Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Description of Business: Cousins Properties Incorporated (“Cousins”), a Georgia corporation, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Through December 31, 2014, Cousins Real Estate Corporation (“CREC”) was a taxable entity wholly-owned by and consolidated within Cousins. CREC owned, developed, and managed its own real estate portfolio and performed certain real estate related services for other parties. On December 31, 2014, CREC merged into Cousins and coincident with this merger, Cousins formed Cousins TRS Services LLC ("CTRS"), a new taxable entity wholly-owned by Cousins. Upon formation, CTRS received a capital contribution of some of the real estate assets and contracts that were previously owned by CREC. CTRS owns and manages its own real estate portfolio and performs certain real estate related services for other parties beginning in 2015. Cousins, CREC, CTRS and their subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) develop, acquire, lease, manage, and own primarily Class A office properties and opportunistic mixed-use developments in Sunbelt markets with a focus on Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s portfolio of real estate assets consisted of interests in 14.8 million square feet of office space, 786,000 square feet of mixed use space. Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated partnerships and wholly-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company presents its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) as outlined in the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Codification (the “Codification” or “ASC”). The Codification is the single source of authoritative accounting principles applied by nongovernmental entities in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP. For the three years ended December 31, 2015, there were no items of other comprehensive income. Therefore, no presentation of comprehensive income is required. The Company evaluates all partnerships, joint ventures and other arrangements with variable interests to determine if the entity or arrangement qualifies as a variable interest entity (“VIE”), as defined in the Codification. If the entity or arrangement qualifies as a VIE and the Company is determined to be the primary beneficiary, the Company is required to consolidate the assets, liabilities, and results of operations of the VIE. The Company has a joint venture with Callaway Gardens Resort, Inc. (“Callaway”) for the development of residential lots, which is anticipated to be funded fully through Company contributions. Callaway has the right to receive returns, but no obligation to fund any costs or absorb any losses. The Company is the sole decision maker for the venture and the development manager. The Company has determined that Callaway is a VIE, and the Company is the primary beneficiary. Therefore, the Company consolidates this joint venture. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Callaway had total assets of $4.6 million, and no significant liabilities. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current period presentation. In 2015, the Company concluded that certain liabilities associated with variable stock-based compensation should be classified as other liabilities. Previously, these items had been classified as accounts payable and accrued expenses. This change in classification does not affect the previously reported consolidated statement of cash flows or consolidated statement of operations for any period. Recently Issued Accounting Standards: In 2015, the FASB issued ASC 2015-02 "Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis." All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. The amendment modifies the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities or voting interest entities. It also eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. The guidance is effective for public entities with periods beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2016, and expects no material impact to the financial statements. In 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs," which will require companies to present debt issuance costs as a direct deduction from the related debt rather than as an asset. These costs will continue to be amortized into interest expense. The guidance is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. ASU 2015-15 was issued further clarifying that entities may defer and present debt costs as an asset and amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term for line of credit arrangements, regardless of the outstanding balance. The Company adopted the guidance in ASU 2015-03 effective January 1, 2016 for mortgage debt and has elected to defer adoption for costs related to line of credit arrangements. The Company expects no material impact to the financial statements. In 2015, the FASB voted to defer ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)." Under the new guidance, companies will recognize revenue when the seller satisfies a performance obligation, which would be when the buyer takes control of the good or service. This new guidance could result in different amounts of revenue being recognized and could result in revenue being recognized in different reporting periods than under the current guidance. The standard specifically excludes revenue associated with lease contracts. The guidance is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company expects to adopt this guidance effective January 1, 2018 and is currently assessing the potential impact of adopting the new guidance.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Description of Business: Cousins Properties Incorporated (“Cousins”), a Georgia corporation, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Through December 31, 2014, Cousins Real Estate Corporation (“CREC”) was a taxable entity wholly-owned by and consolidated within Cousins. CREC owned, developed, and managed its own real estate portfolio and performed certain real estate related services for other parties. On December 31, 2014, CREC merged into Cousins and coincident with this merger, Cousins formed Cousins TRS Services LLC ("CTRS"), a new taxable entity wholly-owned by Cousins. Upon formation, CTRS received a capital contribution of some of the real estate assets and contracts that were previously owned by CREC. CTRS owns and manages its own real estate portfolio and performs certain real estate related services for other parties beginning in 2015.

Cousins, CREC, CTRS and their subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) develop, acquire, lease, manage, and own primarily Class A office properties and opportunistic mixed-use developments in Sunbelt markets with a focus on Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s portfolio of real estate assets consisted of interests in 14.8 million square feet of office space, 786,000 square feet of mixed use space.

Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated partnerships and wholly-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company presents its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) as outlined in the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Codification (the “Codification” or “ASC”). The Codification is the single source of authoritative accounting principles applied by nongovernmental entities in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP.

For the three years ended December 31, 2015, there were no items of other comprehensive income. Therefore, no presentation of comprehensive income is required.

The Company evaluates all partnerships, joint ventures and other arrangements with variable interests to determine if the entity or arrangement qualifies as a variable interest entity (“VIE”), as defined in the Codification. If the entity or arrangement qualifies as a VIE and the Company is determined to be the primary beneficiary, the Company is required to consolidate the assets, liabilities, and results of operations of the VIE.

The Company has a joint venture with Callaway Gardens Resort, Inc. (“Callaway”) for the development of residential lots, which is anticipated to be funded fully through Company contributions. Callaway has the right to receive returns, but no obligation to fund any costs or absorb any losses. The Company is the sole decision maker for the venture and the development manager. The Company has determined that Callaway is a VIE, and the Company is the primary beneficiary. Therefore, the Company consolidates this joint venture. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, Callaway had total assets of $4.6 million, and no significant liabilities.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current period presentation. In 2015, the Company concluded that certain liabilities associated with variable stock-based compensation should be classified as other liabilities. Previously, these items had been classified as accounts payable and accrued expenses. This change in classification does not affect the previously reported consolidated statement of cash flows or consolidated statement of operations for any period.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards: In 2015, the FASB issued ASC 2015-02 "Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis." All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. The amendment modifies the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities or voting interest entities. It also eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. The guidance is effective for public entities with periods beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2016, and expects no material impact to the financial statements.

In 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs," which will require companies to present debt issuance costs as a direct deduction from the related debt rather than as an asset. These costs will continue to be amortized into interest expense. The guidance is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. ASU 2015-15 was issued further clarifying that entities may defer and present debt costs as an asset and amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term for line of credit arrangements, regardless of the outstanding balance. The Company adopted the guidance in ASU 2015-03 effective January 1, 2016 for mortgage debt and has elected to defer adoption for costs related to line of credit arrangements. The Company expects no material impact to the financial statements.

In 2015, the FASB voted to defer ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)." Under the new guidance, companies will recognize revenue when the seller satisfies a performance obligation, which would be when the buyer takes control of the good or service. This new guidance could result in different amounts of revenue being recognized and could result in revenue being recognized in different reporting periods than under the current guidance. The standard specifically excludes revenue associated with lease contracts. The guidance is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company expects to adopt this guidance effective January 1, 2018 and is currently assessing the potential impact of adopting the new guidance.