| **Accrued Liabilities and Deferred Credits (Details) (USD $)In Thousands, unless otherwise specified** | Dec. 31, 2014                                                                                           | Dec. 31, 2013                                                                                       |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Accrued Liabilities And Deferred Credits [Line Items]**                                              |                                                                                                    |                                                                                                |
| Accrued compensation                                                                                   | $ 2,673us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent                                                        | $ 3,705us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent                                                    |
| Deferred revenue                                                                                       | 15,309us-gaap_DeferredRevenue                                                                           | 28,551us-gaap_DeferredRevenue                                                                       |
| Environmental and insurance liabilities                                                                | 475us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies                                                     | 1,071us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies                                               |
| Customer Advances and Deposits                                                                         | 8,426us-gaap_CustomerAdvancesAndDeposits                                                                | 8,545us-gaap_CustomerAdvancesAndDeposits                                                            |
| Other accrued liabilities                                                                              | 5,176us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndOtherAccruedLiabilities                                                  | 7,775us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndOtherAccruedLiabilities                                              |
| Total accrued liabilities and deferred credits                                                         | 34,911joe_AccruedLiabilitiesAndDeferredRevenueCombined                                                  | 49,647joe_AccruedLiabilitiesAndDeferredRevenueCombined                                              |
| Special Purpose Entities                                                                               |                                                                                                    |                                                                                                |
| **Accrued Liabilities And Deferred Credits [Line Items]**                                              |                                                                                                    |                                                                                                |
| Deposit Liabilities, Accrued Interest                                                                  | $ 2,852us-gaap_DepositLiabilitiesAccruedInterest/ dei_LegalEntityAxis= joe_SpecialPurposeEntitiesMember | $ 0us-gaap_DepositLiabilitiesAccruedInterest/ dei_LegalEntityAxis= joe_SpecialPurposeEntitiesMember |

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| - Definition
Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Also includes amount of deferred revenue as of balance sheet date. Deferred revenue represents collections of cash or other assets related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.
+ References
No definition available.
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| - Definition
Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred and payable to vendors for goods and services received, and other costs not separately disclosed in the balance sheet that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered.
+ References
No definition available.
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| - Definition
Total costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for environmental loss contingencies.
+ References
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| - Definition
Refundable consideration, usually cash, held by the entity pending satisfactory completion of the entity's obligations or pending the closing of a contract.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910
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|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of deferred revenue as of balance sheet date. Deferred revenue represents collections of cash or other assets related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.
+ References
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| - Definition
Amount of accrued but unpaid interest on deposit liabilities.
+ References
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).
+ References
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