Note 2 - Operating Property Activities (Detail)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended											9 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended							9 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Operating Properties [Member] Initial [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Outparcels [Member] Seller Financing [Member] Additional [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Outparcels [Member] Initial [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Outparcels [Member] Additional [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Land Parcel [Member] Additional [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 First 6 Months [Member] Additional [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Remaining Term [Member] Additional [Member] Dispositions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Frontier Village and Silverdale S.C. [Member] Acquisitions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Frontier Village and Silverdale S.C. [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Various [Member] Acquisitions [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Various [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Duncan, SC and Peru, IL [Member] Acquisitions [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Duncan, SC and Peru, IL [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Towson Place [Member] Acquisitions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Towson Place [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2012 Towson Place [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2012 Pompano Beach [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Pompano Beach [Member] USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2012 FNC Realty Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Initial [Member] Dispositions [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Initial [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Additional [Member] Dispositions [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Additional [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Additional II [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Additional II [Member] MXN	Sep. 30, 2012 Additional III [Member] Deferred [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Additional III [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisitions [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Previously Consolidated Joint Venture [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Impairment of Property Carrying Value [Member] USD ($)
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	20.00%		20.00%										15.00%						30.00%
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain														$ 2,000,000						$ 12,100,000
Number of Real Estate Properties	26		26		690	30	1	2	2	4					67		2																		6		3
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent															99.10%		92.00%									82.08%
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired																0.90%										13.00%
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price	508,588,000		508,588,000													700,000					127,000,000	[1]		12,180,000	[2]	14,600,000										8,700,000
Percent of Ownership Sold																		4.00%
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses																		100,000
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments			103,743,000	49,810,000																1,100,000
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed																				57,600,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners																							50.00%
Number of Joint Ventures																																				4
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests			4,745,000	4,758,000																																7,400,000
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other																																				200,000
Sales of Real Estate																												234,000,000		7,100,000	1,900,000	24,300,000		55,500,000
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal of Discontinued Operation, Net of Tax	11,329,000	4,535,000	34,571,000	8,722,000																								36,500,000
Impairment of Real Estate			37,600,000	16,700,000																							14,300,000		300,000								22,200,000
Land Sales																														2,000,000	400,000	5,700,000
Financing Receivable, Net																													1,750,000
Financing Receivable, Interest Rate											6.50%	7.50%
Number of Months																													6
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Properties																																		10,000,000
Deferred Gain on Sale of Property																																	2,000,000
Real Estate Investment Property, at Cost																																					38,300,000
Fair Value Of Real Estate	$ 16,141,000		$ 16,141,000		$ 5,289,000																																$ 16,100,000

[1] This property was acquired from a joint venture in which the Company had a 30% noncontrolling interest. The Company evaluated this transaction pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance and as such recognized a gain of $12.1 million from the fair value adjustment associated with its original ownership due to a change in control. In addition, the Company recognized promote income of $1.1 million in connection with this transaction. The gain and promote income are included in Equity in income of joint ventures, net on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Additionally, the debt assumed in connection with this transaction of $57.6 million was repaid in May 2012.

[2] This property was acquired from a joint venture in which the Company had a 50% noncontrolling interest. The Company evaluated this transaction pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance. This transaction resulted in a change in control with no gain or loss recognized.