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Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
Document and Entity Information - shares	Sep. 30, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	ALEXANDERS INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000003499
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2012
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2012
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Amendment Flag	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		5,105,936

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Real estate, at cost:
Land	$ 44,971	$ 44,971
Buildings and leasehold improvements	864,552	860,833
Development and construction in progress	1,930	1,103
Total	911,453	906,907
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(154,717)	(136,460)
Real estate, net	756,736	770,447
Cash and cash equivalents	508,363	506,619
Short-term investments	0	5,000
Restricted cash	89,185	88,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,306 and $1,039, respectively	3,270	2,552
Receivable arising from the straight-lining of rents	173,043	169,536
Deferred lease and other property costs, net (including unamortized leasing fees to Vornado of $40,768 and $42,678, respectively)	55,629	58,244
Deferred debt issuance costs, net of accumulated amortization of $16,250 and $14,638, respectively	6,107	7,470
Assets related to discontinued operations	133,525	137,418
Other assets	39,619	25,252
Total assets	1,765,477	1,771,307
Liabilities and Equity
Mortgages Payable	1,069,776	1,080,932
Amounts due to Vornado	39,794	41,340
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	40,597	34,577
Liabilities related to discontinued operations	250,000	250,000
Other liabilities	1,213	1,213
Total liabilities	1,401,380	1,408,062
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred stock: $1.00 par value per share; authorized, 3,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding, none	0	0
Common stock: $1.00 par value per share; authorized, 10,000,000 shares; issued, 5,173,450 shares; outstanding, 5,105,936 shares	5,173	5,173
Additional capital	32,101	31,801
Retained earnings	321,973	322,201
Alexander's equity before treasury stock	359,247	359,175
Treasury stock: 67,514 shares, at cost	(375)	(375)
Total Alexander's equity	358,872	358,800
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiary	5,225	4,445
Total equity	364,097	363,245
Total liabilities and equity	$ 1,765,477	$ 1,771,307

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Assets
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 2,306	$ 1,039
Unamortized leasing fees to Vornado	40,768	42,678
Deferred debt issuance costs, accumulated amortization	$ 16,250	$ 14,638
Liabilities and Equity
Preferred stock: par value per share	$ 1.00	$ 1.00
Preferred stock: authorized shares	3,000,000	3,000,000
Preferred stock: issued shares	0	0
Preferred stock: outstanding shares	0	0
Common stock: par value per share	$ 1.00	$ 1.00
Common stock: authorized shares	10,000,000	10,000,000
Common stock: issued shares	5,173,450	5,173,450
Common stock: outstanding shares	5,105,936	5,105,936
Treasury stock: shares	67,514	67,514

Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
REVENUES
Property rentals	$ 33,779	$ 33,514	$ 101,034	$ 100,486
Expense reimbursements	14,863	13,435	41,787	38,202
Total revenues	48,642	46,949	142,821	138,688
EXPENSES
Operating (including fees to Vornado of $1,146, $917, $3,231, and $2,649, respectively)	16,445	14,463	45,184	41,029
Depreciation and amortization	7,225	7,083	21,577	20,931
General and administrative (including management fees to Vornado of $540 and $1,620 in each three and nine-month period)	1,177	1,297	3,895	2,899
Total expenses	24,847	22,843	70,656	64,859
OPERATING INCOME	23,795	24,106	72,165	73,829
Interest and other income, net	41	67	111	217
Interest and debt expense	(11,422)	(9,230)	(34,206)	(32,613)
Income before income taxes	12,414	14,943	38,070	41,433
Income tax (expense) benefit	(4)	(2)	(62)	80
Income from continuing operations	12,410	14,941	38,008	41,513
Income from discontinued operations	6,938	7,327	20,002	18,762
Net income	19,348	22,268	58,010	60,275
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(492)	(1,843)	(780)	(1,486)
Net income attributable to Alexander's	$ 18,856	$ 20,425	$ 57,230	$ 58,789
Net income per common share - basic
Income from continuing operations - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.43	$ 2.93	$ 7.44	$ 8.13
Income from discontinued operations, net - basic (in dollars per share)	1.26	1.07	3.76	3.38
Net income per common share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 3.69	$ 4.00	$ 11.20	$ 11.51
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	5,108,016	5,106,984	5,107,474	5,106,427
Net income per common share - diluted
Income from continuing operations - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.43	$ 2.93	$ 7.44	$ 8.13
Income from discontinued operations, net - diluted (in dollars per share)	1.26	1.07	3.76	3.38
Net income per common share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 3.69	$ 4.00	$ 11.20	$ 11.51
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	5,108,016	5,106,984	5,107,474	5,106,427
Dividends per common share	$ 3.75	$ 3.00	$ 11.25	$ 9.00

Consolidated Statements of Income (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Consolidated Statements of Income
Fees to Vornado	$ 1,146	$ 917	$ 3,231	$ 2,649
Management fees to Vornado	$ 540	$ 540	$ 1,620	$ 1,620

