Investments in Partially Owned Entities (Summary of Debt) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity Method Investment Pro Rata Share Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 5,062,697	$ 4,432,078
Toys R Us
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity method ownership percentage	32.50%
Maturity, Range, Start	2017
Maturity, Range, End	2021
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	7.28%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 5,640,779	5,619,710
Partially Owned Office Buildings
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Maturity, Range, Start	2017
Maturity, Range, End	2026
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	4.43%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 4,341,056	3,771,255
PREIT
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity method ownership percentage	8.00%
Maturity, Range, Start	2017
Maturity, Range, End	2025
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	3.77%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 1,747,543	1,852,270
Urban Edge Properties
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity method ownership percentage	5.40%
Maturity, Range, Start	2018
Maturity, Range, End	2034
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	4.19%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 1,209,994	1,246,155
Alexanders Inc
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity method ownership percentage	32.40%
Maturity, Range, Start	2018
Maturity, Range, End	2022
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	2.01%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 1,056,147	1,053,262
India real estate ventures \| TCG Urban Infrastructure Holdings
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity method ownership percentage	25.00%
Maturity, Range, Start	2017
Maturity, Range, End	2033
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	11.98%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 187,296	185,607
Other equity method investments
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Maturity, Range, Start	2017
Maturity, Range, End	2023
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	4.20%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 1,277,632	1,316,641
Joint Venture \| 85 Tenth Avenue
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments
Equity method ownership percentage	49.90%
Maturity, Range, End	2026
Interest Rate, End of Period (in percentage)	4.55%
Equity Method Investment Debt Of Partially Owned Entities	$ 625,000	$ 0

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

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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