Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income		$ 877,758	$ 517,582	$ 451,123
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		241,879	224,444	219,857
Amortization of deferred financing costs		10,587	9,386	11,989
Non-cash interest expense related to amortization of discount on equity component of exchangeable senior notes		0	3,675	4,742
Non-cash lease expense		1,869	1,173	1,064
Compensation expense related to stock-based awards		17,303	16,281	13,051
Accrual of interest income added to principal of debt securities and notes receivable		(34,550)	(8,059)	0
Gain on real estate transactions		(140,760)	(18,075)	(1,205)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures - gain on sale of real estate assets and purchase of joint venture partner's interest		(6,251)	0
Distributions from unconsolidated real estate ventures in excess of earnings		7,035	6,893	6,358
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other assets		(23,891)	(19,674)	(12,482)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		10,951	17,974	15,522
Other liabilities		(9,494)	19,632	(2,333)
Net cash provided by operating activities		952,436	771,232	707,686
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisition of real estate assets		(1,233,298)	(320,148)	(349,494)
Development and redevelopment of real estate assets		(56,226)	(67,300)	(53,717)
Proceeds from sale of real estate assets and investments in real estate ventures		572,728	44,024	11,254
Investment in unconsolidated real estate entities		(54,602)	(64,792)	(197,759)
Return of investment in unconsolidated real estate ventures		31,534	371	3,982
Issuance and purchase of notes receivable		(317,482)	(313,355)	(185,993)
Investment in debt securities		0	(300,000)	0
Proceeds from sale of notes receivable		172,002	62,764	0
Principal payments received from notes receivable		51,463	10,102	157,861
Purchase of equipment and fixtures		(3,659)	(7,093)	(7,764)
Net cash used in investing activities		(837,540)	(955,427)	(621,630)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from the sale of common stock, net of offering costs		273,189	103,468	198,827
Proceeds from notes payable and revolving lines of credit		4,666,632	3,281,000	2,214,000
Principal payments on notes payable and revolving lines of credit		(5,500,290)	(2,014,730)	(1,977,805)
Principal payments on notes payable to trusts	$ (30,928)	0	0	(30,928)	$ (88,662)
Proceeds from issuance of public bonds, net		1,040,349	0	0
Deferred financing costs		(10,698)	(4,052)	(2,986)
Repurchase of exchangeable senior notes		0	(575,000)	0
Net proceeds from exercise of stock options		4,572	4,759	3,063
Repurchase of common stock		0	(67,873)	0
Proceeds from principal payments on notes receivable collateralized by OP Units and Preferred OP Units		411	16,213	0
Redemption of Operating Partnership units held by noncontrolling interests		(788)	(1,000)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests		0	66	173
Dividends paid on common stock		(600,994)	(467,765)	(458,114)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(39,094)	(33,615)	(34,243)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		(166,711)	241,471	(88,013)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash		(51,815)	57,276	(1,957)
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of the period	$ 72,690	128,009	70,733	72,690
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of the period		76,194	128,009	70,733	$ 72,690
Supplemental schedule of cash flow information
Interest paid		152,170	159,597	174,155
Income taxes paid		26,252	5,181	10,359
Redemption of Operating Partnership units held by noncontrolling interests for common stock
Noncontrolling interests in Operating Partnership		(6,373)	(4,005)	(13,057)
Common stock and paid-in capital		6,373	4,005	13,057
Contribution of Preferred OP Units to unconsolidated real estate venture
Investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures		0	0	(28,022)
Value of Preferred Operating Partnership units issued		0	0	28,022
Redemption of Preferred Operating Partnership units for common stock
Preferred Operating Partnership units		(2,834)	(2,724)	0
Additional paid-in capital		2,834	2,724	0
Issuance of Preferred OP Units for additional investment in unconsolidated real estate venture
Conversion of Preferred Operating Units to Common Units		0	0	4,374
Acquisition and establishment of operating lease right of use assets and lease liabilities
Real estate assets - operating lease right-of-use assets		6,655	8,014	277,557
Operating lease liabilities		(6,655)	(8,014)	(286,914)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		0	0	9,357
Acquisitions of real estate assets
Real estate assets, net		318,036	41,491	21,066
Value of Operating Partnership and Preferred Operating Partnership units issued		(276,393)	0	0
Notes payable assumed		(20,028)	0	(17,157)
Investment in unconsolidated real estate ventures		5,383	0	(2,780)
Finance lease liability		(26,998)	(41,491)	0
Net liabilities assumed		0	0	(1,129)
Accrued construction costs and capital expenditures
Acquisition of real estate assets		1,323	656	2,203
Development and redevelopment of real estate assets		0	0	1,601
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		$ (1,323)	$ (656)	$ (3,804)