Income Per Class A Unit (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Income Per Class A Unit [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations	$ 118,331	$ 40,359	$ 200,126	$ 249,252
Income from discontinued operations	63,990	17,869	271,122	89,240
Net income	182,321	58,228	471,248	338,492
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(14,930)	(14,721)	(26,216)	(24,318)
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	167,391	43,507	445,032	314,174
Preferred unit distributions	(20,716)	(21,660)	(43,204)	(43,321)
Preferred unit redemptions	8,100	0	(1,130)	0
Net income attributable to Class A unitholders	154,775	21,847	400,698	270,853
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(705)	(611)	(1,700)	(1,305)
Numerator for basic income per Class A unit	154,070	21,236	398,998	269,548
Convertible preferred unit distributions	27	0	0	57
Numerator for diluted income per Class A unit	$ 154,097	$ 21,236	$ 398,998	$ 269,605
Denominator for basic income per Class A unit - weighted average units	197,569	197,131	197,466	196,997
Vornado stock options and restricted unit awards (in shares)	1,049	981	1,056	1,051
Convertible preferred units	47	0	0	50
Denominator for diluted income per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions	198,665	198,112	198,522	198,098
INCOME PER CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per unit)	0.46	0.02	0.65	0.92
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per unit)	0.32	0.09	1.37	0.45
Net income per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	0.78	0.11	2.02	1.37
INCOME PER CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per unit)	0.46	0.02	0.64	0.91
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per unit)	0.32	0.09	1.37	0.45
Net income per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	0.78	0.11	2.01	1.36