Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 35,121	$ 60,904
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	103,594	100,728
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	1,347	807
Share-based compensation expense	4,771	5,060
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,586	3,605
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,448	2,528
Amortization of settled cash-flow hedges	(87)	262
Impairment of assets held for use	2,429	0
Loss on debt extinguishment	24	85
Net (gains)/losses on disposition of property	(3,035)	31
(Gains)/losses on for-sale residential condominiums	322	(407)
Gains on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,282)	(25,330)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(3,933)	(2,701)
Changes in financing obligations	(339)	103
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,400	2,933
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(3,493)	(4,689)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(586)	(195)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(9,280)	(8,477)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,118	7,407
Net cash provided by operating activities	136,125	142,654
Investing activities:
Additions to real estate assets and deferred leasing costs	(150,558)	(66,370)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	16,530	6,801
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	2,770	3,732
Proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	4,756	15,000
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	1,304	1,591
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	338	231
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(39,665)	(907)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(15,598)	2,396
Net cash used in investing activities	(180,123)	(37,526)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(91,900)	(91,197)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(52,515)	0
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(3,926)	(5,031)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(4,818)	(4,857)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(391)	(506)
Net proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	22,043	2,076
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	285,400	4,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(150,400)	(4,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	200,000	10,368
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(156,602)	(18,205)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(6,011)	(506)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	40,880	(107,858)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(3,118)	(2,730)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	14,206	23,699
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	11,088	20,969
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	69,321	66,435
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Conversion of Common Units to Common Stock	1,344	2,958
Change in accrued capital expenditures	3,707	890
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	39,039	34,703
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	13,683	11,521
Unrealized gains/(losses) on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	(354)	489
Settlement of financing obligation	0	4,184
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(10,177)	(1,480)
Unrealized gain on tax increment financing bond	129	471
Mortgages receivable from seller financing	0	17,030
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	192,367	40,306
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	35,133	60,908
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	103,594	100,728
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	1,347	807
Share-based compensation expense	4,771	5,060
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,586	3,605
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,448	2,528
Amortization of settled cash-flow hedges	(87)	262
Impairment of assets held for use	2,429	0
Loss on debt extinguishment	24	85
Net (gains)/losses on disposition of property	(3,035)	31
(Gains)/losses on for-sale residential condominiums	322	(407)
Gains on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,282)	(25,330)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(3,945)	(2,705)
Changes in financing obligations	(339)	103
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,382	2,887
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(3,493)	(4,689)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(542)	(177)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(9,280)	(8,477)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,118	7,407
Net cash provided by operating activities	136,151	142,626
Investing activities:
Additions to real estate assets and deferred leasing costs	(150,558)	(66,370)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	16,530	6,801
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	2,770	3,732
Proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	4,756	15,000
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	1,304	1,591
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	338	231
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(39,665)	(907)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(15,598)	2,398
Net cash used in investing activities	(180,123)	(37,524)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(96,197)	(95,533)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(52,515)	0
Distributions on Preferred Units	(3,926)	(5,031)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(391)	(506)
Net proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	22,043	2,076
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	285,400	4,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(150,400)	(4,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	200,000	10,368
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(156,602)	(18,205)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(6,615)	(853)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	40,797	(107,684)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(3,175)	(2,582)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	14,198	23,519
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	11,023	20,937
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	69,321	66,435
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Change in accrued capital expenditures	3,707	890
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	39,039	34,703
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	13,683	11,521
Unrealized gains/(losses) on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	(354)	489
Settlement of financing obligation	0	4,184
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	(14,843)	(6,476)
Unrealized gain on tax increment financing bond	129	471
Mortgages receivable from seller financing	0	17,030
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	$ 192,367	$ 40,306