CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($)	Total	Series K Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Series J Preferred Stock [Member]	Former Taubman Asia Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ (150,028,000)		$ 25,000	$ 608,000	$ 675,333,000	$ (6,919,000)	$ (646,807,000)	$ (172,268,000)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			39,438,114	60,832,918
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9), shares			(19,341)	21,802
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9)	0
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8)	3,785,000			$ 2,000	3,783,000
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8), shares				157,562
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 6)	(135,000)				(211,000)	26,000		50,000
Dividends and distributions (excludes $6,000 of distributions attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (1)	(190,086,000)						(139,011,000)
Cumulative Effect New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoption						(678,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(51,075,000)
Other	(1,015,000)					(678,000)	(60,000)	(277,000)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 6)	102,939,000						74,023,000	28,916,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	(135,000)									$ (135,000)
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	11,384,000					8,081,000		3,303,000
Cumulative translation adjustment	(22,224,000)					(15,777,000)		(6,447,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	(699,000)					(496,000)		(203,000)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	(246,079,000)		$ 25,000	$ 610,000	678,905,000	(15,763,000)	(711,855,000)	(198,001,000)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018			39,418,773	61,012,282
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared				$ 1.965
Preferred Stock, Dividends Per Share, Declared		$ 1.171875							$ 1.21875
Balance at Jun. 30, 2018	(208,930,000)		$ 25,000	$ 610,000	676,217,000	(5,622,000)	(692,485,000)	(187,675,000)
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018			39,437,221	60,992,212
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9), shares			(18,448)	18,449
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9)	0
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8)	2,744,000				2,744,000
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8), shares				1,621
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 6)	(25,000)				(56,000)	6,000		25,000
Dividends and distributions (excludes $6,000 of distributions attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (1)	(63,332,000)						(46,347,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(16,985,000)
Other	(382,000)						(382,000)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 6)	38,140,000						27,359,000	10,781,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	(25,000)									(25,000)
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	1,552,000					1,103,000		449,000
Cumulative translation adjustment	(15,377,000)					(10,918,000)		(4,459,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	(469,000)					(332,000)		(137,000)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	(246,079,000)		$ 25,000	$ 610,000	678,905,000	(15,763,000)	(711,855,000)	(198,001,000)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018			39,418,773	61,012,282
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared				$ 0.655
Preferred Stock, Dividends Per Share, Declared		0.390625							0.40625
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	(307,897,000)		$ 25,000	$ 611,000	676,097,000	(25,376,000)	(744,230,000)	(215,024,000)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			39,362,994	61,069,108
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9), shares			(41,060)	45,511
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9)	0
Issuance of equity for acquisition of interest in UJV			1,500,000
Issuance of equity for acquisition of interest in unconsolidated joint venture (Note 2)	79,320,000		$ 1,000
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8)	6,727,000			$ 1,000	6,726,000
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8), shares			91,183	98,551
Former Taubman Asia President redeemable equity adjustment	1,800,000				1,800,000
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 6)	(237,000)				55,691,000	(76,000)		(55,852,000)
Dividends and distributions (excludes $6,000 of distributions attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (1)	(197,257,000)						(143,067,000)
Partial disposition of ownership interest in Unconsolidated Joint Venture (Note 2)	0					8,185,000	(8,185,000)
Cumulative Effect New Accounting Principle In Period Of Adoption	4,919,000						3,156,000	1,763,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(54,190,000)
Payments for Repurchase of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest										(6,000,000)
Other	(616,000)						(616,000)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 6)	363,242,000						255,887,000	107,355,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	(237,000)									(237,000)
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	(16,285,000)					(11,375,000)		(4,910,000)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(20,463,000)					(16,760,000)		(3,703,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	(2,242,000)					(1,565,000)		(677,000)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	(88,989,000)		$ 26,000	$ 612,000	740,314,000	(46,967,000)	(637,055,000)	(145,919,000)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			40,913,117	61,213,170
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared				$ 2.03
Preferred Stock, Dividends Per Share, Declared		1.171875							1.21875
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	(329,952,000)		$ 26,000	$ 612,000	739,046,000	(44,154,000)	(802,809,000)	(222,673,000)
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			40,913,117	61,208,580
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9), shares				(3)
Issuance of stock pursuant to Continuing Offer (Notes 8 and 9)	0
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8)	3,077,000				3,077,000
Share-based compensation under employee and director benefit plans (Note 8), shares				4,593
Adjustments of noncontrolling interests (Note 6)	0				(1,809,000)			1,809,000
Dividends and distributions (excludes $6,000 of distributions attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (1)	(66,189,000)						(47,700,000)
Partial disposition of ownership interest in Unconsolidated Joint Venture (Note 2)	0					8,185,000	(8,185,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests								(18,489,000)
Payments for Repurchase of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest										(6,000,000)
Other	(103,000)						(103,000)
Net income (excludes net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest) (Note 6)	316,390,000						221,742,000	94,648,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	0									$ 0
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate instruments and other	(1,864,000)					(1,303,000)		(561,000)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(9,952,000)					(9,419,000)		(533,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts recognized in net income	(396,000)					(276,000)		(120,000)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ (88,989,000)		$ 26,000	$ 612,000	$ 740,314,000	$ (46,967,000)	$ (637,055,000)	$ (145,919,000)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			40,913,117	61,213,170
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared				$ 0.675
Preferred Stock, Dividends Per Share, Declared		$ 0.390625							$ 0.40625