Note 4 - Investment and Advances in Real Estate Joint Ventures (Details) - Joint Venture Investments Accounted for under the Equity Method - Investment Details (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Total GLA	5,959	[1]
KimPru and KimPru II [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest	15.00%	[2],[3],[4]	15.00%	[2],[3],[4]
Number of Properties	59	[2],[3],[4]	60	[2],[3],[4]
Total GLA	10,300,000	[2],[3],[4]	10,600,000	[2],[3],[4]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	$ 2,695.7	[2],[3],[4]	$ 2,728.9	[2],[3],[4]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	173.7	[2],[3],[4]	178.6	[2],[3],[4]
Kimco Income Fund [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest	48.60%	[2]	48.60%	[2]
Number of Properties	54	[2]	54	[2]
Total GLA	11,500,000	[2]	11,500,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	1,491.2	[2]	1,488.2	[2]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	151.4	[2]	152.1	[2]
Kimstone [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest		[2],[5]	33.30%	[2],[5]
Number of Properties		[2],[5]	39	[2],[5]
Total GLA		[2],[5]	5,600,000	[2],[5]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)		[2],[5]	1,098.7	[2],[5]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)		[2],[5]	98.1	[2],[5]
BIG Shopping Centers [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest	50.10%	[2]	50.10%	[2]
Number of Properties	6	[2]	6	[2]
Total GLA	1,000,000	[2]	1,000,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	151.6	[2]	151.6	[2]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)		[2]		[2]
CPP [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest	55.00%	[2]	55.00%	[2]
Number of Properties	7	[2]	7	[2]
Total GLA	2,400,000	[2]	2,400,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	508.8	[2]	504.0	[2]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	191.2	[2]	188.9	[2]
SEB Immobilien [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest	15.00%	[2]	15.00%	[2]
Number of Properties	3	[2]	3	[2]
Total GLA	400,000	[2]	400,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	85.9	[2]	86.0	[2]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	2.4	[2]	2.5	[2]
Other Institutional Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest		[2]		[2]
Number of Properties	50	[2]	50	[2]
Total GLA	1,400,000	[2]	1,400,000	[2]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	327.8	[2]	327.8	[2]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	8.4	[2]	8.5	[2]
RioCan [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest	50.00%	[6]	50.00%	[6]
Number of Properties	42	[6]	45	[6]
Total GLA	8,800,000	[6]	9,300,000	[6]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	1,017.6	[6]	1,205.8	[6]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	124.2	[6]	159.8	[6]
Latin America Portfolio [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Properties	11		13
Total GLA	100,000		100,000
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	83.6		91.2
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	23.3		24.4
Other Joint Venture Programs [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Average Ownership Interest		[7]		[7]
Number of Properties	58	[7]	60	[7]
Total GLA	9,500,000	[7]	9,500,000	[7]
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	1,353.7	[7]	1,401.2	[7]
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	211.7	[7]	224.3	[7]
All Equity Method Investments [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Properties	290		337
Total GLA	45,400,000		51,800,000
Gross Investment In Real Estate (in Dollars)	7,715.9		9,083.4
The Company's Investment (in Dollars)	$ 886.3		$ 1,037.2

[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] During the three months ended March 31, 2015, KimPru II sold an operating property in North Lauderdale, FL for a sales price of $23.2 million and recognized a loss of $0.6 million. The Company's share of this loss was $0.1 million.

[5] During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company purchased the remaining 66.7% interest in the 39-property Kimstone portfolio from Blackstone for a gross purchase price of $1.4 billion, including the assumption of $638.0 million in mortgage debt.

[6] During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company sold its noncontrolling interest in three properties and a land parcel to its partner, RioCan, for a total sales price of CAD $238.1 million (USD $190.7 million). The Company recognized a gain of $53.5 million, before income taxes, associated with the transaction.

[7] During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company acquired one property from a joint venture in which the Company had a noncontrolling interest for a total sales price of $5.8 million.