Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures (Summary of Financial Data and Principal Activities) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		$ 950,013		$ 1,130,788
Total Debt		390,794		392,850
Total Equity		535,515		666,004
Company's Investment		89,797		148,396
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		148,338		154,592		168,197
Net Income (Loss)		52,638		(38,591)		24,869
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		39,258		(18,299)		9,493
EP I LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		83,235		33,343
Total Debt		43,515		1
Total Equity		32,611		29,137
Company's Investment		27,864		24,827
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		796		0		0
Net Income (Loss)		(441)		(6)		0
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		(330)		(4)		0
Cousins Watkins LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		54,285		56,096
Total Debt		28,244		28,571
Total Equity		25,259		26,893
Company's Investment		16,692		16,321
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		5,575		4,831		0
Net Income (Loss)		(24)		42		(1,072)
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		2,397		2,410		0
CF Murfreesboro Associates [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		121,451		125,668
Total Debt		94,540		98,922
Total Equity		25,411		24,810
Company's Investment		14,571		14,421
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		13,152		13,081		13,785
Net Income (Loss)		602		547		1,032
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		16		25		280
CP Venture Five Holdings LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		286,647		301,352
Total Debt		35,417		36,031
Total Equity		243,563		255,881
Company's Investment		13,884		14,694
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		30,007		31,020		31,343
Net Income (Loss)		3,943		4,008		3,955
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		1,059		1,054		1,034
Charlotte Gateway Village, LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		140,384		146,854
Total Debt		68,242		83,097
Total Equity		70,917		62,423
Company's Investment		10,299		10,333
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		32,901		32,442		31,812
Net Income (Loss)		9,704		8,802		7,829
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		1,176		1,176		1,176
Temco Associates
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		8,409		23,653
Total Debt		0		2,787
Total Equity		8,233		20,646
Company's Investment		4,095		7,363
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		702		653		2,180
Net Income (Loss)		(65)		(37,494)		210
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		(236)		(15,682)		104
MSREF/Cousins Terminus 200 LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		95,520		92,421
Total Debt		74,340		68,562
Total Equity		19,659		17,967
Company's Investment		3,930		3,593
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		12,265		6,093		1,873
Net Income (Loss)		(1,069)		(3,453)		(1,967)
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		(215)		(693)		(393)
CL Realty, L.L.C. [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		7,549		44,481
Total Debt		0		1,056
Total Equity		7,155		42,932
Company's Investment		3,579		22,413
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		2,667		9,141		28,013
Net Income (Loss)		1,068		(28,508)		227
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		221		(11,971)		3,543
CP Venture Two LLC entities [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		96,345		102,178
Total Debt		0		0
Total Equity		94,819		99,942
Company's Investment		2,894		3,343
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		19,533		19,061		18,394
Net Income (Loss)		10,473		8,459		8,899
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		1,208		860		921
Company's share of gain on sale of equity investee property		167
Wildwood Associates [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		21,176		21,224
Total Debt		0		0
Total Equity		21,173		21,221
Company's Investment		(1,664)	[1]	(1,639)	[1]
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		1		1		55
Net Income (Loss)		(139)		(155)		(129)
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		(70)		(77)		(65)
Crawford Long - CPI, LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		32,818		32,739
Total Debt		46,496		47,631
Total Equity		(15,129)		(16,137)
Company's Investment		(6,407)	[1]	(6,873)	[1]
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		11,579		11,904		11,415
Net Income (Loss)		2,508		2,404		1,939
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		1,248		1,199		969
Palisades West LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		0		124,588
Total Debt		0		0
Total Equity		0		81,635
Company's Investment		0		42,616
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		15,401		16,230		13,588
Net Income (Loss)		5,330		5,858		4,668
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		25,547	[2]	2,858		2,265
Income from continuing operations		2,200
Company's share of gain on sale of equity investee property		23,300
Ten Peachtree Place Associates [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		0		22,523
Total Debt		0		26,192
Total Equity		0		(4,145)
Company's Investment		0		(3,679)	[1]
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		2,488		7,178		7,776
Net Income (Loss)		20,895		1,161		981
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		7,843	[3]	596		506
Company's share of gain on sale of equity investee property	7,300	7,300
Other [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets		2,194		3,668
Total Debt		0		0
Total Equity		1,844		2,799
Company's Investment		60		663
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		1,271		2,957		7,963
Net Income (Loss)		(147)		(256)		(1,703)
Company's Share of Income (Loss)		$ (606)		$ (50)		$ (847)

[1] Negative balances are included in deferred income on the balance sheets.

[2] Amount includes income from continuing operations of the venture of $2.2 million and a $23.3 million gain on the sale of the Company's interest in the venture.

[3] This venture sold its only asset in 2012; therefore, this amount represents the Company's share of discontinued operations from the venture, including a gain on the sale of $7.3 million.