Revolving Credit Facilities and Term Loan (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Revolving Credit Facilities (Textual) [Abstract]
Revolving Credit Facilities, Covenant Compliance	The Company was in compliance with these covenants at September 30, 2011.
Term Loan, Covenant Compliance	The Company was in compliance with these covenants at September 30, 2011.
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility With JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank N.A. [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	$ 214.9
Weighted average interest rate	2.30%
Maturity Date	2/1/2016
Revolving Credit Facilities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Unsecured revolving credit facility borrowing capacity before amendment	950
Unsecured revolving credit facility borrowing capacity after amendment	750
Interest Rate before Amendment	LIBOR plus 275 basis points
Interest Rate After Amendment	LIBOR plus 165 basis points
Accordion feature	1,250
Facility fee basis points before amendment	0.50%
Facility fee basis points after amendment	0.35%
Line of Credit Facility competitive bid option on periodic interest rates	up to 50% of the facility
Specified spread line of credit facility prime rate	0.65%
Specified spread line of credit facility LIBOR rate	1.65%
Outstanding Balance	214.9
Euro Borrowings [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	26.3
Revolving Credit Facilities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Outstanding Balance	26.3
Canadian Borrowings [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	58.6
Revolving Credit Facilities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Outstanding Balance	58.6
Unsecured revolving credit facility with PNC Bank N.A. [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	11.5
Weighted average interest rate	1.90%
Maturity Date	2/1/2016
Revolving Credit Facilities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Unsecured revolving credit facility	65
Outstanding Balance	11.5
Secured Term Loan with Key Bank N A [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	500.0
Term loan weighted average interest rate	3.00%
Term loan maturity date	9/1/2014
Revolving Credit Facilities (Textuals) [Abstract]
Accordion feature	600
Term Loan before amendment	550
Term Loan After Amendment	500
Specified spread term loan facility LIBOR rate	1.70%
Extension period of term loan	1 year
Outstanding Balance	$ 500.0

The increased amount of the revolving facility the Company may expand to provided the existing lenders agree to the expansion.

Name:	ddr_AccordionFeature
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Extension period of term loan.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The facility fee charged under the amended unsecured revolving credit facility.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The facility fee charged under the unsecured revolving credit facility before the amendment.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility Borrowing Capacity Before Amendment.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_LineOfCreditFacilityBorrowingCapacityBeforeAmendment
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility competitive bid option on periodic interest rates.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_LineOfCreditFacilityCompetitiveBidOptionOnPeriodicInterestRates
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility Interest Rate Before Amendment.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revolving Credit Facilities.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revolving credit facilities.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The spread for LIBOR borrowings based on the Company's current debt rating.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_SpecifiedSpreadLineOfCreditFacilityLiborRate
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The spread for prime rate borrowings based on the Company's current debt rating.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_SpecifiedSpreadLineOfCreditFacilityPrimeRate
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The spread for LIBOR borrowings based on the Company's current debt rating.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_SpecifiedSpreadTermLoanFacilityLiborRate
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term loan after amendment.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_TermLoanAfterAmendment
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term loan before amendment.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_TermLoanBeforeAmendment
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term Loan Expiration Date.

+ Details

Name:	ddr_TermLoanExpirationDate
Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term Loan Interest Rate At the End of Period.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ddr
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

States whether the entity was in compliance with the debt covenants throughout the reporting period, and describes facts and circumstances of any compliance failure.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Identification of whether the entity has been in compliance with any credit facility debt covenants during the period.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects when the credit facility terminates, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant