Investments in Partially Owned Entities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Equity Method Investment Summarized Financial Information [Table Text Block]

(Amounts in thousands)				Balance as of December 31,
				2015		2014
Balance Sheet:
	Assets			$	25,526,000	$	21,389,000
	Liabilities				21,162,000		17,986,000
	Noncontrolling interests				146,000		104,000
	Equity				4,218,000		3,299,000

		For the Year Ended December 31,
		2015		2014		2013
Income Statement:
	Total revenue	$	13,423,000	$	13,620,000	$	14,092,000
	Net loss		(224,000)		(434,000)		(368,000)

Equity Method Investments [Table Text Block]

(Amounts in thousands)		Percentage
		Ownership at	As of December 31,
		December 31, 2015	2015		2014
Investments:
	Partially owned office buildings⁽¹⁾	Various	$	909,782	$	760,749
	Alexander’s	32.4%		133,568		131,616
	PREIT	8.1%		133,375		-
	India real estate ventures	4.1%-36.5%		48,310		76,752
	UE	5.4%		25,351		-
	Toys⁽²⁾	32.5%		-		-
	Other investments⁽³⁾	Various		300,036		271,372
			$	1,550,422	$	1,240,489


(1)	Includes interests in 280 Park Avenue, 650 Madison Avenue, One Park Avenue, 666 Fifth Avenue (Office), 330 Madison Avenue, 512 West 22nd Street and others.
(2)	Pursuant to Rule 4-08(g) of Regulation S-X, in 2014 Toys was considered a significant subsidiary where as in 2015 it was not. As of November 1, 2014, Toys had total assets of $11,267,000, total liabilities of $10,377,000, noncontrolling interests of $82,000 and equity of $808,000.
(3)	Includes interests in Independence Plaza, 85 Tenth Avenue, Fashion Center Mall, 50-70 West 93rd Street and others.

(Amounts in thousands)			Percentage
			Ownership at		For the Year Ended December 31,
			December 31, 2015		2015		2014		2013
Our Share of Net (Loss) Income:
	Alexander's:
		Equity in net income		32.4%	$	24,209	$	21,287	$	17,721
		Management, leasing and development fees				6,869		8,722		6,681
						31,078		30,009		24,402

	UE (see page 107 for details):
		Equity in net earnings		5.4%		2,430		-		-
		Management fees				1,964		-		-
						4,394		-		-

	Toys:
		Equity in net loss⁽¹⁾		32.5%		-		(4,691)		(128,919)
		Non-cash impairment losses (see page 106 for details)				-		(75,196)		(240,757)
		Management fees				2,500		6,331		7,299
						2,500		(73,556)		(362,377)

	Partially owned office buildings⁽²⁾			Various		(23,556)		93		(4,212)

	India real estate ventures⁽³⁾			4.1%-36.5%		(18,746)		(8,309)		(3,533)

	PREIT (see page 107 for details)			8.1%		(7,450)		-		-

	LNR⁽⁴⁾			n/a		-		-		18,731

	Lexington⁽⁵⁾			n/a		-		-		(979)

	Other investments⁽⁶⁾			Various		(850)		(8,098)		(12,914)

					$	(12,630)	$	(59,861)	$	(340,882)


(1)	Pursuant to Rule 4-08(g) of Regulation S-X, in 2014 and 2013 Toys was considered a significant subsidiary where as in 2015 it was not. For the twelve months ended November 1, 2014, Toys’ total revenue was $12,645,000 and net loss attributable to Toys was $343,000. For the twelve months ended November 2, 2013, Toys’ total revenue was $13,046,000 and net loss attributable to Toys was $396,000.
(2)	Includes interests in 280 Park Avenue, 650 Madison Avenue, One Park Avenue, 666 Fifth Avenue (Office), 330 Madison Avenue, 512 West 22nd Street and others. In 2015, we recognized net losses of $39,600 from our 666 Fifth Avenue (Office) joint venture as a result of our share of depreciation expense. Also in 2015, we recognized our $12,800 share of a write-off of a below market lease liability related to a tenant vacating at 650 Madison Avenue. In 2014, we recognized our $14,500 share of accelerated depreciation from our West 57th Street joint ventures in connection with the change in estimated useful life of those properties.
(3)	Includes a $14,806 and $5,771 non-cash impairment loss in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
(4)	In 2013, we recognized net income of $18,731, comprised of (i) $42,186 for our share of LNR’s net income and (ii) a $27,231 non-cash impairment loss and (iii) a $3,776 net gain on sale.
(5)	In the first quarter of 2013, we began accounting for our investment in Lexington as a marketable security - available for sale.
(6)	Includes interests in Independence Plaza, 85 Tenth Avenue, Fashion Center Mall, 50-70 West 93rd Street and others. In 2014, we recognized a $10,263 non-cash charge, comprised of a $5,959 impairment loss and a $4,304 loan loss reserve, on our equity and debt investments in Suffolk Downs.

Schedule of debt of partially owned entities [Table Text Block]

(Amounts in thousands)			Percentage		Interest
			Ownership at		Rate at	100% Partially Owned Entities’
			December 31,		December 31,	Debt at December 31,
			2015	Maturity	2015	2015		2014
Toys:
	Notes, loans and mortgages payable		32.5%	2016-2021	7.35%	$	5,619,710	$	5,748,350

Partially owned office buildings⁽¹⁾^:
	Mortgages payable		Various	2016-2023	5.57%	$	3,771,255	$	3,691,274

PREIT:
	Mortgages payable		8.1%	2016-2025	4.04%	$	1,852,270	$	-

UE:
	Mortgages payable		5.4%	2018-2034	4.15%	$	1,246,155	$	-

Alexander's:
	Mortgages payable		32.4%	2016-2022	1.69%	$	1,053,262	$	1,032,780

India Real Estate Ventures:
	TCG Urban Infrastructure Holdings mortgages
		payable	25.0%	2016-2026	12.06%	$	185,607	$	183,541

Other⁽²⁾^:
	Mortgages payable		Various	2016-2023	4.27%	$	1,316,641	$	1,314,077


(1)	Includes 280 Park Avenue, 650 Madison Avenue, One Park Avenue, 666 Fifth Avenue (Office), 330 Madison Avenue, 512 West 22nd Street and others.
(2)	Includes Independence Plaza, Fashion Center Mall, 50-70 West 93rd Street and others.