Variable Interest Entities (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Through Secured Loans [Member] | Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of VIE real estate joint ventures	2
Through Guaranty On Debt [Member] | Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of VIE real estate joint ventures	1
Texas [Member] | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of neighborhood/community shopping centers	22
Georgia [Member] | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of neighborhood/community shopping centers	3
Tennessee [Member] | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of neighborhood/community shopping centers	2
Florida [Member] | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of neighborhood/community shopping centers	2
North Carolina [Member] | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of neighborhood/community shopping centers	1
Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Maximum exposure to loss	$ 75,737,000	[1]	$ 56,448,000	[1]
Debt associated with tenancy-in-common arrangement	21,500,000
Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of VIE real estate joint ventures	2
Number of neighborhood/community shopping centers	30
Maximum exposure to loss	156,800,000
Assets held by consolidated variable interest entities	271,100,000		280,300,000
Variable interest entity classification of carrying amount collateral	$ 249,200,000		$ 253,600,000

[1] The maximum risk of loss has been determined to be limited to our debt exposure for each real estate joint venture.