Vornado Capital Partners Real Estate Fund (the "Fund") (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Vornado Realty Trust Excluding Real Estate Fund [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Investments	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Investments	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member]	Feb. 28, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member]	Apr. 26, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Broadway 520 [Member] Office Building [Member] sqft	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Broadway 520 [Member] Office Building [Member]	Jun. 28, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Lincoln Road 1100 [Member] Retail Units [Member] sqft	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Operating Income [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member] Operating Income [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Operating Income [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member] Operating Income [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Realized Gain [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member] Realized Gain [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Realized Gain [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member] Realized Gain [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Unrealized Gain From Mark To Market [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member] Unrealized Gain From Mark To Market [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund [Member] Unrealized Gain From Mark To Market [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Real Estate Fund [Member] Unrealized Gain From Mark To Market [Member]	Feb. 28, 2011 Vornado Realty Trust [Member]
Capital Commitments For Real Estate Fund											$ 800,000,000																$ 200,000,000
Term of the Fund, years							8 years		8 years
Number Of Investments Made By Fund							7		7
Investment period for commitments of the Fund, years							3 years		3 years
Real Estate Fund Nondepreciable Real Estate	460,496,000		460,496,000		346,650,000		460,496,000		460,496,000
Excess Of Fair Value Over Cost							40,260,000		40,260,000
Unfunded Commitments Of Fund						82,688,250	330,753,000		330,753,000
Real Estate Fund Investments Detail [Abstract]
Square Footage Of Real Estate Property												112,000		167,000
Business Acquisition Cost Of Acquired Entity Purchase Price												59,650,000		132,000,000
Business Acquisition Cost Of Acquired Entity Cash Paid														66,000,000
Business Acquisition Cost Of Acquired Entity Liabilities Incurred														66,000,000
Notes And Loans Payable	8,360,192,000		8,360,192,000		8,483,621,000								30,000,000
Debt Term													3 years	3 years
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate													2.25%	2.75%
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis													LIBOR	LIBOR
Number Of Extensions Available													2	2
Details of Income From Vornado Capital Partners Real Estate Fund [Abstract]
Income from Real Estate Fund	20,301,000	19,058,000	32,063,000	20,138,000											(834,000)	3,101,000	4,084,000	3,483,000	0	3,085,000	0	3,085,000	21,135,000	12,872,000	27,979,000	13,570,000
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in: Consolidated subsidiaries	(14,721,000)	(13,657,000)	(24,318,000)	(15,007,000)			(12,306,000)	(12,102,000)	(20,239,000)	(12,028,000)
Income From Real Estate Fund Attributable To Parent Company							7,995,000	6,956,000	11,824,000	8,110,000
Fee and Other Income							$ 600,000	$ 865,000	$ 1,303,000	$ 1,165,000