Interim Financial Statements	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]
Interim Financial Statements	Interim Financial Statements General Taubman Centers, Inc. (the Company or TCO) is a Michigan corporation that operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Taubman Realty Group Limited Partnership (the Operating Partnership or TRG) is a majority-owned partnership subsidiary of TCO that owns direct or indirect interests in all of the Company’s real estate properties. In this report, the term “Company" refers to TCO, the Operating Partnership, and/or the Operating Partnership's subsidiaries as the context may require. The Company engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, and expansion of regional and super-regional retail shopping centers and interests therein. The Company’s owned portfolio as of March 31, 2017 included 24 urban and suburban shopping centers operating in 11 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and China. Taubman Properties Asia LLC and its subsidiaries (Taubman Asia), which is the platform for the Company’s operations and developments in China and South Korea, is headquartered in Hong Kong. The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements for the interim periods have been made. The results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for a full year. Dollar amounts presented in tables within the notes to the financial statements are stated in thousands, except share data or as otherwise noted. Consolidation The consolidated financial statements of the Company include all accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including The Taubman Company LLC (the Manager) and Taubman Asia. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The entities included in these consolidated financial statements are separate legal entities and maintain records and books of account separate from any other entity. However, inclusion of these separate entities in the consolidated financial statements does not mean that the assets and credit of each of these legal entities are available to satisfy the debts or other obligations of any other such legal entity included in the consolidated financial statements. In determining the method of accounting for partially owned joint ventures, the Company evaluates the characteristics of associated entities and determines whether an entity is a variable interest entity (VIE), and, if so, determines whether the Company is the primary beneficiary by analyzing whether the Company has both the power to direct the entity's significant economic activities and the obligation to absorb potentially significant losses or receive potentially significant benefits. Significant judgments and assumptions inherent in this analysis include the nature of the entity's operations, the entity's financing and capital structure, and contractual relationship and terms, including consideration of governance and decision making rights. The Company consolidates a VIE when it has determined that it is the primary beneficiary. All of the Company’s consolidated joint ventures, including the Operating Partnership, meet the definition and criteria as VIEs, as either the Company or an affiliate of the Company is the primary beneficiary of each VIE. The Company’s sole significant asset is its investment in the Operating Partnership and, consequently, substantially all of the Company’s consolidated assets and liabilities are assets and liabilities of the Operating Partnership. All of the Company’s debt (Note 5) is an obligation of the Operating Partnership or its consolidated subsidiaries. Note 5 also provides disclosure of guarantees provided by the Operating Partnership to certain consolidated joint ventures. Note 6 provides additional disclosures of the carrying balance of the noncontrolling interests in its consolidated joint ventures and other information, including a description of certain rights of the noncontrolling owners. Investments in entities not controlled but over which the Company may exercise significant influence (Unconsolidated Joint Ventures or UJVs) are accounted for under the equity method. The Company has evaluated its investments in the Unconsolidated Joint Ventures under guidance for determining whether an entity is a VIE and has concluded that the ventures are not VIEs. Accordingly, the Company accounts for its interests in these entities under general accounting standards for investments in real estate ventures (including guidance for determining effective control of a limited partnership or similar entity). The Company’s partners or other owners in these Unconsolidated Joint Ventures have substantive participating rights including approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, financing, admission of new partners/members, or sale of the properties and the Company has concluded that the equity method of accounting is appropriate for these interests. Specifically, the Company’s 79% and 50.1% investments in Westfarms and International Plaza, respectively, are through general partnerships in which the other general partners have participating rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, refinancing, or sale of the property. The Company provides its beneficial interest in certain financial information of its Unconsolidated Joint Ventures (Notes 4 and 5). This beneficial information is derived as the Company's ownership interest in the investee multiplied by the specific financial statement item being presented. Investors are cautioned that deriving the Company's beneficial interest in this manner may not accurately depict the legal and economic implications of holding a noncontrolling interest in the investee. Ownership In addition to the Company’s common stock, there were three classes of preferred stock outstanding (Series B, J, and K) as of March 31, 2017. Dividends on the 6.5% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series J Preferred Stock) and the 6.25% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series K Preferred Stock) are cumulative and are paid on the last business day of each calendar quarter. The Company owns corresponding Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests in the Operating Partnership that entitle the Company to income and distributions (in the form of guaranteed payments) in amounts equal to the dividends payable on the Company’s Series J and Series K Preferred Stock. The Company also is obligated to issue to partners in the Operating Partnership other than the Company, upon subscription, one share of nonparticipating Series B Preferred Stock per each Operating Partnership unit. The Series B Preferred Stock entitles its holders to one vote per share on all matters submitted to the Company’s shareowners and votes together with the common stock on all matters as a single class. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock are not entitled to dividends or earnings. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible into the Company’s common stock at a ratio of 14,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock for one share of common stock. Outstanding voting securities of the Company at March 31, 2017 consisted of 24,954,059 shares of Series B Preferred Stock and 60,685,420 shares of common stock. The Operating Partnership At March 31, 2017, the Operating Partnership’s equity included two classes of preferred equity (Series J and K) and the net equity of the partnership unitholders. Net income and distributions of the Operating Partnership are allocable first to the preferred equity interests, and the remaining amounts to the general and limited partners in the Operating Partnership in accordance with their percentage ownership. The Series J and Series K Preferred Equity are owned by the Company and are eliminated in consolidation. The Company's ownership in the Operating Partnership at March 31, 2017 consisted of a 71% managing general partnership interest, as well as the Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests. The Company's average ownership percentage in the Operating Partnership for both the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 was 71%. At March 31, 2017, the Operating Partnership had 85,656,699 partnership units outstanding, of which the Company owned 60,685,420 units. Disclosures about partnership units outstanding exclude Profits Units granted or other share-based grants for which partnership units may eventually be issued (Note 8). Restructuring Charge During 2017, the Company underwent a restructuring plan to reduce its workforce across various areas of the organization in response to the completion of another major development cycle. During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company incurred $1.9 million of expenses related to the reduction in the workforce. These expenses have been separately classified as Restructuring Charge on the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income. As of March 31, 2017, substantially all of the restructuring costs recognized in the first quarter of 2017 were paid. Costs Associated with Shareowner Activism During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company incurred $3.5 million of expense associated with activities related to a shareowner activist campaign, largely legal and advisory services. Due to the unusual and infrequent nature of these expenses in the Company's history, they have been separately classified as Costs Associated with Shareowner Activism in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income. Management’s Responsibility to Evaluate the Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern When preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, management has the responsibility to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. No such conditions or events were identified as of the issuance date of the financial statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Interim Financial Statements

