Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Principles of Consolidation - The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Kimco Realty Corporation and Subsidiaries, (the "Company"). The Company's Subsidiaries includes subsidiaries which are wholly-owned, and all entities in which the Company has a controlling financial interest, including where the Company has been determined to be a primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity ("VIE") or meets certain criteria of a sole general partner or managing member in accordance with the Consolidation guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC"). All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The information furnished in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is unaudited and reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to reflect a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 ("10-K"), as certain disclosures in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that would duplicate those included in the 10-K are not included in these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Subsequent Events, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Subsequent Events - The Company has evaluated subsequent events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure in the financial statements (see Footnote 21).
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income Taxes - The Company elected status as a Real Estate Investment Trust (a "REIT") for federal income tax purposes beginning in its taxable year ended December 31, 1991 and operates in a manner that enables the Company to maintain its status as a REIT. As a REIT, the Company must distribute at least 90 percent of its taxable income and will not pay federal income taxes on the amount distributed to its shareholders.Therefore, the Company is not subject to federal income taxes if it distributes 100 percent of its taxable income.Most states, where the Company holds investments in real estate, conform to the federal rules recognizing REITs.Certain subsidiaries have made a joint election with the Company to be treated as taxable REIT subsidiaries ("TRS"), which permit the Company to engage in certain business activities in which the REIT may not conduct directly.A TRS is subject to federal and state income taxes on the income from these activities and the Company includes a provision for taxes in its condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company is subject to and also includes in its tax provision non-U.S. income taxes on certain investments located in jurisdictions outside the U.S.
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Earnings Per Share - The following table sets forth the reconciliation of earnings and the weighted average number of shares used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share (amounts presented in thousands except per share data): Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 2011 2012 2011 Computation of Basic Earnings Per Share: Income from continuing operations $ 62,387 $ 42,299 $ 119,258 $ 72,897 Gain on sale of operating properties, net of tax 4,059 - 4,059 - Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (3,275 ) (2,606 ) (8,785 ) (5,665 ) Discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests 51 118 2,282 227 Preferred stock dividends (20,841 ) (14,841 ) (36,415 ) (29,681 ) Income from continuing operations available to the common shareholders 42,381 24,970 80,399 37,778 Earnings attributable to unvested restricted shares (313 ) (166 ) (627 ) (331 ) Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders 42,068 24,804 79,772 37,447 Income/(loss) from discontinued operations attributable to the Company 5,890 (1,102 ) 5,936 212 Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders for basic earnings per share $ 47,958 $ 23,702 $ 85,708 $ 37,659 Weighted average common shares outstanding 405,560 406,559 405,916 406,500 Basic Earning Per Share Attributable to the Company's Common Shareholders: Income from continuing operations $ 0.10 $ 0.06 $ 0.20 $ 0.09 Income from discontinued operations 0.02 - 0.01 - Net income $ 0.12 $ 0.06 $ 0.21 $ 0.09 Computation of Diluted Earnings Per Share: Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders $ 42,068 $ 24,804 $ 79,772 $ 37,447 Income/(loss) from discontinued operations attributable to the Company 5,890 (1,102 ) 5,936 212 Net income attributable to the Company's common shareholders for diluted earnings per share $ 47,958 $ 23,702 $ 85,708 $ 37,659 Weighted average common sharesoutstanding - basic 405,560 406,559 405,916 406,500 Effect of dilutive securities (a): Equity awards 916 1,003 911 972 Shares for diluted earnings per common share 406,476 407,562 406,827 407,472 Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to the Company's Common Shareholders: Income from continuing operations $ 0.10 $ 0.06 $ 0.20 $ 0.09 Incomefrom discontinued operations 0.02 - 0.01 - Net income $ 0.12 $ 0.06 $ 0.21 $ 0.09 (a) For the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the effect of certain convertible units would have an anti-dilutive effect upon the calculation of Income from continuing operations per share.Accordingly, the impact of such conversion has not been included in the determination of diluted earnings per share calculations.Additionally, there were 14,343,058 and 13,663,959 stock options that were not dilutive at June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The Company's unvested restricted share awards contain non-forfeitable rights to distributions or distribution equivalents. The impact of the unvested restricted share awards on earnings per share has been calculated using the two-class method whereby earnings are allocated to the unvested restricted share awards based on dividends declared and the unvested restricted shares' participation rights in undistributed earnings.
Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]	New Accounting Pronouncements - In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-04, "Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820) - Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS" ("ASU 2011-04"). ASU 2011-04 clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement requirements, changes certain principles related to measuring fair value and requires additional disclosures about fair value measurements. Specifically, the guidance specifies that the concepts of highest and best use and valuation premise in a fair value measurement are only relevant when measuring the fair value of nonfinancial assets whereas they are not relevant when measuring the fair value of financial assets and liabilities. Required disclosures are expanded under the new guidance, especially for fair value measurements that are categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, for which quantitative information about the unobservable inputs used, and a narrative description of the valuation processes in place and sensitivity of recurring Level 3 measurements to changes in unobservable inputs will be required. Entities will also be required to disclose the categorization by level of the fair value hierarchy for items that are not measured at fair value in the balance sheet but for which the fair value is required to be disclosed. ASU 2011-04 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, and is to be applied prospectively. The Company's adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on its financial statement presentation. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income ("ASU 2011-05"). The amendments in this ASU require an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of equity. In December 2011, the FASB deferred portions of this update in its issuance of ASU 2011-12 Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-12 ("ASU 2011-12"), Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in ASU 2011-05. The amendment requires that all non-owner changes in stockholders' equity be presented in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-12 defers only those changes in ASU 2011-05 that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income. ASU 2011-05 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted, but full retrospective application is required. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 and ASU 2011-12 did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statement presentation. In November 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-10, Property, Plant and Equipment (Topic 360): Derecognition of in Substance Real Estate - a Scope Clarification (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force) ("ASU 2011-10"). ASU 2011-10 requires a parent company that ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary that is in substance real estate because the subsidiary has defaulted on its nonrecourse debt to use the FASB's Real Estate guidance to determine whether to derecognize the in substance real estate entities. ASU 2011-10 is effective for reporting periods beginning on or after June 15, 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-10 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations. In December 2011, the FASB released ASU 2011-11, Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities ("ASU 2011-11"). ASU 2011-11 requires companies to provide new disclosures about offsetting and related arrangements for financial instruments and derivatives. The provisions of ASU 2011-11 are effective for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and are required to be applied retrospectively. The adoption of ASU 2011-11 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statement disclosures.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassifications - The Company made the following reclassifications to the Company's 2011 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets to conform to the 2012 presentation: (i) a reclassification of amounts relating to leasing commissions from Operating real estate and Real estate under development to Other assets.