Impairment of Certain Real Estate Assets	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Impairment of Certain Real Estate Assets	Impairment of Certain Real Estate AssetsPiedmont recorded the following impairment charges for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011 (in thousands): 2013 2012 2011Impairment losses included in continuing operations: Impairment losses recorded in real estate operating expenses: 11107 and 11109 Sunset Hills Road $1,242 $— $—Impairment losses recorded in equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures: Piedmont's Investment in Fund 13 and REIT JV (at Piedmont's approximate 72% ownership) $4,402 $— $—Impairment losses recorded in discontinued operations: 1111 Durham Avenue $6,402 $— $—During the year ended December 31, 2013, Piedmont reduced its intended holding period for the 11107 and 11109 Sunset Hills Road buildings in Reston, Virginia which resulted in the recording of an impairment loss of approximately $1.2 million to reduce the carrying value of the assets to their estimated fair value. The decision to reduce the holding period was prompted by the loss of prospective replacement tenants for the 11109 building and indications of value from brokers familiar with the buildings and expressions of interest from various potential third party buyers.During the year ended December 31, 2013, Piedmont also recorded a $4.4 million impairment charge related to a decline in the value of its equity method investment in Fund 13 and REIT Joint Venture ("Fund 13/REIT") that Piedmont deemed "other than temporary". Fund 13/REIT owns and operates two commercial office buildings: 8560 Upland Drive, located in Parker, Colorado, and Two Park Center, located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The decline in value of Piedmont's equity investment in Fund13/REIT is attributable to the expiration of the sole tenant of Two Park Center as of December 31, 2013, Piedmont's pessimism regarding the near-term identification of a replacement tenant given the current state of the Hoffman Estates commercial office market, and the implications of those events on Piedmont's ability to recover its basis in its equity method investment. In accordance with GAAP regarding fair value measurements, Piedmont valued the 11107 and 11109 Sunset Hills Road buildings using a Level 1 fair value measurement, as there are direct observations and transactions involving the asset by unrelated, potential third-party purchasers. The fair value measurement used in the evaluation of Fund 13/REIT is considered to be a Level 3 fair value measurement within the prescribed fair value hierarchy. During the year ended December 31, 2013, Piedmont sold the 1111 Durham Avenue building in South Plainfield, New Jersey and recorded an impairment charge of $6.4 million based on the difference between carrying value and fair value of the asset at the time it was reclassified from real estate assets held-for-use (at cost) to real estate assets held for sale (at estimated fair value). The fair value measurement used in the evaluation of this non-financial asset was based upon the amount set forth in the purchaser's original letter of intent which approximated the land value of the asset due to the age of construction and lack of near term leasing prospects for the building.

Impairment of Certain Real Estate Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Impairment of Certain Real Estate Assets

Impairment of Certain Real Estate AssetsPiedmont recorded the following impairment charges for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011 (in thousands): 2013 2012 2011Impairment losses included in continuing operations: Impairment losses recorded in real estate operating expenses: 11107 and 11109 Sunset Hills Road $1,242 $— $—Impairment losses recorded in equity in loss of unconsolidated joint ventures: Piedmont's Investment in Fund 13 and REIT JV (at Piedmont's approximate 72% ownership) $4,402 $— $—Impairment losses recorded in discontinued operations: 1111 Durham Avenue $6,402 $— $—During the year ended December 31, 2013, Piedmont reduced its intended holding period for the 11107 and 11109 Sunset Hills Road buildings in Reston, Virginia which resulted in the recording of an impairment loss of approximately $1.2 million to reduce the carrying value of the assets to their estimated fair value. The decision to reduce the holding period was prompted by the loss of prospective replacement tenants for the 11109 building and indications of value from brokers familiar with the buildings and expressions of interest from various potential third party buyers.During the year ended December 31, 2013, Piedmont also recorded a $4.4 million impairment charge related to a decline in the value of its equity method investment in Fund 13 and REIT Joint Venture ("Fund 13/REIT") that Piedmont deemed "other than temporary". Fund 13/REIT owns and operates two commercial office buildings: 8560 Upland Drive, located in Parker, Colorado, and Two Park Center, located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The decline in value of Piedmont's equity investment in Fund13/REIT is attributable to the expiration of the sole tenant of Two Park Center as of December 31, 2013, Piedmont's pessimism regarding the near-term identification of a replacement tenant given the current state of the Hoffman Estates commercial office market, and the implications of those events on Piedmont's ability to recover its basis in its equity method investment. In accordance with GAAP regarding fair value measurements, Piedmont valued the 11107 and 11109 Sunset Hills Road buildings using a Level 1 fair value measurement, as there are direct observations and transactions involving the asset by unrelated, potential third-party purchasers. The fair value measurement used in the evaluation of Fund 13/REIT is considered to be a Level 3 fair value measurement within the prescribed fair value hierarchy. During the year ended December 31, 2013, Piedmont sold the 1111 Durham Avenue building in South Plainfield, New Jersey and recorded an impairment charge of $6.4 million based on the difference between carrying value and fair value of the asset at the time it was reclassified from real estate assets held-for-use (at cost) to real estate assets held for sale (at estimated fair value). The fair value measurement used in the evaluation of this non-financial asset was based upon the amount set forth in the purchaser's original letter of intent which approximated the land value of the asset due to the age of construction and lack of near term leasing prospects for the building.

- Definition

Disclosure of long-lived assets to be held and used by an entity or disposed, which may include a description of the impaired long-lived asset and facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, amount of the impairment loss and where the loss is located in the income statement, method(s) for determining fair value, and the segment in which the impaired long-lived asset is reported. For each long-lived asset to be disposed of or abandoned, a company may disclose a description of the asset to be disposed of or abandoned and the related circumstances, including the manner and expected timing of disposition.

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