Interest and Other Investment Income, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
(Decrease) increase in fair value of marketable securities	$ (4,868)	$ (7,699)	$ (3,095)	$ (24,801)
Interest on cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	4,060	4,306	8,753	12,370
Interest on loans receivable	1,604	2,004	4,845	8,952
Dividends on marketable securities	1,312	3,354	2,625	10,060
Other, net	937	928	2,802	2,820
Interest and other investment income, net	3,045	2,893	15,930	9,401
PREIT
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
(Decrease) increase in fair value of marketable securities	(4,875)	0	(19,211)	0
Lexington Realty Trust
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
(Decrease) increase in fair value of marketable securities	0	(7,942)	16,068	(24,934)
Other
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
(Decrease) increase in fair value of marketable securities	$ 7	243	$ 48	133
Mezzanine Loan Investment
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Interest on loans receivable		$ 1,250		$ 6,707

The aggregate interest and fee income generated by: (1) loans the Entity has positive intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future, or until maturity or payoff, including commercial and consumer loans, whether domestic or foreign, which may consist of: (a) industrial and agricultural; (b) real estate; and (c) real estate construction loans; (d) trade financing; (e) lease financing; (f) home equity lines-of-credit; (g) automobile and other vehicle loans; and (h) credit card and other revolving-type loans and (2) loans and leases held-for-sale which may include mortgage loans, direct financing, and sales-type leases.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestAndFeeIncomeLoansAndLeases
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of dividend income on nonoperating securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeDividend
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized gain (loss) on investment in marketable security.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(7)(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesUnrealizedGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income (expense) related to nonoperating activities, classified as other.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

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

- Definition

This element represents interest and other investment loss income net of tax incuding impairment losses, mark-to-market adjustments for derivatives or mark-to-market investments in deferred compensation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_InterestAndOtherInvestmentLossIncomeNet
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest on Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vno_InterestonCashandCashEquivalentsandRestrictedCash
Namespace Prefix:	vno_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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