Consolidated Statement of Equity (USD $)
Total
Common Shares Of Beneficial Interest [Member]
Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]
Common Shares Held in Treasury [Member]
Total Liberty Property Trust Shareholders' Equity [Member]
Noncontrolling interest operating partnership-Common [Member]
Noncontrolling interest-consolidated joint ventures [Member]
Total Equity [Member]
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member]
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member]
General Partners Equity [Member]
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member]
Noncontrolling interest operating partnership-Common [Member]
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member]
Noncontrolling interest-consolidated joint ventures [Member]
Liberty Property Limited Partnership [Member]
Total Equity [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest - Operating Partnership (Mezzanine) - Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014 $ 7,537,000                   $ 7,537,000        
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014 3,086,377,000 150,000 3,740,594,000 (6,252,000) (654,869,000) (51,951,000) 3,027,672,000 54,786,000 3,919,000 3,086,377,000 3,086,377,000 3,027,672,000 54,786,000 3,919,000 3,086,377,000
Net proceeds from the issuance of common shares   0 12,579,000       12,579,000     12,579,000          
Net income 31,862,000       30,951,000   30,951,000 735,000 58,000 31,744,000 31,862,000 30,951,000 735,000 58,000 31,744,000
Net income (Mezzanine) 118,000                   118,000        
Distributions (Mezzanine) (118,000)                   (118,000)        
Redemption of limited partners common units for common shares                       224,000 (224,000)   0
Contributions from partners                       20,016,000     20,016,000
Distributions         (70,830,000)   (70,830,000) (1,680,000) (58,000) (72,568,000)          
Distributions to partners                       (70,830,000) (1,680,000) (58,000) (72,568,000)
Share-based compensation     7,437,000       7,437,000     7,437,000          
Other comprehensive loss - foreign currency translation (10,410,000)     (10,169,000)     (10,169,000) (241,000)   (10,410,000) (10,410,000) (10,169,000) (241,000)   (10,410,000)
Other comprehensive loss - derivative instruments (947,000)     (925,000)     (925,000) (22,000)   (947,000) (947,000) (925,000) (22,000)   (947,000)
Redemption of noncontrolling interests - common units     224,000       224,000 (224,000)   0          
Noncontrolling Interest - Operating Partnership (Mezzanine) - Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2015 7,537,000                   7,537,000        
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2015 $ 3,054,212,000 $ 150,000 $ 3,760,834,000 $ (17,346,000) $ (694,748,000) $ (51,951,000) $ 2,996,939,000 $ 53,354,000 $ 3,919,000 $ 3,054,212,000 $ 3,054,212,000 $ 2,996,939,000 $ 53,354,000 $ 3,919,000 $ 3,054,212,000