Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities - Scheduled Future Amortization (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified			6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Deferred Financing Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Deferred Financing Costs [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Deferred Leasing Costs and Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Lease Incentives [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Deferred Financing Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Deferred Financing Costs [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Deferred Leasing Costs and Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Lease Incentives [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Leases, Acquired-in-Place [Member]
Scheduled future amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
July 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012			$ 2,234		$ 14,242	$ 772	$ 579						$ 2,234		$ 14,242	$ 772	$ 579
2013			3,262		21,834	1,167	765						3,262		21,834	1,167	765
2014			2,987		17,877	1,013	504						2,987		17,877	1,013	504
2015			2,264		13,879	779	328						2,264		13,879	779	328
2016			957		10,880	608	280						957		10,880	608	280
Thereafter			920		25,453	2,379	717						920		25,453	2,379	717
Deferred financing and leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	126,680	127,774	12,624	12,247	104,165	6,718	3,173				126,680	127,774	12,624	12,247	104,165	6,718	3,173
Scheduled future amortization of below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
July 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012								(1,229)										(1,229)
2013								(2,081)										(2,081)
2014								(2,005)										(2,005)
2015								(1,768)										(1,768)
2016								(1,498)										(1,498)
Thereafter								(5,799)										(5,799)
Total scheduled future amortization of acquisition-related below market lease liabilities								$ (14,380)	$ (15,470)									$ (14,380)	$ (15,470)
Weighted average remaining amortization periods for intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets, average useful life (in years)			3 years 9 months		6 years 3 months	7 years 10 months	5 years 8 months						3 years 9 months		6 years 3 months	7 years 10 months	5 years 8 months
Finite-lived below market lease liabilities, average useful life (in years)								8 years 11 months										8 years 11 months
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, average useful life (in years)										6 years 3 months										6 years 3 months