CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Interest income:
Residential mortgage loans	$ 372,478	$ 433,951	$ 529,319
Multi-family and commercial real estate mortgage loans	149,694	162,433	196,541
Consumer and other loans	9,258	9,889	10,572
Mortgage-backed and other securities	61,757	82,055	109,206
Repurchase agreements and interest-earning cash accounts	338	237	390
Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock	6,984	6,683	9,271
Total interest income	600,509	695,248	855,299
Interest expense:
Deposits	98,021	138,049	191,015
Borrowings	154,219	181,773	230,717
Total interest expense	252,240	319,822	421,732
Net interest income	348,269	375,426	433,567
Provision for loan losses	40,400	37,000	115,000
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	307,869	338,426	318,567
Non-interest income:
Customer service fees	39,520	46,135	51,229
Other loan fees	2,640	3,160	3,452
Gain on sales of securities	8,477
Mortgage banking income, net	6,820	4,413	6,222
Income from bank owned life insurance	9,439	10,257	8,683
Other	6,339	4,950	11,602
Total non-interest income	73,235	68,915	81,188
General and administrative:
Compensation and benefits	139,140	151,149	141,539
Occupancy, equipment and systems	67,406	65,182	65,498
Federal deposit insurance premiums	47,363	38,083	25,728
Advertising	6,392	7,842	6,466
Other	39,832	39,161	45,687
Total non-interest expense	300,133	301,417	284,918
Income before income tax expense	80,971	105,924	114,837
Income tax expense	27,880	38,715	41,103
Net income	$ 53,091	$ 67,209	$ 73,734
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.55	$ 0.70	$ 0.78
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.55	$ 0.70	$ 0.78
Basic weighted average common shares (in shares)	95,455,344	93,253,928	91,776,907
Diluted weighted average common and common equivalent shares (in shares)	95,455,344	93,253,928	91,776,941