CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Interest income:
Residential mortgage loans	$ 289,790	$ 372,478	$ 433,951
Multi-family and commercial real estate mortgage loans	163,352	149,694	162,433
Consumer and other loans	8,797	9,258	9,889
Mortgage-backed and other securities	49,563	61,757	82,055
Repurchase agreements and interest-earning cash accounts	263	338	237
Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock	6,665	6,984	6,683
Total interest income	518,430	600,509	695,248
Interest expense:
Deposits	62,617	98,021	138,049
Borrowings	113,911	154,219	181,773
Total interest expense	176,528	252,240	319,822
Net interest income	341,902	348,269	375,426
Provision for loan losses	19,601	40,400	37,000
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	322,301	307,869	338,426
Non-interest income:
Customer service fees	36,786	39,520	46,135
Other loan fees	2,230	2,640	3,160
Gain on sales of securities	2,057	8,477
Mortgage banking income, net	13,241	6,820	4,413
Income from bank owned life insurance	8,404	9,439	10,257
Other	6,854	6,339	4,950
Total non-interest income	69,572	73,235	68,915
General and administrative:
Compensation and benefits	133,689	139,140	151,149
Occupancy, equipment and systems	70,711	67,406	65,182
Federal deposit insurance premium	37,188	47,363	38,083
Advertising	6,400	6,392	7,842
Extinguishment of debt	4,266	1,212
Other	35,277	38,620	39,161
Total non-interest expense	287,531	300,133	301,417
Income before income tax expense	104,342	80,971	105,924
Income tax expense	37,749	27,880	38,715
Net income	66,593	53,091	67,209
Preferred stock dividends	7,214
Net income available to common shareholders	$ 59,379	$ 53,091	$ 67,209
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60	$ 0.55	$ 0.70
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60	$ 0.55	$ 0.70
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	97,121,497	95,455,344	93,253,928
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	97,121,497	95,455,344	93,253,928