Income (Loss) Per Share / Income (Loss) Per Class A Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 61,605	$ (94,471)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,276	672
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	63,881	(93,799)
Preferred share dividends / Preferred unit distributions	(16,129)	(20,364)
NET INCOME (LOSS) attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	47,752	(114,163)
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(15)	(16)
Numerator for basic and diluted income (loss) per share / per Class A unit	$ 47,737	$ (114,179)
Denominator for basic income (loss) per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	189,210	188,658
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	1,162	0
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per share - weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares)	190,372	188,658
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24	$ (0.61)
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.01	0
Net income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	0.25	(0.61)
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.24	(0.61)
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.01	0
Net income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ (0.61)
Vornado Realty L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 64,682	$ (102,002)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,428	716
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	67,110	(101,286)
Preferred share dividends / Preferred unit distributions	(16,178)	(20,412)
NET INCOME (LOSS) attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	50,932	(121,698)
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(1,018)	(772)
Numerator for basic and diluted income (loss) per share / per Class A unit	$ 49,914	$ (122,470)
Denominator for basic income (loss) per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions	200,845	200,072
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	1,802	0
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions	202,647	200,072
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net	$ 0.24	$ (0.61)
Income from discontinued operations, net	0.01	0
Net income (loss) per Class A unit	0.25	(0.61)
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net	0.24	(0.61)
Income from discontinued operations, net	0.01	0
Net income (loss) per Class A unit	$ 0.25	$ (0.61)