Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Mack-Cali Realty Corporation Stockholders' Equity (Earnings Per Share) (Narrative) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Mack-Cali Realty Corporation Stockholders' Equity (Earnings Per Share) (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                        
Anti-dilutive securities excluded from the computation of earnings per share                 10,000us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount 15,000us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount 183,870us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount  
Dividends declared per common share $ 0.15us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.15us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.15us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.30us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.30us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.30us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.30us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.45us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.75us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 1.35us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 1.80us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared  
Unvested restricted stock outstanding 346,946us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber       153,560us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber       346,946us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber 153,560us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber 134,328us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber 187,447us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
Restricted Stock [Member]                        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                        
Unvested restricted stock outstanding 136,946us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
      409,294us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
      136,946us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
409,294us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
134,328us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember