Note 3 - Loans (Detail) - Activity in the allowance for loan losses: (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	$ 30,344	$ 27,699	$ 20,324
Allowance for credit losses - balance	31,104	30,344	27,699
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	1,494	4,206
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	29,610	26,138
Charge-off's	21,269	19,450	14,595
Recoveries	1,029	595	970
Provision	21,000	21,500
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	3,221,375	3,213,993
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	128,610	242,426
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	3,092,765	2,971,567
Multi-Family Residential [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	11,267	9,007
Allowance for credit losses - balance	13,001	11,267
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	183	346
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	12,818	10,921
Charge-off's	6,016	6,807
Recoveries	144	153
Provision	7,606	8,914
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	1,534,438	1,391,221
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	21,675	58,528
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	1,512,763	1,332,693
Commercial Real Estate Loans [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	5,210	4,905
Allowance for credit losses - balance	5,705	5,210
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	359	189
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	5,346	5,021
Charge-off's	2,746	5,172
Recoveries	307	184
Provision	2,934	5,293
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	515,438	580,783
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	23,525	53,511
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	491,913	527,272
One-To-Four Family - Mixed-Use Property [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	5,314	5,997
Allowance for credit losses - balance	5,960	5,314
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	571	718
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	5,389	4,596
Charge-off's	4,286	2,644
Recoveries	358	123
Provision	4,574	1,838
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	637,353	693,932
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	26,368	51,527
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	610,985	642,405
One-To-Four Family - Residential [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	1,649	938
Allowance for credit losses - balance	1,999	1,649
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	94
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	1,905	1,649
Charge-off's	1,583	2,226
Recoveries	29	63
Provision	1,904	2,874
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	198,968	220,431
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	15,702	17,470
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	183,266	202,961
Co-Operative Apartments [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	80	17
Allowance for credit losses - balance	46	80
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses		58
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	46	22
Charge-off's	62
Provision	28	63
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	6,303	5,505
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	237	356
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	6,066	5,149
Construction [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	668	589
Allowance for credit losses - balance	66	668
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	38	268
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	28	400
Charge-off's	4,591	1,088
Provision	3,989	1,167
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	14,381	47,140
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	14,232	31,126
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	149	16,014
Small Business Administration [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	987	1,303
Allowance for credit losses - balance	505	987
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses		88
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	505	899
Charge-off's	324	871
Recoveries	87	60
Provision	(245)	495
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	9,496	14,039
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	850	491
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	8,646	13,548
Taxi Medallion [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	41	639
Allowance for credit losses - balance	7	41
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	7	41
Provision	(34)	(598)
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	9,922	54,328
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	9,922	54,328
Commercial Business And Other [Member]
Allowance for credit losses:
Allowance for credit losses - balance	5,128	4,304
Allowance for credit losses - balance	3,815	5,128
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	249	2,539
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, allowance for credit losses	3,566	2,589
Charge-off's	1,661	642
Recoveries	104	12
Provision	244	1,454
Financing Receivables:
Ending balance, financing receivables	295,076	206,614
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	26,021	29,417
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment, financing receivables	$ 269,055	$ 177,197