Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	$ 12,313		$ 3,957		$ 35,109		$ 27,200
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership from continuing operations	(547)		(153)		(1,572)		(1,101)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(159)		(249)		(566)		(554)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(627)		(627)		(1,881)		(3,926)
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0		0		0		(1,895)
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders	10,980		2,928		31,090		19,724
Income from discontinued operations	23,483		4,287		33,517		7,921
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership from discontinued operations	(1,106)		(213)		(1,594)		(395)
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders	22,377		4,074		31,923		7,526
Net income available for common stockholders	33,357		7,002		63,013		27,250
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share - weighted average shares (in shares)	76,590,000	[1],[2]	72,492,000	[1],[2]	74,703,000	[1],[2]	72,176,000	[1],[2]
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.15		$ 0.04		$ 0.42		$ 0.28
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29		$ 0.06		$ 0.42		$ 0.10
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44		$ 0.10		$ 0.84		$ 0.38
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	12,313		3,957		35,109		27,200
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(159)		(249)		(566)		(554)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(627)		(627)		(1,881)		(3,926)
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0		0		0		(1,895)
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	11,527		3,081		32,662		20,825
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders	23,483		4,287		33,517		7,921
Net income available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	35,010		7,368		66,179		28,746
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share - weighted average shares (in shares)	76,590,000	[1],[2]	72,492,000	[1],[2]	74,703,000	[1],[2]	72,176,000	[1],[2]
Stock options using the treasury method	137,000		138,000		127,000		169,000
Noncontrolling interests Common Units	3,768,000		3,772,000		3,738,000		3,782,000
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Share - adjusted weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares) (1)	80,495,000	[1]	76,402,000	[1]	78,568,000	[1]	76,127,000	[1]
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.14		$ 0.04		$ 0.42		$ 0.28
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29		$ 0.06		$ 0.42		$ 0.10
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.43		$ 0.10		$ 0.84		$ 0.38
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Number of anti-dilutive options and warrants not included in earnings per share (in dollars per share)	500,000		400,000		500,000		300,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	12,317		3,957		35,118		27,212
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(159)		(249)		(566)		(554)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(627)		(627)		(1,881)		(3,926)
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0		0		0		(1,895)
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders	11,531		3,081		32,671		20,837
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders	23,483		4,287		33,517		7,921
Net income available for common unitholders	35,014		7,368		66,188		28,758
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit - weighted average units (in shares)	79,949,000	[1],[2]	75,855,000	[1],[2]	78,032,000	[1],[2]	75,549,000	[1],[2]
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.15		$ 0.04		$ 0.42		$ 0.28
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29		$ 0.06		$ 0.43		$ 0.10
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44		$ 0.10		$ 0.85		$ 0.38
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	12,317		3,957		35,118		27,212
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(159)		(249)		(566)		(554)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(627)		(627)		(1,881)		(3,926)
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0		0		0		(1,895)
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders	11,531		3,081		32,671		20,837
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders	23,483		4,287		33,517		7,921
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 35,014		$ 7,368		$ 66,188		$ 28,758
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit - weighted average units (in shares)	79,949,000	[1],[2]	75,855,000	[1],[2]	78,032,000	[1],[2]	75,549,000	[1],[2]
Stock options using the treasury method	137,000		138,000		127,000		169,000
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Unit - adjusted weighted average units and assumed conversions (in shares)	80,086,000	[1]	75,993,000	[1]	78,159,000	[1]	75,718,000	[1]
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.15		0.04		0.42		0.28
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.29		0.06		0.43		0.10
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.44		0.10		0.85		0.38
Number of anti-dilutive options and warrants not included in earnings per share (in dollars per share)	500,000		400,000		500,000		300,000

[1] There were 0.5 million and 0.4 million options outstanding during the three months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and 0.5 million and 0.3 million options outstanding during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive.

[2] Includes all unvested restricted stock since dividends on restricted stock are non-forfeitable.