Investments In and Advances To Affiliates (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 SF-Harborview Plaza, LP Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member] property	Sep. 30, 2011 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods DLF 97/26 DLF 99/32, LP Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods DLF 97/26 DLF 99/32, LP Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] SF-Harborview Plaza, LP Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member] property	Sep. 30, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 98/29, LLC Joint Venture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Highwoods DLF 97/26 DLF 99/32, LP Joint Venture [Member]
Income Statements:
Rental and other revenues	$ 25,051,000	$ 25,623,000	$ 75,920,000	$ 75,619,000											$ 24,062,000	$ 24,618,000	$ 72,916,000	$ 72,576,000
Expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	11,624,000	10,805,000	35,706,000	33,576,000											11,024,000	10,239,000	33,901,000	31,765,000
Depreciation and amortization	6,355,000	6,759,000	18,839,000	19,670,000											6,044,000	6,437,000	17,905,000	18,736,000
Impairments of real estate assets	0	0	7,180,000	0											0	0	7,180,000	0
Interest expense	4,980,000	5,976,000	16,077,000	17,841,000											4,817,000	5,802,000	15,583,000	17,310,000
Total expenses	22,959,000	23,540,000	77,802,000	71,087,000											21,885,000	22,478,000	74,569,000	67,811,000
Income/(loss) before disposition of properties	2,092,000	2,083,000	(1,882,000)	4,532,000											2,177,000	2,140,000	(1,653,000)	4,765,000
Gains on disposition of properties	0	0	6,275,000	0											0	0	6,275,000	0
Net income	2,092,000	2,083,000	4,393,000	4,532,000											2,177,000	2,140,000	4,622,000	4,765,000
Our share of:
Depreciation and amortization of real estate assets	2,028,000	2,066,000	5,801,000	6,192,000											1,989,000	2,028,000	5,684,000	6,078,000
Impairments of real estate assets	0	0	1,002,000	0			1,000,000								0	0	1,002,000	0			1,000,000
Interest expense	1,775,000	1,965,000	5,598,000	6,159,000											1,754,000	1,944,000	5,536,000	6,093,000
Net income	914,000	442,000	1,252,000	2,112,000											925,000	448,000	1,281,000	2,142,000
Our share of net income	914,000	442,000	1,252,000	2,112,000											925,000	448,000	1,281,000	2,142,000
Adjustments for management and other fees	410,000	671,000	1,418,000	1,821,000											403,000	665,000	1,398,000	1,803,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	1,324,000	1,113,000	2,670,000	3,933,000											1,328,000	1,113,000	2,679,000	3,945,000
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum	50.00%		50.00%												50.00%		50.00%
Advance to unconsolidated affiliate, loan amount									38,300,000														38,300,000
Loan maturity date									Mar. 31, 2012														Mar. 31, 2012
Advance to unconsolidated affiliate, interest rate basis									LIBOR plus basis points														LIBOR plus basis points
Current interest rate (in hundredths)									5.00%														5.00%
Advance to unconsolidated affiliate, extended loan maturity date						Dec. 31, 2012														Dec. 31, 2012
Advance to unconsolidated affiliate, amount outstanding												13,000,000														13,000,000
Interest income from loan to unconsolidated affiliate						100,000		500,000		800,000	800,000									100,000		500,000		800,000	800,000
Joint venture principal amount of debt													50,000,000														50,000,000
Term of debt instrument (in years)													3 years														3 years
Fixed interest rate (in hundredths)													3.50%														3.50%
Amount of loan related to fixed interest rate													39,100,000														39,100,000
Floating interest rate, interest rate basis													LIBOR plus basis points														LIBOR plus basis points
Current floating interest rate (in hundredths)														2.50%													2.50%
Amount of loan related to floating interest rate													10,900,000														10,900,000
Impairments of real estate assets	0	0	1,002,000	0			1,000,000								0	0	1,002,000	0			1,000,000
Number of impaired office properties							2														2
Consolidated Affiliates [Abstract]
Advance to consolidated affiliate, loan amount					$ 20,800,000														$ 20,800,000
Term of debt instrument (in years)					3 years														3 years
Debt instrument maturity date					Sep. 30, 2015														Sep. 30, 2015
Debt instrument, interest rate basis					LIBOR plus basis points														LIBOR plus basis points
Debt instrument, interest rate basis spread (in hundredths)					5.00%														5.00%
Debt instrument, interest rate floor (in hundredths)					0.50%														0.50%