Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from office and parking properties	$ 54,998		$ 42,245		$ 149,995		$ 104,739
Management company income	4,591		6,120		14,996		9,990
Property operating expenses	(21,257)		(18,471)		(58,803)		(43,285)
Depreciation and amortization	(21,766)		(17,471)		(59,046)		(38,342)
Management company expenses	(4,205)		(4,242)		(12,966)		(8,196)
Income tax benefit (expense)	7		174		(143)		(50)
General and administrative expenses	(3,749)		(4,104)		(11,266)		(11,569)
Acquisition costs	(159)		(25)		(1,491)		(16,754)
Other income	64		87		205		849
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	0		5		0		101
Interest expense	(8,521)		(8,876)		(26,301)		(22,953)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests - unit holders	17		1		1		2
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest - real estate partnerships	896		77,546		1,789		84,112
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(330)		(131,800)		2,538		(138,571)
Gain on sale of real estate from discontinued operations	995		2,275		9,767		6,567		17,825	[1]
Gain on sale of real estate and other assets	548		743		548		743
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0		12,000		(216)		12,000
Impairment loss on mortgage loan receivable	0		(9,235)		0		(9,235)
Dividends on preferred stock	(2,711)		(2,710)		(8,132)		(7,341)
Dividends on convertible preferred stock					(1,011)		0
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	(582)		(55,738)		464		(77,193)
Depreciation and amortization	21,766		17,471		59,046		38,342
Depreciation and amortization - discontinued operations	102		14,819		926		45,964
Depreciation and amortization noncontrolling interest - real estate partnerships	(8,085)		(11,574)		(24,260)		(25,350)
Adjustment for depreciation and amortization-unconsolidated joint ventures	0		38		22		197
Noncontrolling interests - unit holders	(17)		(1)		(1)		(2)
Impairment Loss on Real Estate Parkway Share	0		54,767		0		56,467
Gain on sale of real estate	20		(3,018)		(4,914)		(7,310)
Funds from operations available to common stockholders	13,204		16,764		31,283		31,115
Total assets	1,584,344		1,914,182		1,584,344		1,914,182		1,636,311
Office and parking properties including held for sale	1,259,277		1,545,749		1,259,277		1,545,749
Office and parking properties	1,252,605				1,252,605				921,937
Capital expenditures	7,749		12,906		26,404		40,554
Office Properties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from office and parking properties	54,998	[2]	42,245	[2]	149,995	[2]	104,739	[2]
Management company income	0		0		0		0
Property operating expenses	(21,257)	[3]	(18,471)	[3]	(58,803)	[3]	(43,285)	[3]
Depreciation and amortization	(21,766)		(17,471)		(59,046)		(38,342)
Management company expenses	0		0		0		0
Income tax benefit (expense)	0		0		0		0
General and administrative expenses	0		0		0		0
Acquisition costs	(159)		0		(1,491)		(2,764)
Other income	0		0		0		0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	0		5		0		101
Interest expense	(7,796)	[4]	(7,281)	[4]	(23,552)	[4]	(17,576)	[4]
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests - unit holders	0		0		0		0
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest - real estate partnerships	896		77,546		1,789		84,112
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(330)		(131,800)		2,538		(138,571)
Gain on sale of real estate from discontinued operations	995		2,275		9,767		6,567
Gain on sale of real estate and other assets	48		743		548		743
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0		0		0		0
Impairment loss on mortgage loan receivable	0		0		0		0
Dividends on preferred stock	0		0		0		0
Dividends on convertible preferred stock					0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	5,629		(52,209)		21,745		(44,276)
Depreciation and amortization	21,766		17,471		59,046		38,342
Depreciation and amortization - discontinued operations	102		14,819		926		45,964
Depreciation and amortization noncontrolling interest - real estate partnerships	(8,085)		(11,574)		(24,260)		(25,350)
Adjustment for depreciation and amortization-unconsolidated joint ventures	0		38		22		197
Noncontrolling interests - unit holders	0		0		0		0
Impairment Loss on Real Estate Parkway Share	0		54,767		0		56,467
Gain on sale of real estate	20		(3,018)		(4,914)		(7,310)
Funds from operations available to common stockholders	19,432		20,294		52,565		64,034
Total assets	1,481,253		1,822,926		1,481,253		1,822,926
Office and parking properties including held for sale	1,259,277		1,545,749	[5]	1,259,277		1,545,749	[5]
Capital expenditures	7,749	[6]	12,906	[6]	26,404	[6]	40,554	[6]
Unallocated and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from office and parking properties	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Management company income	4,591		6,120		14,996		9,990
Property operating expenses	0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Depreciation and amortization	0		0		0		0
Management company expenses	(4,205)		(4,242)		(12,966)		(8,196)
Income tax benefit (expense)	7		174		(143)		(50)
General and administrative expenses	(3,749)		(4,104)		(11,266)		(11,569)
Acquisition costs	0		(25)		0		(13,990)
Other income	64		87		205		849
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0		0		0
Interest expense	(725)	[4]	(1,595)	[4]	(2,749)	[4]	(5,377)	[4]
Adjustment for noncontrolling interests - unit holders	17		1		1		2
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest - real estate partnerships	0		0		0		0
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0		0		0		0
Gain on sale of real estate from discontinued operations	0		0		0		0
Gain on sale of real estate and other assets	500		0		0		0
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0		12,000		(216)		12,000
Impairment loss on mortgage loan receivable	0		(9,235)		0		(9,235)
Dividends on preferred stock	(2,711)		(2,710)		(8,132)		(7,341)
Dividends on convertible preferred stock					(1,011)		0
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	(6,211)		(3,529)		(21,281)		(32,917)
Depreciation and amortization	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization - discontinued operations	0		0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization noncontrolling interest - real estate partnerships	0		0		0		0
Adjustment for depreciation and amortization-unconsolidated joint ventures	0		0		0		0
Noncontrolling interests - unit holders	(17)		(1)		(1)		(2)
Impairment Loss on Real Estate Parkway Share	0		0		0		0
Gain on sale of real estate	0		0		0		0
Funds from operations available to common stockholders	(6,228)		(3,530)		(21,282)		(32,919)
Total assets	103,091		91,256		103,091		91,256
Office and parking properties including held for sale	0		0	[5]	0		0	[5]
Capital expenditures	$ 0	[6]	$ 0	[6]	$ 0	[6]	$ 0	[6]

[1] Total gain on the sale of real estate in discontinued operations recognized for the year ended December 31, 2011 was $17.8 million, of which $9.8 million was Parkway's proportionate share.

[2] Included in income from office and parking properties are rental revenues, customer reimbursements, parking income and other income.

[3] Included in property operating expenses are real estate taxes, insurance, contract services, repairs and maintenance and property operating expenses.

[4] Interest expense for office properties represents interest expense on property secured mortgage debt. It does not include interest expense on the Company's unsecured credit facilities, which is included in "Unallocated and Other".

[5] Includes office and parking properties held for sale

[6] Capital expenditures include building improvements, tenant improvements and leasing costs.