Fair Value Measurements (Carrying amounts and fair value of financial instruments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured revolving credit facilities	$ 0	$ 115,630
Senior Unsecured Notes
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, gross	850,000	850,000
Deferred financing costs, net and other	3,359	4,423
Unsecured Term Loan
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, gross	375,000	375,000
Deferred financing costs, net and other	1,646	2,785
Carrying Amount
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash equivalents, carrying amount	1,013,282	1,307,105
Mortgages payable, gross	8,204,763	8,206,680
Unsecured revolving credit facilities	0	115,630
Debt instrument - Carrying amount	9,429,763	9,547,310
Deferred financing costs, net and other	78,162	100,640
Carrying Amount \| Senior Unsecured Notes
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, gross	850,000	850,000
Carrying Amount \| Unsecured Term Loan
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, gross	375,000	375,000
Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Total debt	9,483,000	9,553,000
Fair Value \| Level 1
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash equivalents, fair value	1,013,282	1,307,105
Unsecured revolving credit facilities	0	116,000
Fair Value \| Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Mortgages payable, gross	8,223,000	8,163,000
Fair Value \| Senior Unsecured Notes \| Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, gross	885,000	899,000
Fair Value \| Unsecured Term Loan \| Level 1
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, gross	$ 375,000	$ 375,000

Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Cash
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506951

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Cash Equivalents
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

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Amount of short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

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- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

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))
-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 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
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Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73719730&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73719730&loc=d3e13476-108611

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Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28555-108399

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
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-Section S99
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

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- Definition

Fair value portion of contractual arrangement with a lender under which borrowings can be made up to a specific amount at any point in time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6517033

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- Definition

Notes And Loans Payable Gross

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- Definition

Unsecured Debt, Gross

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