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Capital	Retained Earnings	Treasury Stock	Alexander's Equity	Non-controlling Interest
Shares Issued, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010		5,173,000
Balance, at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 343,776	$ 5,173	$ 31,501	$ 304,055	$ (375)	$ 340,354	$ 3,422
Net income	60,275			58,789		58,789	1,486
Dividends paid	(45,956)			(45,956)		(45,956)
Distributions	(600)						(600)
Deferred stock unit grant	300		300			300
Shares Issued, Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011		5,173,000
Balance, at Sep. 30, 2011	$ 357,795	$ 5,173	31,801	316,888	(375)	353,487	4,308
Shares Issued, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	5,173,450	5,173,000
Balance, at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 363,245	$ 5,173	31,801	322,201	(375)	358,800	4,445
Net income	58,010			57,230		57,230	780
Dividends paid	(57,458)			(57,458)		(57,458)
Deferred stock unit grant	$ 300		300			300
Shares Issued, Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	5,173,450	5,173,000
Balance, at Sep. 30, 2012	$ 364,097	$ 5,173	$ 32,101	$ 321,973	$ (375)	$ 358,872	$ 5,225

- Definition

The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

+ References

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-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 29
-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 AICPA
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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+ Details

- Definition

Total of Stockholders' Equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity including portions attributable to both the parent and noncontrolling interests (previously referred to as minority interest), if any. The entity including portions attributable to the parent and noncontrolling interests is sometimes referred to as the economic entity. This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.

+ References + Details

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$ 58,010	$ 60,275
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization (including amortization of debt issuance costs)	28,488	27,614
Straight-lining of rental income	(3,824)	(9,961)
Reversal of income tax liability	0	(2,561)
Stock-based compensation expense	300	300
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	(1,083)	1,493
Other assets	(15,703)	(15,225)
Amounts due to Vornado	(1,546)	(477)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	8,034	6,408
Income tax liability of taxable REIT subsidiary	22	80
Other liabilities	(22)	(23)
Net cash provided by operating activities	72,676	67,923
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Construction in progress and real estate additions	(6,502)	(10,226)
Proceeds from maturing short-term investments	5,000	23,000
Restricted cash	(416)	(2,465)
Purchases of short-term investments	0	(5,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(1,918)	5,309
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Dividends paid	(57,458)	(45,956)
Debt repayments	(11,156)	(160,037)
Debt issuance costs	(400)	(4,269)
Proceeds from borrowings	0	250,000
Distributions to the noncontrolling interest	0	(600)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(69,014)	39,138
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	1,744	112,370
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	506,619	397,220
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	508,363	509,590
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Cash payments for interest	36,058	40,528
NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS
Non-cash additions to real estate included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	1,038	3,789
Write-off of fully amortized and depreciated assets	$ 648	$ 6,510

Organization

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Organization [Abstract]

Organization [Text Block]

1. Organization

Alexander's, Inc. (NYSE: ALX) is a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), incorporated in Delaware, engaged in leasing, managing, developing and redeveloping its properties. All references to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Company” and “Alexander's” refer to Alexander's, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. We are managed by, and our properties are leased and developed by, Vornado Realty Trust (“Vornado”) (NYSE: VNO).

Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation [Text Block]

2. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are unaudited and include the accounts of Alexander's and its consolidated subsidiaries. All intercompany amounts have been eliminated. In our opinion, all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and changes in cash flows have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, as filed with the SEC.

We have made estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year. Certain prior year balances have been reclassified in order to conform to current year presentation.

We currently operate in one business segment.

Recently Issued Accounting Literature

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

Recently Issued Accounting Literature [Text Block]

3. Recently Issued Accounting Literature

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Update No. 2011-04, Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs (“ASU No. 2011-04”). ASU No. 2011-04 provides a uniform framework for fair value measurements and related disclosures between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and requires additional disclosures, including: (i) quantitative information about unobservable inputs used, a description of the valuation processes used, and a qualitative discussion about the sensitivity of the measurements to changes in the unobservable inputs, for Level 3 fair value measurements; (ii) fair value of financial instruments not measured at fair value but for which disclosure of fair value is required, based on their levels in the fair value hierarchy; and (iii) transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The adoption of this update on January 1, 2012, did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements, but resulted in additional fair value measurement disclosures (see Note 9 - Fair Value Measurements).

- Definition

The entire disclosure for reporting accounting changes and error corrections. It includes the conveyance of information necessary for a user of the Company's financial information to understand all aspects and required disclosure information concerning all changes and error corrections reported in the Company's financial statements for the period.

+ References + Details

Relationship with Vornado

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Relationship with Vornado [Text Block]

4. Relationship with Vornado

At September 30, 2012, Vornado owned 32.4% of our outstanding common stock. We are managed by, and our properties are leased and developed by, Vornado, pursuant to the agreements described below which expire in March of each year and are automatically renewable.

