CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Gross revenues:
Rental	$ 398,065	$ 399,485	$ 392,480
Tenant reimbursements	31,431	31,354	31,338
Total gross revenues	429,496	430,839	423,818
Expense applicable to revenues:
Depreciation and amortization	(166,048)	(163,198)	(154,837)
Property operating	(47,355)	(59,655)	(63,673)
General and administrative	(31,104)	(29,276)	(28,255)
Non-operating income	13,043	11,429	14,505
Interest and amortization expense	(88,032)	(89,739)	(97,303)
Gains on sales of financial assets, net	0	0	855
Debt satisfaction gains (charges), net	(975)	25,150	(9,452)
Impairment charges and loan losses	(100,236)	(36,832)	(37,333)
Gains on sales of properties	81,510	23,307	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, equity in earnings of non-consolidated entities and discontinued operations	90,299	112,025	48,325
Provision for income taxes	(1,439)	(568)	(1,109)
Equity in earnings of non-consolidated entities	7,590	1,752	626
Income (loss) from continuing operations	96,450	113,209	47,842
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	109	6,252
Provision for income taxes	0	(4)	(59)
Debt satisfaction charges, net	0	0	(312)
Gains on sales of properties	0	1,577	57,507
Impairment charges	0	0	(13,767)
Total discontinued operations	0	1,682	49,621
Net income (loss)	96,450	114,891	97,463
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(826)	(3,188)	(4,359)
Net income attributable to Lexington Realty Trust shareholders	95,624	111,703	93,104
Allocation to participating securities	(225)	(313)	(490)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	$ 89,109	$ 105,100	$ 86,324
Income per common share – basic:
Income from continuing operations, basic (usd per share)	$ 0.38	$ 0.44	$ 0.17
Income from discontinued operations, basic (usd per share)	0.00	0.01	0.21
Net income attributable to common shareholders, basic (usd per share)	$ 0.38	$ 0.45	$ 0.38
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	233,633,058	233,455,056	228,966,253
Income per common share – diluted:
Income from continuing operations, diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.44	$ 0.17
Income from discontinued operations, diluted (usd per share)	0.00	0.01	0.21
Net income attributable to common shareholders, diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.45	$ 0.38
Weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	237,679,031	233,751,775	229,436,708
Amounts attributable to common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations	$ 89,109	$ 103,418	$ 37,652
Income from discontinued operations	0	1,682	48,672
Net income attributable to common shareholders	89,109	105,100	86,324
Series C [Member]
Discontinued operations:
Dividends attributable to preferred shares	(6,290)	(6,290)	(6,290)
LCIF [Member]
Gross revenues:
Rental	115,403	117,847	109,455
Tenant reimbursements	8,766	10,154	8,678
Total gross revenues	124,169	128,001	118,133
Expense applicable to revenues:
Depreciation and amortization	(34,264)	(30,651)	(27,649)
Property operating	(14,414)	(17,046)	(14,738)
General and administrative	(9,570)	(8,541)	(7,691)
Non-operating income	299	531	2,927
Interest and amortization expense	(27,313)	(29,269)	(28,267)
Gains on sales of financial assets, net	0	0	831
Debt satisfaction gains (charges), net	(7,388)	(33)	(357)
Impairment charges and loan losses	(72,072)	(787)	(2,500)
Gains on sales of properties	36,380	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, equity in earnings of non-consolidated entities and discontinued operations	(4,173)	42,205	40,689
Provision for income taxes	(72)	(48)	(80)
Equity in earnings of non-consolidated entities	324	158	129
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(3,921)	42,315	40,738
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	882
Provision for income taxes	0	0	(15)
Gains on sales of properties	0	0	17,944
Total discontinued operations	0	0	18,811
Net income (loss)	$ (3,921)	$ 42,315	$ 59,549
Amounts attributable to common shareholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (usd per unit)	$ (0.05)	$ 0.58	$ 0.59
Income from discontinued operations (usd per unit)	0.00	0.00	0.28
Net income (loss) (usd per unit)	$ (0.05)	$ 0.58	$ 0.87
Weighted-average units outstanding (in units)	83,241,396	72,615,795	68,758,733