Quarterly Financial Information - Net Income Available and Basic and Diluted EPS/EPU (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Total Revenues	$ 93,207	$ 92,157	$ 90,456	$ 89,942	$ 90,333	$ 86,361	$ 84,044	$ 83,861	$ 365,762	$ 344,599	$ 318,454
Income from Continuing Operations, Net of Noncontrolling Interest					7,535	7,938	3,028	3,868
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Noncontrolling Interest					11,246	13,389	1,011	1,095	0	27,823	36,566
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders/Unitholders					18,781	21,327	4,039	4,963	73,802	49,110	40,307
Preferred Dividends/Unit Distributions					0	0	0	(1,019)	0	(1,019)	(8,733)
Redemption of Preferred Stock/Units					0	0	0	(1,462)	0	(1,462)	(5,667)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders/Unitholders and Participating Securities	43,500	13,917	14,012	2,373	18,781	21,327	4,039	2,482	73,802	46,629	25,907
Income from Continuing Operations Allocable to Participating Securities	(153)	(50)	(50)	(41)	(32)	(33)	(32)	(18)	(248)	(75)	0
Income from Discontinued Operations Allocable to Participating Securities					(47)	(57)	(11)	(14)	$ 0	$ (100)	$ (162)
Net Income Available to First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.'s Common Stockholders / Unitholders	$ 43,347	$ 13,867	$ 13,962	$ 2,332	$ 18,702	$ 21,237	$ 3,996	$ 2,450
Basic Earnings Per Share/Unit:
Income from Continuing Operations Available to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					$ 0.07	$ 0.07	$ 0.03	$ 0.01	$ 0.67	$ 0.18	$ (0.09)
Income from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					0.10	0.12	0.01	0.01	0.00	0.24	0.33
Net Income Available to Common Stockholders/Unitholders	$ 0.39	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.02	0.17	0.19	0.04	0.02	0.67	0.42	0.24
Diluted Earnings Per Share/Unit:
Income from Continuing Operations Available to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					0.07	0.07	0.03	0.01	0.66	0.18	(0.09)
Income from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					0.10	0.12	0.01	0.01	0.00	0.24	0.33
Net Income Available to Common Stockholders / Unitholders	$ 0.39	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.02	$ 0.17	$ 0.19	$ 0.04	$ 0.02	$ 0.66	$ 0.42	$ 0.24
Weighted Average Shares/Units - Basic	110,392	110,356	110,348	110,310	110,118	110,072	109,815	109,676	110,352	109,922	106,995
Weighted Average Shares/Units - Diluted	110,916	110,848	110,683	110,675	110,405	110,271	110,404	110,215	110,781	110,325	106,995
First Industrial L.P.
Total Revenues	$ 93,207	$ 92,157	$ 90,456	$ 89,942	$ 90,333	$ 86,361	$ 84,044	$ 83,861	$ 365,762	$ 344,599	$ 318,454
Income from Continuing Operations, Net of Noncontrolling Interest					7,964	8,294	3,176	3,938
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Noncontrolling Interest					11,698	13,924	1,051	1,140	0	27,823	36,566
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Common Stockholders/Unitholders					19,662	22,218	4,227	5,078	76,682	51,185	41,433
Preferred Dividends/Unit Distributions					0	0	0	(1,019)	0	(1,019)	(8,733)
Redemption of Preferred Stock/Units					0	0	0	(1,462)	0	(1,462)	(5,667)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders/Unitholders and Participating Securities	45,143	14,438	14,644	2,457	19,662	22,218	4,227	2,597	76,682	48,704	27,033
Income from Continuing Operations Allocable to Participating Securities	(153)	(50)	(50)	(41)	(32)	(33)	(32)	(17)	(248)	(75)	0
Income from Discontinued Operations Allocable to Participating Securities					(47)	(57)	(11)	(14)	$ 0	$ (100)	$ (162)
Net Income Available to First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.'s Common Stockholders / Unitholders	$ 44,990	$ 14,388	$ 14,594	$ 2,416	$ 19,583	$ 22,128	$ 4,184	$ 2,566
Basic Earnings Per Share/Unit:
Income from Continuing Operations Available to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					$ 0.07	$ 0.07	$ 0.03	$ 0.01	$ 0.67	$ 0.18	$ (0.09)
Income from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					0.10	0.12	0.01	0.01	0.00	0.24	0.33
Net Income Available to Common Stockholders/Unitholders	$ 0.39	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.02	0.17	0.19	0.04	0.02	0.67	0.42	0.24
Diluted Earnings Per Share/Unit:
Income from Continuing Operations Available to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					0.07	0.07	0.03	0.01	0.66	0.18	(0.09)
Income from Discontinued Operations Attributable to Common Stockholders / Unitholders					0.10	0.12	0.01	0.01	0.00	0.24	0.33
Net Income Available to Common Stockholders / Unitholders	$ 0.39	$ 0.12	$ 0.13	$ 0.02	$ 0.17	$ 0.19	$ 0.04	$ 0.02	$ 0.66	$ 0.42	$ 0.24
Weighted Average Shares/Units - Basic	114,722	114,720	114,712	114,681	114,512	114,512	114,278	114,245	114,709	114,388	111,646
Weighted Average Shares/Units - Diluted	115,246	115,212	115,047	115,046	114,799	114,711	114,867	114,784	115,138	114,791	111,646