Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Real estate, net	$ 803,939	$ 783,902
Allowance For Doubtful Accounts [Abstract]
Allowance for doubtful accounts (in US dollars)	918	1,544
Recently Issued Accounting Literature [Abstract]
Deferred debt issuance costs, net	$ 6,325	$ 4,824
Maximum [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash And Cash Equivalent Maturity Maximum	3 months
Short-term Investments [Abstract]
Short Term Investments Maturity Period	6 months
Minimum [Member]
Short-term Investments [Abstract]
Short Term Investments Maturity Period	3 months
Rego Park I [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Percentage of cash mortgage collateralized	100.00%

No definition available.

Name:	alx_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	alx_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The original maximum maturity date of all liquid investments classified as cash and cash equivalents

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alx_CashAndCashEquivalentMaturityMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	alx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of cash mortgage collateralized

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alx_PercentageOfCashMortgageCollateralized
Namespace Prefix:	alx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Short Term Investments Maturity Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alx_ShortTermInvestmentsMaturityPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	alx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, a valuation allowance for receivables due a company that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=d3e5074-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, the carrying amount (net of accumulated amortization) as of the balance sheet date of capitalized costs associated with the issuance of debt instruments (for example, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs) that will be charged against earnings over the life of the debt instruments to which such costs pertain.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28555-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementsAndChangesInAccountingPrinciplesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of real estate investment property, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; and (7) other real estate investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=alx_RegoPark1PropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: