Owners' Equity - Operating Partnership Common Units (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Continuous Equity Offering [Abstract]
Common stock, Continuous equity offering program, Max amount of equity	$ 200,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 38,797	$ 58,473	$ 969,468
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] | Common units [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Units issued as a result of acquisitions	0	0	0
Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan [Abstract]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Dividend Reinvestment Plan	1,036,437	1,643,536	1,248,842
Continuous Equity Offering [Abstract]
Common stock, Continuous equity offering program, Max amount of equity	$ 200,000
Number of common units issued	0	0	1,900,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			$ 75,000
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member] | 2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member] | Common units [Member]
Share Repurchase [Abstract]
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount	$ 250,000
Share repurchase, shares	2,300,000
Share repurchase, value	$ 71,800