Management and Development Agreements

We pay Vornado an annual management fee equal to the sum of (i) $3,000,000, (ii) 3% of gross revenue from the Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center (see Note 5 - Discontinued Operations), (iii) 2% of gross revenue from the Rego Park II Shopping Center, (iv) $0.50 per square foot of the tenant-occupied office and retail space at 731 Lexington Avenue and (v) $264,000, escalating at 3% per annum, for managing the common area of 731 Lexington Avenue.

In addition, Vornado is entitled to a development fee of 6% of development costs, as defined.

Leasing Agreements

Vornado also provides us with leasing services for a fee of 3% of rent for the first ten years of a lease term, 2% of rent for the eleventh through the twentieth year of a lease term, and 1% of rent for the twenty-first through thirtieth year of a lease term, subject to the payment of rents by tenants. In the event third-party real estate brokers are used, the fees to Vornado increase by 1% and Vornado is responsible for the fees to the third-party real estate brokers. Vornado is also entitled to a commission upon the sale of any of our assets equal to 3% of gross proceeds, as defined, for asset sales less than $50,000,000 and 1% of gross proceeds, as defined, for asset sales of $50,000,000 or more. The total of these amounts is payable in annual installments in an amount not to exceed $4,000,000, with interest on the unpaid balance at one-year LIBOR plus 1.0% (2.13% at September 30, 2012).

Other Agreements

We have also entered into agreements with Building Maintenance Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vornado, to (i) supervise cleaning, engineering and security services at our Lexington Avenue and Kings Plaza properties (see Note 5 – Discontinued Operations), and (ii) supervise security services at our Rego Park I and Rego Park II properties, for an annual fee of the cost for such services plus 6%.

The following is a summary of fees to Vornado under the various agreements discussed above.

		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
		September 30,				September 30,
(Amounts in thousands)		2012		2011		2012		2011
Company management fees		$	750	$	750	$	2,250	$	2,250
Development fees			63		187		438		563
Leasing fees			320		539		1,949		3,819
Property management fees and payments for cleaning, engineering
	and security services		1,369		1,131		3,911		3,264
		$	2,502	$	2,607	$	8,548	$	9,896

At September 30, 2012, we owed Vornado $39,059,000 for leasing fees and $735,000 for management, property management and cleaning fees.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for related party transactions, including the nature of the relationship(s), a description of the transactions, the amount of the transactions, the effects of any change in the method of establishing the terms of the transaction from the previous period, stated interest rate, expiration date, terms and manner of settlement per the agreement with the related party, and amounts due to or from related parties. If the entity and one or more other entities are under common ownership or management control and this control affects the operating results or financial position, disclosure includes the nature of the control relationship even if there are no transactions between the entities. Disclosure may also include the aggregate amount of current and deferred tax expense for each statement of earnings presented where the entity is a member of a group that files a consolidated tax return, the amount of any tax related balances due to or from affiliates as of the date of each statement of financial position presented, the principal provisions of the method by which the consolidated amount of current and deferred tax expense is allocated to the members of the group and the nature and effect of any changes in that method. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates.

+ References

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-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 4
-Section 08
-Paragraph k

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Number 210
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 57
-Paragraph 1-4
-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.

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+ Details

Discontinued Operations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Discontinued Operations [Text Block]

5. Discontinued Operations

On October 21, 2012, we entered into an agreement to sell the Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center located in Brooklyn, New York, to The Macerich Company (NYSE: MAC) (“MAC”), for $751,000,000. We may elect to receive up to $30,000,000 of the consideration in MAC common shares. Net proceeds from the sale will be approximately $481,000,000, after repaying the existing loan and closing costs. The sale, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter. The financial statement gain will be approximately $602,000,000. The tax gain will be approximately $624,000,000, which is expected to be paid out to stockholders as a special long-term capital gain dividend.

We have reclassified the revenues and expenses of the Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center to “income from discontinued operations” and the related assets and liabilities to “assets related to discontinued operations” and “liabilities related to discontinued operations” for all of the periods presented in the accompanying financial statements. The tables below set forth the assets and liabilities related to discontinued operations at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 and their combined results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011.

			Assets Related to			Liabilities Related to
		Discontinued Operations as of				Discontinued Operations as of
			September 30,		December 31,		September 30,		December 31,
(Amounts in thousands)			2012		2011		2012		2011
Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center		$	133,525	$	137,418	$	250,000	$	250,000


		Three Months				Nine Months
		Ended September 30,				Ended September 30,
(Amounts in thousands)			2012		2011		2012		2011
Total revenues		$	17,518	$	17,788	$	50,601	$	50,957
Total expenses⁽¹⁾			10,580		10,461		30,599		32,195
Income from discontinued operations		$	6,938	$	7,327	$	20,002	$	18,762
___________________
(1)	Includes fees to Vornado of $433 and $424 for the three months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $1,310 and $1,245 for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the facts and circumstances leading to the completed or expected disposal, manner and timing of disposal, the gain (loss) recognized in the income statement and the income statement caption that includes that gain (loss), amounts of revenues and pretax profit or loss reported in discontinued operations, the segment in which the disposal group was reported, and the classification (whether sold or classified as held for sale) and carrying value of the assets and liabilities comprising the disposal group. Includes all disposal groups, including those classified as components of the entity (discontinued operations).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 43-48
-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.

