Segment Information (New York Segment - EBITDA) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Information
Net gain on sale of real estate and other	$ 1,547	$ 5,386	$ 21,507	$ 168,140
EBITDA	236,745	398,007	1,021,077	1,162,125
Operating Segments \| New York
Segment Information
EBITDA Adjusted	297,177	276,893	853,922	814,886
Net gain on sale of real estate and other	0	0	0	159,511
EBITDA adjustment	0	0	0	162,631
EBITDA	297,177	276,893	853,922	977,517
Operating Segments \| New York \| Properties sold and other
Segment Information
EBITDA adjustment	0	0	0	3,120
Operating Segments \| New York \| Hotel Pennsylvania
Segment Information
EBITDA Adjusted	5,511	3,962	7,633	4,287
Operating Segments \| New York \| 7 West 34th Street
Segment Information
Net gain on sale of real estate and other	$ 0	0	$ 0	159,511
Equity method ownership percentage	47.00%		47.00%
Operating Segments \| New York \| Alexanders Inc
Segment Information
EBITDA Adjusted	$ 12,207	11,506	$ 35,511	34,880
Operating Segments \| New York \| Office
Segment Information
Net operating income allocation		4,213		12,058
EBITDA Adjusted	183,162	164,150	522,566	484,735
Operating Segments \| New York \| Retail
Segment Information
Net operating income allocation		(4,213)		(12,058)
EBITDA Adjusted	90,316	91,061	269,762	272,083
Operating Segments \| New York \| Residential
Segment Information
EBITDA Adjusted	$ 5,981	$ 6,214	$ 18,450	$ 18,901

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

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