Note 4 - Investments and Advances in Real Estate Joint Ventures (Detail) - Joint Venture Investments Accounted for Under the Equity Method - Investment Details (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013 sqft		Dec. 31, 2012 sqft
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	1,063,000	[1]
KimPru and KimPru II [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	15.00%	[2],[3]	15.00%	[2],[3]
Number of Properties	61	[2],[3]	61	[2],[3]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	10,700,000	[2],[3]	10,700,000	[2],[3]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	$ 2,733.0	[2],[3]	$ 2,744.9	[2],[3]
The Company's Investment	170.2	[2],[3]	170.1	[2],[3]
Kimco Income Opportunity Portfolio (“KIR”) [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	45.00%	[2]	45.00%	[2]
Number of Properties	58	[2]	58	[2]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	12,400,000	[2]	12,400,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	1,544.3	[2]	1,543.2	[2]
The Company's Investment	140.5	[2]	140.3	[2]
UBS Programs [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	17.90%	[2],[4],[5]	17.90%	[2],[4],[5]
Number of Properties	39	[2],[4],[5]	40	[2],[4],[5]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	5,600,000	[2],[4],[5]	5,700,000	[2],[4],[5]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	1,260.1	[2],[4],[5]	1,260.1	[2],[4],[5]
The Company's Investment	58.0	[2],[4],[5]	58.4	[2],[4],[5]
BIG Shopping Centers [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	37.90%	[2],[4]	37.70%	[2],[4]
Number of Properties	21	[2],[4]	22	[2],[4]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	3,400,000	[2],[4]	3,600,000	[2],[4]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	518.4	[2],[4]	547.7	[2],[4]
The Company's Investment	32.4	[2],[4]	31.3	[2],[4]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPP”) [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	55.00%	[2]	55.00%	[2]
Number of Properties	6	[2]	6	[2]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	2,400,000	[2]	2,400,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	436.0	[2]	436.1	[2]
The Company's Investment	148.7	[2]	149.5	[2]
Kimco Income Fund [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	29.80%	[2],[6]	15.20%	[2],[6]
Number of Properties	12	[2],[6]	12	[2],[6]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	1,500,000	[2],[6]	1,500,000	[2],[6]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	287.3	[2],[6]	287.0	[2],[6]
The Company's Investment	32.2	[2],[6]	12.3	[2],[6]
SEB Immobilien [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	15.00%	[2]	15.00%	[2]
Number of Properties	13	[2]	13	[2]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	1,800,000	[2]	1,800,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	361.4	[2]	361.2	[2]
The Company's Investment	1.3	[2]	1.5	[2]
Other Institutional Programs [Member]
Average Ownership Interest		[2],[7]		[2],[7]
Number of Properties	57	[2],[7]	58	[2],[7]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	2,500,000	[2],[7]	2,600,000	[2],[7]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	451.6	[2],[7]	499.2	[2],[7]
The Company's Investment	16.9	[2],[7]	21.3	[2],[7]
RioCan [Member]
Average Ownership Interest	50.00%		50.00%
Number of Properties	45		45
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	9,300,000		9,300,000
Gross Investment In Real Estate	1,349.3		1,379.3
The Company's Investment	103.5		111.0
Intown [Member]
Average Ownership Interest		[8]		[8]
Number of Properties	138	[8]	138	[8]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)		[8]		[8]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	844.1	[8]	841.0	[8]
The Company's Investment	83.1	[8]	86.9	[8]
Latin America [Member]
Number of Properties	131		131
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	18,000,000		18,000,000
Gross Investment In Real Estate	1,192.2		1,198.1
The Company's Investment	342.6		334.2
Other Joint Venture Programs [Member]
Average Ownership Interest		[10],[9]		[10],[9]
Number of Properties	86	[10],[9]	87	[10],[9]
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	13,100,000	[10],[9]	13,200,000	[10],[9]
Gross Investment In Real Estate	1,819.4	[10],[9]	1,846.7	[10],[9]
The Company's Investment	312.8	[10],[9]	311.4	[10],[9]
Total [Member]
Number of Properties	667		671
Total GLA (in Square Feet)	80,700,000		81,200,000
Gross Investment In Real Estate	12,797.1		12,944.5
The Company's Investment	$ 1,442.2		$ 1,428.2

[1] Gross leasable area ("GLA")

[2] The Company manages these joint venture investments and, where applicable, earns acquisition fees, leasing commissions, property management fees, asset management fees and construction management fees.

[3] This venture represents four separate joint ventures, with four separate accounts managed by Prudential Real Estate Investors ("PREI"), three of these ventures are collectively referred to as KimPru and the remaining venture is referred to as KimPru II.

[4] Ownership % is a blended rate

[5] During the three months ended March 31, 2013, UBS sold an operating property to the Company for a sales price of $32.7 million, which was equal to the remaining debt balance. The Company evaluated this transaction pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance. As such the Company recognized no gain or loss from the fair value adjustment associated with it's the Company's original ownership due to a change in control and now consolidates this operating property.

[6] During the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Company purchased an additional 14.49% interest in Kimco Income Fund for $19.9 million.

[7] During the three months ended March 31, 2013, a joint venture in which the Company held a noncontrolling interest sold an operating property to the Company for a sales price of $14.2 million. The Company evaluated this transaction pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance. As such the Company recognized a gain of $0.5 million from the fair value adjustment associated with the Company's original ownership due to a change in control and now consolidates this operating property.

[8] The Company's share of this investment is subject to fluctuation and is dependent upon property cash flows.

[9] During the three months ended March 31, 2013, a joint venture in which the Company held a noncontrolling interest sold an operating property to the Company for a sales price of $98.0 million. The Company evaluated this transaction pursuant to the FASB's Consolidation guidance. As such, the Company recognized a gain of $22.7 million, before income tax, from the fair value adjustment associated with its original ownership due to a change in control and now consolidates this operating property.

[10] During the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Company amended one of its Canadian preferred equity investment agreements to restructure the investment as a pari passu joint venture in which the Company holds a noncontrolling interest. As a result of this transaction, the Company continues to account for its investment in this joint venture under the equity method of accounting and includes this investment in Investments and advances to real estate joint ventures within the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.