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+ Details

Significant Tenants

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Significant Tenants [Abstract]

Significant Tenants [Text Block]

6. Significant Tenants

Bloomberg L.P. (“Bloomberg”) accounted for $64,651,000 and $63,289,000, or 45% and 46% of our Total Revenues in the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. No other tenant accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated revenues. If we were to lose Bloomberg as a tenant, or if Bloomberg were to fail or become unable to perform its obligations under its lease, it would adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. We receive and evaluate certain confidential financial information and metrics from Bloomberg on a semi-annual basis. In addition, we access and evaluate financial information regarding Bloomberg from private sources, as well as publicly available data.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for any concentrations existing at the date of the financial statements that make an entity vulnerable to a reasonably possible, near-term, severe impact. This disclosure informs financial statement users about the general nature of the risk associated with the concentration, and may indicate the percentage of concentration risk as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 107
-Paragraph 15A
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-Name Statement of Position (SOP)
-Number 94-6
-Paragraph 21, 22, 24
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+ Details

Mortgages Payable

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Notes and Mortgages Payable [Abstract]

Mortgages Payable [Text Block]

7. Mortgages Payable

The following is a summary of our outstanding mortgages payable. We may refinance our maturing debt as it comes due or choose to repay it at maturity.

					Balance at
			Interest Rate at		September 30,		December 31,
(Amounts in thousands)		Maturity	September 30, 2012		2012		2011
First mortgage, secured by the Rego Park I
	Shopping Center (100% cash collateralized)	Mar. 2013	0.50	%	$	78,246	$	78,246
First mortgage, secured by the office space
	at the Lexington Avenue property	Feb. 2014	5.33	%		330,629		339,890
First mortgage, secured by the retail space
	at the Lexington Avenue property⁽¹⁾	Jul. 2015	4.93	%		320,000		320,000
First mortgage, secured by the Paramus property		Oct. 2018	2.90	%		68,000		68,000
First mortgage, secured by the
	Rego Park II Shopping Center⁽²⁾	Nov. 2018	2.06	%		272,901		274,796
					$	1,069,776	$	1,080,932
___________________
(1)	In the event of a substantial casualty, as defined, up to $75,000 of this loan may become recourse to us.
(2)	This loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 1.85%.

Stock-Based Compensation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Stock-Based Compensation [Abstract]

Stock-Based Compensation [Text Block]

8. Stock-Based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. Our Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”) provides for grants of incentive and non-qualified stock options, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights, deferred stock units (“DSUs”) and performance shares, as defined, to the directors, officers and employees of the Company and Vornado.

In May 2012, the Company granted each of the members of its Board of Directors 129 DSUs with a grant date fair value of $37,500 per grant, or $300,000 in the aggregate. The DSUs entitle the holder to receive shares of the Company's common stock without the payment of any consideration. The DSUs vested immediately and accordingly were expensed on the date of grant, but the shares of common stock underlying the units are not deliverable to the grantee until the grantee is no longer serving on the Company's Board of Directors.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for compensation-related costs for equity-based compensation, which may include disclosure of policies, compensation plan details, allocation of equity compensation, incentive distributions, equity-based arrangements to obtain goods and services, deferred compensation arrangements, employee stock ownership plan details and employee stock purchase plan details.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph 64, 65, A240
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 14

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+ Details

Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Fair Value [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements [Text Block]

9. Fair Value Measurements

Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures (“ASC 820”) defines fair value and establishes a framework for measuring fair value. The objective of fair value is to determine the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (the exit price). ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three levels: Level 1 – quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities; Level 2 – observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted in active markets, but corroborated by market data; and Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs and the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. In determining fair value, we utilize valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible as well as consider counterparty credit risk in our assessment of fair value.

Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value

Financial assets measured at fair value in our consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2011 consist of short-term investments (investments in Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Services “CDARS”) classified as available-for-sale and are presented in the table below based on their level in the fair value hierarchy. There were no financial assets measured at fair value at September 30, 2012 and there were no financial liabilities measured at fair value at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

		As of December 31, 2011
(Amounts in thousands)		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	Short-term investments	$	5,000	$	5,000	$	-	$	-

Financial Assets and Liabilities not Measured at Fair Value

Financial liabilities that are not measured at fair value in our consolidated financial statements consist of our mortgages payable. The fair value of our mortgages payable is calculated by discounting the future contractual cash flows of these instruments using current risk-adjusted rates available to borrowers with similar credit ratings, which are provided by a third-party specialist. The fair value of our mortgages payable is classified as Level 2. As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the estimated fair value of our mortgages payable was $1,136,000,000. Our fair value estimates, which are made at the end of the reporting period, may be different from the amounts that may ultimately be realized upon the disposition of our financial instruments. All financial assets, if any, were measured at fair value at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 44A, 44B
-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
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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+ Details

Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies [Text Block]

10. Commitments and Contingencies

Insurance

We maintain general liability insurance with limits of $300,000,000 per occurrence and all-risk property and rental value insurance coverage with limits of $1.7 billion per occurrence, including coverage for terrorist acts, with sub-limits for certain perils such as floods and earthquakes on each of our properties.

