Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	$ 119,819	$ 129,089
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Retail revenue accretion	(17)	(29)
Depreciation and amortization	233,312	102,158
Stock compensation expense	3,180	1,729
Redeemable stock issued	690	535
Amortization of debt premium	(20,121)	(948)
Gain from investments in real estate joint ventures	(3,159)	(161)
Loss on debt extinguishment	2,586	387
Derivative interest expense	(2,543)	827
Settlement of forward swaps	(3,625)	0
Gain on sale of non-depreciable real estate assets	(535)	0
Gain on sale of depreciable real estate assets excluded from discontinued operations	(42,254)	0
(Loss) gain on sale of discontinued operations	(5,378)	(71,909)
Net casualty loss (gain) and other settlement proceeds	431	(450)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	15,062	(391)
Other assets	(5,016)	(7,611)
Accounts payable	(1,665)	2,377
Accrued expenses and other	31,630	12,951
Security deposits	688	223
Net cash provided by operating activities	323,085	168,777
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of real estate and other assets	(180,272)	(89,866)
Normal capital improvements	(71,140)	(35,412)
Construction capital and other improvements	(4,456)	(3,873)
Renovations to existing real estate assets	(11,950)	(8,616)
Development	(40,752)	(26,129)
Distributions from real estate joint ventures	15,964	8,311
Contributions to real estate joint ventures	0	(183)
Proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	241,691	118,783
Funding of escrow for future acquisitions	(30,487)	(57,380)
Net cash used in investing activities	(81,402)	(94,365)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in credit lines	(216,184)	177,000
Proceeds from notes payable	396,532	0
Principal payments on notes payable	(258,105)	(8,695)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(4,156)	(2,655)
Repurchase of common stock	(456)	(682)
Proceeds from issuances of common shares	728	25,038
Exercise of stock options	11,916	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(9,227)	(3,574)
Dividends paid on common shares	(164,298)	(88,814)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(243,250)	97,618
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1,567)	172,030
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	89,333	9,075
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	87,766	181,105
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest paid	101,252	48,534
Income taxes paid	1,596	803
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Conversion of units to shares of common stock	992	550
Accrued construction in progress	6,539	4,190
Interest capitalized	1,253	1,118
Marked-to-market adjustment on derivative instruments	6,471	21,367
Fair value adjustment on debt assumed	2,720	704
Loan assumption	52,521	18,293
Limited Partner [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Consolidated net income	119,819	117,368
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Retail revenue accretion	(17)	(29)
Depreciation and amortization	233,312	101,923
Stock compensation expense	3,180	1,729
Redeemable stock issued	690	535
Amortization of debt premium	(20,121)	(948)
Gain from investments in real estate joint ventures	(3,159)	(161)
Loss on debt extinguishment	2,586	387
Derivative interest expense	(2,543)	827
Settlement of forward swaps	(3,625)	0
Gain on sale of non-depreciable real estate assets	(535)	0
Gain on sale of depreciable real estate assets excluded from discontinued operations	(42,254)	0
(Loss) gain on sale of discontinued operations	(5,378)	(60,585)
Net casualty loss (gain) and other settlement proceeds	431	(450)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	15,062	(390)
Other assets	(5,016)	(7,740)
Accounts payable	(1,665)	2,409
Accrued expenses and other	31,630	13,200
Security deposits	688	242
Net cash provided by operating activities	323,085	168,317
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of real estate and other assets	(180,272)	(89,866)
Normal capital improvements	(71,140)	(35,451)
Construction capital and other improvements	(4,456)	(3,873)
Renovations to existing real estate assets	(11,950)	(8,616)
Development	(40,752)	(26,129)
Distributions from real estate joint ventures	15,964	8,311
Contributions to real estate joint ventures	0	(183)
Proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	241,691	102,204
Funding of escrow for future acquisitions	(30,487)	(57,380)
Net cash used in investing activities	(81,402)	(110,983)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Advances from general partner	0	17,219
Net change in credit lines	(216,184)	177,000
Proceeds from notes payable	396,532	0
Principal payments on notes payable	(258,105)	(8,695)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(4,156)	(2,655)
Repurchase of common units	(456)	(682)
Proceeds from issuances of common units	728	25,038
Exercise of stock options	11,916	0
Distributions paid on common units	(173,525)	(92,388)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(243,250)	114,837
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1,567)	172,171
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	89,333	8,934
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	87,766	181,105
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest paid	101,252	48,534
Income taxes paid	1,596	803
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Accrued construction in progress	6,539	4,190
Interest capitalized	1,253	1,118
Marked-to-market adjustment on derivative instruments	6,471	21,367
Fair value adjustment on debt assumed	2,720	704
Loan assumption	$ 52,521	$ 18,293