New Valley LLC (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) building	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) unit	Jun. 30, 2015 building	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) unit	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 211,825	$ 217,168			$ 211,825
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	(1,526)		$ (1,103)		(2,108)	$ (2,654)
Investments in real estate ventures					23,358	43,280
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures					(23,041)	(11,205)
Investments in real estate, net	23,630	$ 23,318			23,630
Escena
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Operating losses	803		779		594	227
Apartment Buildings | ST Portfolio, Highgrove [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties sold | building		1
Number of real estate properties | building		2
Apartment Buildings | ST Portfolio, Phoenix [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties sold | building				1
Number of real estate properties | building		3
New Valley LLC [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	211,825	$ 217,168			211,825
Interest costs capitalized					8,111
Investments in real estate, net	$ 23,630	23,318			$ 23,630
New Valley LLC [Member] | Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	70.59%				70.59%
New Valley LLC [Member] | 10 Madison Square Park West (1107 Broadway)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 1,596	11,391			$ 1,596
New Valley LLC [Member] | The Marquand (11 East 68th Street) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	9,310	13,900			9,310
New Valley LLC [Member] | 11 Beach Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	13,989	13,209			13,989
New Valley LLC [Member] | 20 Times Square (701 Seventh Avenue)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	19,886	14,985			19,886
New Valley LLC [Member] | 111 Murray Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	25,176	25,567			25,176
New Valley LLC [Member] | 160 Leroy Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	4,547	3,952			4,547
New Valley LLC [Member] | 215 Chrystie Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	5,856	5,592			5,856
New Valley LLC [Member] | The Dutch (25-19 43rd Avenue)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	1,157	1,077			1,157
New Valley LLC [Member] | 1 QPS Tower (23-10 Queens Plaza South) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	17,224	16,177			17,224
New Valley LLC [Member] | 87 Park (8701 Collins Avenue)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	11,313	8,658			11,313
New Valley LLC [Member] | 125 Greenwich Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	9,865	9,750			9,865
New Valley LLC [Member] | West Hollywood Edition (9040 Sunset Boulevard)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	13,549	10,510			13,549
New Valley LLC [Member] | 76 Eleventh Avenue
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 19,379	$ 17,967			$ 19,379
New Valley LLC [Member] | Monad Terrace
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	24.30%	31.30%			24.30%
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 7,924	$ 6,608			$ 7,924
New Valley LLC [Member] | Takanasee
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	5,169	4,680			5,169
New Valley LLC [Member] | ST Portfolio and Maryland Portfolio [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures					(8,821)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Maryland Portfolio
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	0	0			0
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures						(1,989)
New Valley LLC [Member] | ST Portfolio
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	9,122	15,754			9,122
New Valley LLC [Member] | Park Lane Hotel and Coral Beach and Tennis Club [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures					3,005	2,277
New Valley LLC [Member] | Park Lane Hotel
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	20,620	19,697			20,620
New Valley LLC [Member] | Coral Beach and Tennis Club
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	3,401	3,159			3,401
New Valley LLC [Member] | Hotel Taiwana
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	7,322	7,069			7,322
New Valley LLC [Member] | The Plaza at Harmon Meadow
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 3,461	5,449			3,461
New Valley LLC [Member] | 20 Times Square, 160 Leroy Street, West Hollywood Edition, 87 Park, Takanasee and Monad Terrace [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures					20,353
New Valley LLC [Member] | 10 Madison Square West, 1 QPS Tower, 125 Greenwich Street, 76 Eleventh Avenue and Monad Terrace [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures						35,776
New Valley LLC [Member] | 10 Madison Square West, the Marquand, West Hollywood Edition, 111 Murray Street [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures					$ (29,894)
New Valley LLC [Member] | 111 Murray Street and Chelsea Eleven [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures						(11,441)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Insurance consulting company
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	50.00%				50.00%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Harmon Meadow
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Distributions from investments in real estate ventures					$ (375)	(340)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Escena
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate, net	$ 10,897	10,716			10,897
New Valley LLC [Member] | Escena | Escena
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Land and land improvements	8,908	8,907			8,908
Building and building improvements	1,878	1,875			1,878
Investments in real estate, net	2,028	1,923			2,028
Total investment in Escena before depreciation	12,814	12,705			12,814
Less accumulated depreciation	(1,917)	(1,989)			(1,917)
Assets of Escena, net	10,897	10,716			10,897
New Valley LLC [Member] | Sagaponack
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate, net	12,733	12,602			12,733
Total investment in Escena before depreciation								$ 12,502
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	165,940	164,023			165,940
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	1,568		$ 248		3,347	923
Maximum exposure to loss as a result of this investment	$ 143,899				$ 143,899
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	3.10%				3.10%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	49.50%				49.50%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 10 Madison Square Park West (1107 Broadway)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	$ 2,410				$ 6,621	(78)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | Other Condominiums and Mixed-Use Development Projects [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	(842)				(69)	20
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | The Marquand (11 East 68th Street) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(986)	$ 1,900
Number of units in real estate property sold | unit			5			5
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 11 Beach Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(243)	$ (400)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 111 Murray Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(378)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 215 Chrystie Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(176)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 1 QPS Tower (23-10 Queens Plaza South) [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(175)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 87 Park (8701 Collins Avenue)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(347)	(490)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | 125 Greenwich Street
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments						(265)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | West Hollywood Edition (9040 Sunset Boulevard)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(435)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | Monad Terrace
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments					(465)
New Valley LLC [Member] | Condominium and Mixed Use Development | Chelsea Eleven LLC
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments						236
New Valley LLC [Member] | Apartment Buildings
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	9,122	15,754			9,122
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	43		$ (72)		2,189	1,730
Maximum exposure to loss as a result of this investment	$ 9,122				$ 9,122
New Valley LLC [Member] | Apartment Buildings | Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	7.60%				7.60%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Apartment Buildings | Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	16.30%				16.30%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Hotels
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 31,343	29,925			$ 31,343
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	(743)		(1,323)		(1,587)	$ (2,330)
Maximum exposure to loss as a result of this investment	$ 31,343				$ 31,343
New Valley LLC [Member] | Hotels | Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	5.20%				5.20%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Hotels | Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Equity-method ownership percentage	49.00%				49.00%
New Valley LLC [Member] | Commercial
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	$ 3,461	5,449			$ 3,461
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	(81)		$ 20		(1,613)		$ 47
Maximum exposure to loss as a result of this investment	3,461				3,461
New Valley LLC [Member] | Other
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Investments in real estate ventures	1,959	$ 2,017			1,959
Douglas Elliman Realty LLC [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Proceeds from commissions received	$ 5,118				$ 13,197