Fifty-Ninth Street Insurance Company, LLC (“FNSIC”), our wholly owned consolidated subsidiary, acts as a direct insurer for coverage for acts of terrorism, including nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological (“NBCR”) acts, as defined by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007. Coverage for acts of terrorism (including NBCR acts) is up to $1.7 billion per occurrence. Coverage for acts of terrorism (excluding NBCR acts) is fully reinsured by third party insurance companies with no exposure to FNSIC. For NBCR acts, FNSIC is responsible for a $275,000 deductible and 15% of the balance of a covered loss and the Federal government is responsible for the remaining 85% of a covered loss. We are ultimately responsible for any loss borne by FNSIC.

There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain similar levels of insurance coverage in the future in amounts and on terms that are commercially reasonable. We are responsible for deductibles and losses in excess of our insurance coverage, which could be material.

Our mortgage loans are non-recourse to us, except for $75,000,000 of the $320,000,000 mortgage on our 731 Lexington Avenue property, in the event of a substantial casualty, as defined. Our mortgage loans contain customary covenants requiring us to maintain insurance. If lenders insist on greater coverage than we are able to obtain, it could adversely affect our ability to finance our properties.

Flushing Property

In 2002 Flushing Expo, Inc. (“Expo”) agreed to purchase the stock of the entity which owns the Flushing property from us (“Purchase of the Property”) and gave us a non-refundable deposit of $1,875,000. Pursuant to a stipulation of settlement, we settled the action Expo brought against us regarding the Purchase of the Property and in June 2011, deposited the settlement amount with the Court, in exchange for which we received a stipulation of discontinuance, with prejudice, as well as general releases. In November 2011, Expo filed another action, this time against our tenant at the Flushing property asserting, among other things, that such tenant interfered with Expo's Purchase of the Property from us and sought $50,000,000 in damages from our tenant, who sought indemnification from us for such amount. In August 2012, the Court entered judgment denying Expo's claim for damages. Expo has appealed the Court's decision and filed a motion to re-argue the decision. We believe, after consultation with counsel, that the amount or range of reasonably possible losses, if any, cannot be estimated.

Environmental Remediation

In July 2006, we discovered an oil spill at our Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center. We have notified the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“NYSDEC”) about the spill and have developed a remediation plan. The NYSDEC has approved a portion of the remediation plan and clean up is ongoing. The estimated costs associated with the clean up will aggregate approximately $3,000,000. We have paid $500,000 of such amount and the remainder is covered under our insurance policy.

10. Commitments and Contingencies - continued

Paramus

In 2001, we leased 30.3 acres of land located in Paramus, New Jersey to IKEA Property, Inc. The lease has a 40-year term with a purchase option in 2021 for $75,000,000. The property is encumbered by a $68,000,000 interest-only mortgage loan with a fixed rate of 2.90%, which matures in October 2018. The annual triple-net rent is the sum of $700,000 plus the amount of debt service on the mortgage loan. If the purchase option is exercised, we will receive net cash proceeds of approximately $7,000,000 and recognize a gain on sale of land of approximately $62,000,000. If the purchase option is not exercised, the triple-net rent for the last 20 years would include debt service sufficient to fully amortize $68,000,000 over the remaining 20-year lease term.

Letters of Credit

Approximately $3,998,000 of standby letters of credit were outstanding as of September 30, 2012.

Other

There are various other legal actions against us in the ordinary course of business. In our opinion, the outcome of such matters in the aggregate will not have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)
-Number 14
-Paragraph 3
-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.

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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25)
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+ Details

Earnings Per Share

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Earnings Per Share [Text Block]

11. Earnings Per Share

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted income per share, including a reconciliation of net income and the number of shares used in computing basic and diluted earnings per share. Basic income per share is determined using the weighted average shares of common stock outstanding during the period, including deferred stock units. Diluted income per share is determined using the weighted average shares of common stock outstanding during the period, including deferred stock units, and assumes all potentially dilutive securities were converted into common shares at the earliest date possible. There were no potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011.

			Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
			September 30,				September 30,
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)			2012		2011		2012		2011
	Income from continuing operations		$	12,410	$	14,941	$	38,008	$	41,513
	Income from discontinued operations, net of income
		attributable to the noncontrolling interest		6,446		5,484		19,222		17,276
	Net income attributable to common
		stockholders – basic and diluted	$	18,856	$	20,425	$	57,230	$	58,789

	Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted			5,108,016		5,106,984		5,107,474		5,106,427

	Income from continuing operations		$	2.43	$	2.93	$	7.44	$	8.13
	Income from discontinued operations, net			1.26		1.07		3.76		3.38
	Net income per common share – basic and diluted		$	3.69	$	4.00	$	11.20	$	11.51

Basis of Presentation (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

Basis Of Accounting Policy Policy [Text Block]

2. Basis of Presentation

We currently operate in one business segment.

Recently Issued Accounting Literature (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

Recently Issued Accounting Literature Policy [Text Block]

3. Recently Issued Accounting Literature

Relationship with Vornado (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Summary of Fees to Vornado [Table Text Block]

		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
		September 30,				September 30,
(Amounts in thousands)		2012		2011		2012		2011
Company management fees		$	750	$	750	$	2,250	$	2,250
Development fees			63		187		438		563
Leasing fees			320		539		1,949		3,819
Property management fees and payments for cleaning, engineering
	and security services		1,369		1,131		3,911		3,264
		$	2,502	$	2,607	$	8,548	$	9,896

Discontinued Operations (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Discontinued Operations [Table Text Block]

			Assets Related to			Liabilities Related to
		Discontinued Operations as of				Discontinued Operations as of
			September 30,		December 31,		September 30,		December 31,
(Amounts in thousands)			2012		2011		2012		2011
Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center		$	133,525	$	137,418	$	250,000	$	250,000


		Three Months				Nine Months
		Ended September 30,				Ended September 30,
(Amounts in thousands)			2012		2011		2012		2011
Total revenues		$	17,518	$	17,788	$	50,601	$	50,957
Total expenses⁽¹⁾			10,580		10,461		30,599		32,195
Income from discontinued operations		$	6,938	$	7,327	$	20,002	$	18,762
___________________
(1)	Includes fees to Vornado of $433 and $424 for the three months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $1,310 and $1,245 for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of disposal groups, which may include the gain (loss) recognized in the income statement and the income statement caption that includes that gain (loss), amounts of revenues and pretax profit or loss reported in discontinued operations, the classification and carrying value of the assets and liabilities comprising the disposal group, and the segment in which the disposal group was reported. Also may include the amount of adjustments to amounts previously reported in discontinued operations such as resolution of contingencies arising from the disposal transaction or the operations of the component prior to disposal.

+ References + Details

Mortgages Payable (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Notes and Mortgages Payable [Abstract]

Schedule of Mortgages Payable [Table Text Block]

					Balance at
			Interest Rate at		September 30,		December 31,
(Amounts in thousands)		Maturity	September 30, 2012		2012		2011
First mortgage, secured by the Rego Park I
	Shopping Center (100% cash collateralized)	Mar. 2013	0.50	%	$	78,246	$	78,246
First mortgage, secured by the office space
	at the Lexington Avenue property	Feb. 2014	5.33	%		330,629		339,890
First mortgage, secured by the retail space
	at the Lexington Avenue property⁽¹⁾	Jul. 2015	4.93	%		320,000		320,000
First mortgage, secured by the Paramus property		Oct. 2018	2.90	%		68,000		68,000
First mortgage, secured by the
	Rego Park II Shopping Center⁽²⁾	Nov. 2018	2.06	%		272,901		274,796
					$	1,069,776	$	1,080,932
___________________
(1)	In the event of a substantial casualty, as defined, up to $75,000 of this loan may become recourse to us.
(2)	This loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 1.85%.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of long-debt instruments or arrangements, including identification, terms, features, collateral requirements and other information necessary to a fair presentation. These are debt arrangements that originally required repayment more than twelve months after issuance or greater than the normal operating cycle of the entity, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21475-112644

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21506-112644

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21538-112644

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21521-112644

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(e),(f))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Fair Value [Abstract]

Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]

		As of December 31, 2011
(Amounts in thousands)		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	Short-term investments	$	5,000	$	5,000	$	-	$	-

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of assets, including [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity, if any, by class that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The disclosures contemplated herein include the fair value measurements at the reporting date by the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

+ References + Details

Earnings Per Share (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]

			Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
			September 30,				September 30,
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)			2012		2011		2012		2011
	Income from continuing operations		$	12,410	$	14,941	$	38,008	$	41,513
	Income from discontinued operations, net of income
		attributable to the noncontrolling interest		6,446		5,484		19,222		17,276
	Net income attributable to common
		stockholders – basic and diluted	$	18,856	$	20,425	$	57,230	$	58,789

	Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted			5,108,016		5,106,984		5,107,474		5,106,427

	Income from continuing operations		$	2.43	$	2.93	$	7.44	$	8.13
	Income from discontinued operations, net			1.26		1.07		3.76		3.38
	Net income per common share – basic and diluted		$	3.69	$	4.00	$	11.20	$	11.51

