Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	$ 1,130,788	$ 1,185,128
Total Debt	392,850	394,018
Total Equity	666,004	716,234
Company's Investment	148,396	154,454
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	154,592	168,197	133,075
Net Income (Loss)	(38,591)	24,869	(64,959)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(17,691)	9,493	(17,639)
CP Venture IV Holdings LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	301,352	313,603
Total Debt	36,031	36,620
Total Equity	255,881	267,085
Company's Investment	14,694	15,364
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	31,020	31,343	32,698
Net Income (Loss)	4,008	3,955	4,555
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	1,054	1,034	1,142
Charlotte Gateway Village, LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	146,854	154,200
Total Debt	83,097	97,030
Total Equity	62,423	54,834
Company's Investment	10,333	10,366
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	32,442	31,812	31,276
Net Income (Loss)	8,802	7,829	6,997
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	1,176	1,176	1,176
CF Murfreesboro Associates [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	125,668	129,738
Total Debt	98,922	103,378
Total Equity	24,810	24,263
Company's Investment	14,421	14,246
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	13,081	13,785	12,205
Net Income (Loss)	547	1,032	1,474
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	25	280	539
Palisades West LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	124,588	129,378
Total Debt	0	0
Total Equity	81,635	80,767
Company's Investment	42,616	42,256
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	16,230	13,588	12,677
Net Income (Loss)	5,858	4,668	5,303
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	2,858	2,265	2,588
CP Venture LLC entities [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	102,178	106,066
Total Debt	0	0
Total Equity	99,942	104,067
Company's Investment	3,343	3,779
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	19,061	18,394	18,038
Net Income (Loss)	8,459	8,899	8,552
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	860	921	882
MSREF/Cousins Terminus 200 LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	92,421	65,164
Total Debt	68,562	46,169
Total Equity	17,967	13,956
Company's Investment	3,593	2,791
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	6,093	1,873
Net Income (Loss)	(3,453)	(1,967)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(693)	(393)
CL Realty, L.L.C. [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	44,481	86,657
Total Debt	1,056	2,663
Total Equity	42,932	82,534
Company's Investment	22,413	39,928
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	9,141	28,013	2,698
Net Income (Loss)	(28,508)	227	(8,500)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(11,971)	3,543	(2,552)
Cousins Watkins LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	56,096	57,184
Total Debt	28,571	28,850
Total Equity	26,893	28,334
Company's Investment	16,321	14,850
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	4,831
Net Income (Loss)	42	(1,072)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	2,410
Temco Associates, LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	23,653	60,608
Total Debt	2,787	2,929
Total Equity	20,646	57,475
Company's Investment	7,363	22,713
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	653	2,180	1,420
Net Income (Loss)	(37,494)	210	(2,728)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(15,074)	104	(1,357)
EP I LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	33,343	0
Total Debt	1	0
Total Equity	29,137	0
Company's Investment	24,827	0
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Net Income (Loss)	(6)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(4)
Crawford Long - CPI, LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	32,739	34,408
Total Debt	47,631	48,701
Total Equity	(16,137)	(15,341)
Company's Investment	(6,873)	(6,431)
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	11,904	11,415	11,324
Net Income (Loss)	2,404	1,939	1,784
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	1,199	969	890
Wildwood Associates [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	21,224	21,220
Total Debt	0	0
Total Equity	21,221	21,216
Company's Investment	(1,639)	(1,642)
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	1	55
Net Income (Loss)	(155)	(129)	(133)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(77)	(65)	(67)
Ten Peachtree Place Associates [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	22,523	20,980
Total Debt	26,192	26,782
Total Equity	(4,145)	(6,263)
Company's Investment	(3,679)	(4,581)
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	7,178	7,776	7,436
Net Income (Loss)	1,161	981	718
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	596	506	375
TRG Columbus Development Venture, Ltd. [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	2,450	3,574
Total Debt	0	0
Total Equity	1,857	2,115
Company's Investment	31	58
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	26	1,091	506
Net Income (Loss)	(7)	783	30
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	72	473	115
Terminus 200 LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	789	789
Total Debt	0	0
Total Equity	789	789
Company's Investment	0	0
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues		533	654
Net Income (Loss)	1	55	(82,441)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)			(20,954)
Pine Mountain Builders, LLC [Member]
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL POSITION:
Total Assets	429	1,559
Total Debt	0	896
Total Equity	153	403
Company's Investment	632	757
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Total Revenues	2,931	6,339	2,143
Net Income (Loss)	(250)	(2,541)	(254)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	(125)	(1,316)	(142)
Other [Member]
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
Net Income (Loss)			(316)
Company's Share of Net Income (Loss)	$ 3	$ (4)	$ (274)