Mortgages, notes payable and credit line (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 14, 2013	Feb. 01, 2010	Feb. 01, 2012	Oct. 31, 2015		Oct. 31, 2014		Oct. 31, 2013		Jan. 30, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount drawn on loan				$ 307,899,000		$ 251,552,000
Repayment of mortgages and construction loan				4,117,000		13,260,000		$ 45,747,000
Construction and pre-development costs				48,576,000	[1]	33,579,000	[2]	4,732,000	[3]
Amount due within five years				$ 22,062,000
Mortgages [Member] | Frederick, MD [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				5.55%
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 16,371,000
Mortgages [Member] | Rockaway, NJ Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				5.37%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 115,850
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 16,754,000
Mortgages [Member] | Westwood, NJ#1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Refinanced loan amount	$ 8,000,000
Mortgages [Member] | Westwood, NJ #2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				4.75%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 129,702
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				8,074,000
Loan amount				$ 22,750,000
Mortgages [Member] | Patchogue, NY [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				4.50%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 31,046
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 6,928,000
Loan To Value				75.00%
Mortgages [Member] | Wayne, NJ Mortgage 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				6.09%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 121,100
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 1,740,000
Mortgages [Member] | River Edge, NJ Refinanced Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				4.54%
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 897,000
Loan amount				$ 11,200,000
Mortgages [Member] | Refinanced Maywood, NJ Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				4.54%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 43,605
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				718,000
Loan amount				$ 8,500,000
Mortgages [Member] | Westwood, NJ #3 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				4.62%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 120,752
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 10,094,000
Mortgages [Member] | Second Wayne, NJ Mortgage [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				6.04%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 206,960
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 26,317,000
Mortgages [Member] | Hackensack, NJ [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				5.38%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 191,197
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 41,201,000
Mortgages [Member] | Damascus, MD [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis points, interest rate				2.10%
Fixed interest rate				3.81%
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 28,851,000
Loan amount				25,000,000
Amount drawn on loan				20,000,000
Unused loan draw				$ 5,000,000
Term of the loan				36 months
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Baltimore, MD [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis points, interest rate				3.50%
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 130,943,000
Loan amount		$ 19,500,000								$ 22,500,000
Amount drawn on loan				91,953,000		42,689,000
Construction and pre-development costs				$ 73,000,000
Debt reduction		$ 3,000,000	$ 110,000
Interest rate floor				4.00%
Monthly principal payment amount				$ 10,000
Amount due within five years				92,000
Repayments of debt to affiliate				19,000,000
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Baltimore, MD [Member] | Construction in Progress [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 99,700,000
Provident Bank [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis points, interest rate				1.75%
Amount drawn on loan						5,000,000
Term of the loan				2 years
Interest rate floor				3.50%
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 12,800,000				$ 18,000,000
Line of credit, current borrowing capacity				$ 12,800,000
Provident Bank [Member] | Middletown, NY [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis points, interest rate				1.25%
Debt Instrument, Collateral Amount				$ 20,421,000
Loan amount				$ 16,200,000
Annual interest costs				3.75%
Monthly principal payment amount				$ 27,807
Construction Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Refinanced loan amount				15,000,000		15,000,000
Loan amount						$ 25,000,000
Amount drawn on loan				$ 19,000,000
Construction Loan [Member] | Baltimore, MD [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis points, interest rate				2.25%
Loan amount				$ 120,000,000
Term of the loan				4 years

[1] Includes $5,523 that was incurred and accrued in fiscal 2014; paid in fiscal 2015.

[2] Includes $3,766 that was incurred and accrued in fiscal 2013; paid in fiscal 2014.

[3] Includes $743 that was incurred and accrued in fiscal 2012; paid in fiscal 2013.