Basis of Presentation (Details)	9 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Details)	Sep. 30, 2012 segment
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Number Of Operating Segments	1

Relationship with Vornado (Details) - Vornado [member]	9 Months Ended
Relationship with Vornado (Details) - Vornado [member]	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($) $ / sqft
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	32.40%
Managment and Development Agreement [line items]
Management Fee Agreement Value	$ 3,000,000
Leasing Agreement [Line Items]
Asset sale commission threshold	$ 50,000,000
Percentage Commissions On Sale Of Assets Under Fifty Million	3.00%
Percentage Commissions On Sale Of Assets Over Fifty Million	1.00%
Leasing services fee and commission on asset sale, annual installment, maximum.	$ 4,000,000
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR
Basis spread over LIBOR	1.00%
Unpaid Balance Effective Interest	2.13%
Other Agreements [Abstract]
Other Supervisory Fees	6.00%
Lexington Avenue Property [Member] \| Office And Retail Space [Member]
Managment and Development Agreement [line items]
Property Management Fee Agreement Price Per Square Foot \| $ / sqft	0.5
Lexington Avenue Property [Member] \| Common Area [Member]
Managment and Development Agreement [line items]
Property Management Fee Agreement Value	$ 264,000
Property Management Fee Escalation Percentage Per Annum	3.00%
Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center [Member]
Managment and Development Agreement [line items]
Property Management Fee Agreement Percentage Of Gross Revenue	3.00%
Rego Park 2 Property [Member]
Managment and Development Agreement [line items]
Property Management Fee Agreement Percentage Of Gross Revenue	2.00%
Development fees
Managment and Development Agreement [line items]
Development fee as percentage of development costs	6.00%
Leasing Fees
Leasing Agreement [Line Items]
Lease Fee Percentage Of Rent One To Ten Years	3.00%
Lease Fee Percentage Of Rent Eleven To Twenty Years	2.00%
Lease Fee Percentage Of Rent Twenty First To Thirty Years	1.00%
Percentage Increase Lease Fee If Broker Used	1.00%
Other Agreements [Abstract]
Fees owed to Vornado	$ 39,059,000
Property Management Fees
Other Agreements [Abstract]
Fees owed to Vornado	$ 735,000

Relationship with Vornado: Summary of Fees (Details) - Vornado [member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Summary of fees to Vornado [Line Items]
Fees to Related Party	$ 2,502	$ 2,607	$ 8,548	$ 9,896
Company management fees
Summary of fees to Vornado [Line Items]
Fees to Related Party	750	750	2,250	2,250
Development fees
Summary of fees to Vornado [Line Items]
Fees to Related Party	63	187	438	563
Leasing Fees
Summary of fees to Vornado [Line Items]
Fees to Related Party	320	539	1,949	3,819
Property Management Fees
Summary of fees to Vornado [Line Items]
Fees to Related Party	$ 1,369	$ 1,131	$ 3,911	$ 3,264

Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($)	Oct. 21, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income from discontinued operations		$ 6,938,000	$ 7,327,000	$ 20,002,000	$ 18,762,000
Fees to Vornado		1,146,000	917,000	3,231,000	2,649,000
Assets related to discontinued operations		133,525,000		133,525,000		$ 137,418,000
Liabilities related to discontinued operations		250,000,000		250,000,000		250,000,000
The Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total revenues related to discontinued operations		17,518,000	17,788,000	50,601,000	50,957,000
Total expenses related to discontinued operations		10,580,000	10,461,000	30,599,000	32,195,000
Income from discontinued operations		6,938,000	7,327,000	20,002,000	18,762,000
Fees to Vornado		433,000	$ 424,000	1,310,000	$ 1,245,000
Assets related to discontinued operations		133,525,000		133,525,000		137,418,000
Liabilities related to discontinued operations		$ 250,000,000		$ 250,000,000		$ 250,000,000
The Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center \| Subsequent Event
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Financial statement gain	$ 602,000,000
Tax Gain	624,000,000
The Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center \| Subsequent Event \| Macerich
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Real Estate Property Sold Gross	751,000,000
Net proceeds from sale after paying loan and closing costs	481,000,000
The Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center \| Subsequent Event \| Macerich \| Maximum [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Common Stock From Sale of Real Estate	$ 30,000,000

Significant Tenants (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Significant Tenants (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 48,642	$ 46,949	$ 142,821	$ 138,688
Bloomberg [Member] \| Customer Concentration Risk [Member]
Real Estate Properties [Line Items]
Total revenues			$ 64,651	$ 63,289
Percentage Rent Contributed By Tenant	45.00%	46.00%	45.00%	46.00%

