CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Interest income:
Residential mortgage loans	$ 181,788	$ 203,950	$ 241,417
Multi-family and commercial real estate mortgage loans	186,910	191,643	178,795
Consumer and other loans	9,614	8,870	8,532
Mortgage-backed and other securities	69,966	62,754	57,065
Interest-earning cash accounts	469	418	321
Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock	6,126	5,781	6,220
Total interest income	454,873	473,416	492,350
Interest expense:
Deposits	26,899	37,343	51,355
Borrowings	96,360	95,784	98,707
Total interest expense	123,259	133,127	150,062
Net interest income	331,614	340,289	342,288
Provision for loan losses credited to operations	(9,151)	(12,072)	(9,469)
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	340,765	352,361	351,757
Non-interest income:
Customer service fees	28,594	32,833	35,710
Other loan fees	2,231	2,284	2,493
Gain on sales of securities	86	72	141
Mortgage banking income, net	3,726	4,222	3,326
Income from bank owned life insurance	9,182	8,878	8,476
Other	7,143	6,307	4,702
Total non-interest income	50,962	54,596	54,848
General and administrative:
Compensation and benefits	150,820	152,924	138,177
Occupancy, equipment and systems	77,418	76,801	71,948
Federal deposit insurance premium	12,192	16,421	26,179
Advertising	6,495	10,052	12,450
Other	32,545	32,885	35,656
Total non-interest expense	279,470	289,083	284,410
Income before income tax expense	112,257	117,874	122,195
Income tax expense	40,728	29,799	26,279
Net income	71,529	88,075	95,916
Preferred stock dividends	8,775	8,775	8,775
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 62,754	$ 79,300	$ 87,141
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.62	$ 0.79	$ 0.88
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.62	$ 0.79	$ 0.88
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	100,388,802	99,612,473	98,384,443
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	100,388,802	99,969,838	98,384,443