1,148)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	1,783							1,783
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	295,713					295,713
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	3,082							3,082
Other	621						700	5	(84)
Ending balance, Shares at Sep. 30, 2015				52,678	188,541
Ending balance, Value at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 7,444,501			$ 1,276,985	$ 7,519	$ 7,232,766	$ (1,878,716)	$ 43,593	$ 762,354