Mortgages Payable (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Mortgages Payable	$ 1,069,776,000	$ 1,080,932,000
Rego Park 1 Shopping [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Secured [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Maturity Date String	2013-03
Interest rate	0.50%
Mortgages Payable	$ 78,246,000	78,246,000
Percentage of cash mortgage collateralized	100.00%
Rego Park 2 Property [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Secured [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Maturity Date String	2018-11
Interest rate	2.06%
Mortgages Payable	$ 272,901,000	274,796,000
Basis spread over LIBOR	1.85%
Lexington Avenue Property [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Mortgages Payable	$ 320,000,000
Mortgage Loan Converted To Recourse	$ 75,000,000
Lexington Avenue Property [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Secured [Member] \| Office Space [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Maturity Date String	2014-02
Interest rate	5.33%
Mortgages Payable	$ 330,629,000	339,890,000
Lexington Avenue Property [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Secured [Member] \| Retail Space [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Maturity Date String	2015-07
Interest rate	4.93%
Mortgages Payable	$ 320,000,000	320,000,000
Lexington Avenue Property [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Secured [Member] \| Retail Space [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Mortgage Loan Converted To Recourse	$ 75,000,000
Paramus Property [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Secured [Member]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Maturity Date String	2018-10
Interest rate	2.90%
Mortgages Payable	$ 68,000,000	$ 68,000,000

Stock-Based Compensation (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Stock-Based Compensation (Details) - USD ($)	May 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Expense recognized in connection with the issuance of Deferred Stock Units		$ 300,000	$ 300,000
Deferred Stock Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Units granted to each grantee	129
Grant date fair value per grant	$ 37,500
Expense recognized in connection with the issuance of Deferred Stock Units	$ 300,000

Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Short-term investments		$ 5,000
Liabilities recorded at fair value	$ 0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Short-term investments		5,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Short-term investments		0
Fair Value, Financial Assets and Liabilities Not Measured at Fair Value [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 1,136,000	1,136,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Short-term investments		$ 0

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all securitized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

+ References + Details

Commitments and Contingencies (Details)	9 Months Ended
Commitments and Contingencies (Details)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($) acre	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)
Insurance [Abstract]
Mortgage loan, carrying amount	$ 1,069,776,000	$ 1,080,932,000
Letters Of Credit [Abstract]
Standby letters of credit, issued and outstanding	3,998,000.00
Lexington Avenue Property [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Mortgage loans, recourse	75,000,000
Mortgage loan, carrying amount	320,000,000
Kings Plaza Regional Shopping Center [Member]
Environmental Remediation [Abstract]
Estimated total costs associated with clean up	3,000,000
Previously Paid Amounts For Environmental Liabilities	500,000
Paramus Property [Member] \| Tenant Occupant [Member] \| Ikea [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Mortgage loan, carrying amount	$ 68,000,000.00
Paramus Property [Abstract]
Acres Of Real Estate Land \| acre	30.3
Leases Of Lessor Rental Term Range	40 years
Property purchase option exercisable by lessee	$ 75,000,000.00
Fixed interest rate on the debt	2.90%
Triple-net rent, annual amount	$ 700,000.00
Purchase option exercised, proceeds from sale of land	7,000,000.00
Purchase option exercised, gain on sale of land	62,000,000.00
Purchase option not exercised, amount included in triple net rent over remainder of lease	$ 68,000,000.00
Loan Amortization Period	20 years
Flushing Property [Member]
Flushing Property [Abstract]
Non-refundable purchase deposit	$ 1,875,000
Indemnification Sought by Tenant	$ 50,000,000
Loss Contingency, Inestimable Loss	We believe, after consultation with counsel, that the amount or range of reasonably possible losses, if any, cannot be estimated
General Liability [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Insurance Maximum Coverage Per Incident	$ 300,000,000
All Risk Property And Rental Value [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Insurance Maximum Coverage Per Incident	1,700,000,000
Terrorism Coverage Including Nbcr [Member] \| Self Insured [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Insurance Maximum Coverage Per Incident	1,700,000,000
Reinsurance For Terrorism Coverage Excluding Nbcr [Member] \| Third Party Carriers [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Insurance Maximum Coverage Per Incident	1,700,000,000
NBCR [Member]
Insurance [Abstract]
Deductible	$ 275,000
Self Insured Responsibility	15.00%
Federal Government Responsibility	85.00%

Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations	$ 12,410	$ 14,941	$ 38,008	$ 41,513
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to the noncontrolling interest	6,446	5,484	19,222	17,276
Net income attributable to Alexander's	$ 18,856	$ 20,425	$ 57,230	$ 58,789
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic	5,108,016	5,106,984	5,107,474	5,106,427
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	5,108,016	5,106,984	5,107,474	5,106,427
Income from continuing operations - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.43	$ 2.93	$ 7.44	$ 8.13
Income from discontinued operations, net - basic (in dollars per share)	1.26	1.07	3.76	3.38
Net income per common share - basic (in dollars per share)	3.69	4.00	11.20	11.51
Income from continuing operations - diluted (in dollars per share)	2.43	2.93	7.44	8.13
Income from discontinued operations, net - diluted (in dollars per share)	1.26	1.07	3.76	3.38
Net income per common share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 3.69	$ 4.00	$ 11.20	$ 11.51