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	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, 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	290,093						290,093
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	35,068	$ 29,411							35,068
Distribution of Urban Edge Properties	(464,603)						(464,262)		(341)
Dividends on common shares	(237,160)						(237,160)
Dividends on preferred shares	(39,849)						(39,849)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares					400
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	43,278				$ 16	43,262
Under employees' share option plan, Shares					195
Under employees' share option plan, Value	10,400				$ 7	12,972	(2,579)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares					7
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	701				$ 0	701
Contributions:
Contributions		51,725								$ 51,725
Distributions:
Distributions	(14,734)	(62,495)	$ (255)							(62,495)	$ (255)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Shares				(1)	1
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares, Value				$ (16)		16
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares					7
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	1,295				$ 1	1,653	(359)
Increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(46,332)							(46,332)
Pro rata share of other comprehensive loss of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,034)							(1,034)
Increase / (Reduction) in value of interest rate swap	2,073							2,073
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	229,521					229,521
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,635							2,635
Other	(867)						955	(4)	92
Ending balance, Shares at Jun. 30, 2015				52,678	188,497
Ending balance, Value at Jun. 30, 2015	7,305,310			$ 1,277,010	$ 7,517	7,161,150	(1,958,546)	50,613	767,566
Beginning balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2015				52,677	188,577
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2015	7,476,078			$ 1,276,954	$ 7,521	7,132,979	(1,766,780)	46,921	778,483
Net income attributable to Vornado	147,027						147,027
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	22,703	14,818							22,703
Dividends on common shares	(237,832)						(237,832)
Dividends on preferred shares	(40,727)						(40,727)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares					195
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	18,208				$ 8	18,200
Under employees' share option plan, Shares					38
Under employees' share option plan, Value	3,093				$ 1	3,092
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares					8
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	717					717
Contributions:
Contributions		0	19,674								19,674
Distributions:
Distributions	(15,763)	$ (56,533)	$ (10,970)							$ (56,533)	$ (10,970)
Deferred compensation shares and options, Shares					7
Deferred compensation shares and options, Value	768				$ 1	953	(186)
Increase in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	39,113							39,113
Pro rata share of other comprehensive loss of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(622)							(622)
Increase / (Reduction) in value of interest rate swap	(11,170)							(11,170)
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(20,369)					(20,369)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(1,685)							(1,685)
Other	102					(1)	(7)	(1)	111
Other, Shares					1
Ending balance, Shares at Jun. 30, 2016				52,677	188,826
Ending balance, Value at Jun. 30, 2016	$ 7,347,575			$ 1,276,954	$ 7,531	$ 7,135,571	$ (1,898,505)	$ 72,556	$ 753,468