Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Total Outstanding Cdd Debt	Dec. 31, 2011 Total Outstanding Cdd Debt	Sep. 30, 2012 Community Development District Debt
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Total community development district debt	$ 8.7	$ 30.2	$ 35.3	$ 56.8
Prepayment of community development district assessment obligations					19.9
Defeased debt	$ 21.7

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of a type of municipal bond typically used to fund a development project. Also called special assessment limited liability bond, special district bond, special purpose bond, special tax bond and community development obligation. Interest owed to lenders is paid by taxes levied on the community benefiting from the particular bond-funded project. For example, if a bond of this sort was issued to pay for sidewalks to be repaved in a certain community, an additional tax would be levied on homeowners in the area benefiting from this project.

No definition available.

Name:	joe_TotalCommunityDevelopmentDistrictDebt
Namespace Prefix:	joe_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration