Subsequent Events (Details) (New Revolving Credit Facility [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended
Jul. 27, 2011
New Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 475.0
Maximum borrowing capacity for previous revolving credit facility	400.0
Maturity date	Jul. 27, 2015
Additional borrowing capacity	$ 75.0
Interest rate	LIBOR plus 150 basis points
Annual facility fee (in hundredths)	0.35%

Amount of additional borrowing capacity that may be granted under an accordion feature of the credit facility, subject to additional lender commitments.

Name:	hiw_AdditionalBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	hiw
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects when the credit facility terminates, which is presented in a variety of ways (years, month and year, day, month, and year, quarter).

+ Details

Name:	hiw_Lineofcreditfacilitydateofexpiration
Namespace Prefix:	hiw
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum borrowing capacity for previously existing revolving credit facility.

+ Details

Name:	hiw_Previouslineofcreditmaximumborrowingcapacity
Namespace Prefix:	hiw
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 2, 4
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration