Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Series L Preferred Stock [Member]	Series F And Series H Preferred Stock [Member]	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares	Preferred Shares Series L Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Shares Series F And Series H Preferred Stock [Member]	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, 2012						51,185			186,735
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 7,904,144					$ 1,240,278			$ 7,440	$ 7,195,438	$ (1,573,275)	$ (18,946)	$ 1,053,209
Net income attributable to Vornado	475,971										475,971
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	63,952			$ 53,427									63,952
Dividends on common shares	(545,913)										(545,913)
Dividends on preferred shares	(82,807)										(82,807)
Issuance of preferred shares, Shares							12,000
Issuance of preferred shares, Value		$ 290,306					$ 290,306
Redemption of preferred shares, Shares								(10,500)
Redemption of preferred shares, Value			$ (253,269)					$ (253,269)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares									299
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	25,317								$ 12	25,305
Under employees' share option plan, Shares									104
Under employees' share option plan, Value	5,808								$ 23	5,892	(107)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares									22
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,851								$ 1	1,850
Upon acquisition of real estate, Shares									128
Upon acquisition of real estate, Value	11,461								$ 5	11,456
Contributions:
Contributions				28,078	$ 15,886									$ 28,078	$ 15,886
Distribution:
Distributions				(47,268)	(133,153)									(47,268)	(133,153)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	0
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Shares						(2)			3
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Value						$ (90)			$ 0	90
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares									(6)
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	9,270								$ (12)	9,589	(307)
(Reduction) increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	142,281											142,281
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(22,814)											(22,814)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	18,183											18,183
Amounts reclassified related to sale of available-for-sale securities	(42,404)											(42,404)
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(108,252)									(108,252)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(5,296)											(5,296)
Preferred unit and share redemptions	(1,130)										(1,130)
Deconsolidation of partially owned entity	(165,427)												(165,427)
Consolidation of a partially owned entity	16,799												16,799
Other	(6,830)									2,472	(7,271)	533	(2,564)
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2013						52,683			187,285
Ending 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	864,852										864,852
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	96,561			92,728									96,561
Dividends on common shares	(547,831)										(547,831)
Dividends on preferred shares	(81,464)										(81,464)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares									271
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	27,273								$ 11	27,262
Under employees' share option plan, Shares									304
Under employees' share option plan, Value	14,047								$ 12	17,428	(3,393)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares									17
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,804								$ 1	1,803
Contributions:
Contributions				5,297	32,998									5,297	32,998
Distribution:
Distributions	(33,469)			(182,964)	(4,463)									(182,964)	(4,463)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	(33,028)												(33,028)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Shares						(4)			5
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Value						$ (193)			$ 0	193
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares									5
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	5,512								$ 0	5,852	(340)
(Reduction) increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	14,465											14,465
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,509											2,509
Increase in value of interest rate swap	6,079											6,079
Amounts reclassified related to sale of available-for-sale securities	0
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(315,276)									(315,276)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(1,323)											(1,323)
Preferred unit and share redemptions	0
Other	(10,410)					$ (6)				(8,077)	(2,370)		43
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2014						52,679			187,887
Ending 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	760,434										760,434
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	55,765			40,117									55,765
Distribution of Urban Edge Properties	(464,603)										(464,262)		(341)
Dividends on common shares	(474,751)										(474,751)
Dividends on preferred shares	(80,578)										(80,578)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares									452
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	48,230								$ 18	48,212
Under employees' share option plan, Shares									214
Under employees' share option plan, Value	12,762								$ 9	15,332	(2,579)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares									14
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,438								$ 1	1,437
Contributions:
Contributions				51,725	250									51,725	250
Distribution:
Distributions	(30,263)			$ (72,114)	$ (525)									$ (72,114)	$ (525)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	0
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Shares						(2)			4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Value						$ (72)			$ 1	71
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares									6
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	2,080								$ 1	2,438	(359)
(Reduction) increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(55,326)											(55,326)
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(327)											(327)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	6,435											6,435
Amounts reclassified related to sale of available-for-sale securities	0
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	192,464									192,464
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,866											2,866
Preferred unit and share redemptions	0
Other	471								$ (2)		700	6	(233)
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2015						52,677			188,577
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 7,476,078					$ 1,276,954			$ 7,521	$ 7,132,979	$ (1,766,780)	$ 46,921	$ 778,483