Properties Held for Sale - Summary of Preferred Equity Interests and Effective Ownership Interest (Details) - Fifth Avenue and Times Square JV - Subsequent Event - Joint Venture $ in Thousands	Apr. 18, 2019 USD ($)
Real Estate [Line Items]
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 1,827,750
640 Fifth Avenue
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	52.00%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 0
655 Fifth Avenue
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	50.00%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 140,000
666 Fifth Avenue
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	52.00%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 390,000
689 Fifth Avenue
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	52.00%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 130,000
697 to 703 Fifth Avenue
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	44.80%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 0
1535 Broadway
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	52.00%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 628,875
1540 Broadway
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	52.00%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 538,875
Vornado Realty Trust
Real Estate [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage	51.50%
Aggregate of preferred equity interests	$ 500,000

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

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The book value of investments in real estate joint ventures including direct and indirect investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentsJointVentures
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=vno_FifthAvenueandTimesSquareJVMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_SixFourZeroFifthAvenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_SixFiveFiveFifthAvenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_SixSixSixFifthAvenueRetailMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_SixEightNineFifthAvenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_SixNineSevento703FifthAvenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_OneFIveThreeFiveBroadwayMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=vno_OneFiveFourZeroBroadwayMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=vno_VornadoRealtyTrustMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: