Revolving Credit Facilities, Term Loan, Mortgages Payable and Scheduled Principal Repayments (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Mortgage debt	$ 1,822,445,000	$ 1,978,553,000
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	102,400,000	279,900,000
Weighted average interest rate	2.70%	3.50%
Maturity Date	February 2016
Euro Borrowings [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	25,100,000
Canadian Borrowings [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	59,400,000
Unsecured revolving credit facility with PNC Bank N.A. [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	40,000,000
Weighted average interest rate	1.90%
Maturity Date	February 2016
Secured Term Loan with Key Bank N A [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Outstanding Balance	500,000,000	600,000,000
Term loan weighted average interest rate	3.00%	2.20%
Term loan maturity date	September 2014
Fixed Rate [Member] \| Mortgage and other secured indebtedness-Fixed Rate [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Mortgage debt	1,230,400,000	1,226,000,000
Mortgage, Weighted Average Interest Rate	5.40%	5.60%
Mortgage Maturity Date	July 2012-February 2022
Variable Rate [Member] \| Mortgage and other secured indebtedness-Variable rate [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Mortgage debt	91,000,000	144,100,000
Mortgage, Weighted Average Interest Rate	2.00%	3.50%
Mortgage Maturity Date	January 2012-December 2037
Tax Exempt [Member] \| Tax-exempt certificates-Fixed Rate [Member]
Information Regarding The Company's Revolving Credit Facilities
Mortgage debt	$ 1,000,000	$ 8,500,000
Mortgage, Weighted Average Interest Rate	6.90%	7.10%
Mortgage Maturity Date	February 2016

Secured debt instrument maturity date.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	ddr_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term Loan Expiration Date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term Loan Interest Rate At the End of Period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the calculation as of the balance sheet date of the average interest rate weighted by the amount of debt outstanding by type or by instrument at that time.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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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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

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ 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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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date , including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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