General

Taubman Centers, Inc. (the Company or TCO) is a Michigan corporation that operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Taubman Realty Group Limited Partnership (the Operating Partnership or TRG) is a majority-owned partnership subsidiary of TCO that owns direct or indirect interests in all of the Company’s real estate properties. In this report, the term “Company" refers to TCO, the Operating Partnership, and/or the Operating Partnership's subsidiaries as the context may require. The Company engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, and expansion of regional and super-regional retail shopping centers and interests therein. The Company’s owned portfolio as of March 31, 2017 included 24 urban and suburban shopping centers operating in 11 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and China.

Taubman Properties Asia LLC and its subsidiaries (Taubman Asia), which is the platform for the Company’s operations and developments in China and South Korea, is headquartered in Hong Kong.

The unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements for the interim periods have been made. The results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for a full year.

Dollar amounts presented in tables within the notes to the financial statements are stated in thousands, except share data or as otherwise noted.

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include all accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including The Taubman Company LLC (the Manager) and Taubman Asia. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The entities included in these consolidated financial statements are separate legal entities and maintain records and books of account separate from any other entity. However, inclusion of these separate entities in the consolidated financial statements does not mean that the assets and credit of each of these legal entities are available to satisfy the debts or other obligations of any other such legal entity included in the consolidated financial statements.

In determining the method of accounting for partially owned joint ventures, the Company evaluates the characteristics of associated entities and determines whether an entity is a variable interest entity (VIE), and, if so, determines whether the Company is the primary beneficiary by analyzing whether the Company has both the power to direct the entity's significant economic activities and the obligation to absorb potentially significant losses or receive potentially significant benefits. Significant judgments and assumptions inherent in this analysis include the nature of the entity's operations, the entity's financing and capital structure, and contractual relationship and terms, including consideration of governance and decision making rights. The Company consolidates a VIE when it has determined that it is the primary beneficiary. All of the Company’s consolidated joint ventures, including the Operating Partnership, meet the definition and criteria as VIEs, as either the Company or an affiliate of the Company is the primary beneficiary of each VIE.

The Company’s sole significant asset is its investment in the Operating Partnership and, consequently, substantially all of the Company’s consolidated assets and liabilities are assets and liabilities of the Operating Partnership. All of the Company’s debt (Note 5) is an obligation of the Operating Partnership or its consolidated subsidiaries. Note 5 also provides disclosure of guarantees provided by the Operating Partnership to certain consolidated joint ventures. Note 6 provides additional disclosures of the carrying balance of the noncontrolling interests in its consolidated joint ventures and other information, including a description of certain rights of the noncontrolling owners.

Investments in entities not controlled but over which the Company may exercise significant influence (Unconsolidated Joint Ventures or UJVs) are accounted for under the equity method. The Company has evaluated its investments in the Unconsolidated Joint Ventures under guidance for determining whether an entity is a VIE and has concluded that the ventures are not VIEs. Accordingly, the Company accounts for its interests in these entities under general accounting standards for investments in real estate ventures (including guidance for determining effective control of a limited partnership or similar entity). The Company’s partners or other owners in these Unconsolidated Joint Ventures have substantive participating rights including approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, financing, admission of new partners/members, or sale of the properties and the Company has concluded that the equity method of accounting is appropriate for these interests. Specifically, the Company’s 79% and 50.1% investments in Westfarms and International Plaza, respectively, are through general partnerships in which the other general partners have participating rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, refinancing, or sale of the property. The Company provides its beneficial interest in certain financial information of its Unconsolidated Joint Ventures (Notes 4 and 5). This beneficial information is derived as the Company's ownership interest in the investee multiplied by the specific financial statement item being presented. Investors are cautioned that deriving the Company's beneficial interest in this manner may not accurately depict the legal and economic implications of holding a noncontrolling interest in the investee.

Ownership

In addition to the Company’s common stock, there were three classes of preferred stock outstanding (Series B, J, and K) as of March 31, 2017. Dividends on the 6.5% Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series J Preferred Stock) and the 6.25% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Series K Preferred Stock) are cumulative and are paid on the last business day of each calendar quarter. The Company owns corresponding Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests in the Operating Partnership that entitle the Company to income and distributions (in the form of guaranteed payments) in amounts equal to the dividends payable on the Company’s Series J and Series K Preferred Stock.

The Company also is obligated to issue to partners in the Operating Partnership other than the Company, upon subscription, one share of nonparticipating Series B Preferred Stock per each Operating Partnership unit. The Series B Preferred Stock entitles its holders to one vote per share on all matters submitted to the Company’s shareowners and votes together with the common stock on all matters as a single class. The holders of Series B Preferred Stock are not entitled to dividends or earnings. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible into the Company’s common stock at a ratio of 14,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock for one share of common stock.

Outstanding voting securities of the Company at March 31, 2017 consisted of 24,954,059 shares of Series B Preferred Stock and 60,685,420 shares of common stock.

The Operating Partnership

At March 31, 2017, the Operating Partnership’s equity included two classes of preferred equity (Series J and K) and the net equity of the partnership unitholders. Net income and distributions of the Operating Partnership are allocable first to the preferred equity interests, and the remaining amounts to the general and limited partners in the Operating Partnership in accordance with their percentage ownership. The Series J and Series K Preferred Equity are owned by the Company and are eliminated in consolidation.

The Company's ownership in the Operating Partnership at March 31, 2017 consisted of a 71% managing general partnership interest, as well as the Series J and Series K Preferred Equity interests. The Company's average ownership percentage in the Operating Partnership for both the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 was 71%. At March 31, 2017, the Operating Partnership had 85,656,699 partnership units outstanding, of which the Company owned 60,685,420 units. Disclosures about partnership units outstanding exclude Profits Units granted or other share-based grants for which partnership units may eventually be issued (Note 8).

Restructuring Charge

During 2017, the Company underwent a restructuring plan to reduce its workforce across various areas of the organization in response to the completion of another major development cycle. During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company incurred $1.9 million of expenses related to the reduction in the workforce. These expenses have been separately classified as Restructuring Charge on the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income. As of March 31, 2017, substantially all of the restructuring costs recognized in the first quarter of 2017 were paid.

Costs Associated with Shareowner Activism

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company incurred $3.5 million of expense associated with activities related to a shareowner activist campaign, largely legal and advisory services. Due to the unusual and infrequent nature of these expenses in the Company's history, they have been separately classified as Costs Associated with Shareowner Activism in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income.

Management’s Responsibility to Evaluate the Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern

When preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, management has the responsibility to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. No such conditions or events were identified as of the issuance date of the financial statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.