Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 68,626	$ 35,121
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	117,764	103,594
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	358	1,347
Share-based compensation expense	6,464	4,771
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,235	1,586
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,709	2,448
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,250	(87)
Impairments of real estate assets	0	2,429
Losses on debt extinguishment	973	24
Net gains on disposition of property	(29,455)	(3,035)
(Gains)/losses on for-sale residential condominiums	(255)	322
Gains on disposition of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0	(2,282)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,670)	(3,933)
Changes in financing obligations	(1,010)	(339)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,249	3,400
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	5,310	(3,493)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,258)	(586)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(13,609)	(9,280)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(20,663)	4,118
Net cash provided by operating activities	138,018	136,125
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(158,200)	(75,510)
Investments in development in process	(5,392)	(5,835)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(61,821)	(59,692)
Investments in building improvements	(27,229)	(9,521)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	152,456	16,530
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	3,768	2,770
Proceeds from disposition of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0	4,756
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	1,035	1,304
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,657	338
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(3,928)	(39,665)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	2,904	(15,598)
Net cash used in investing activities	(94,750)	(180,123)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(95,122)	(91,900)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	0	(52,515)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,881)	(3,926)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(4,733)	(4,818)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(663)	(391)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	191,667	22,043
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(2,745)	0
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(2,248)	0
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	219,800	285,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(492,800)	(150,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	225,000	200,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(77,264)	(156,602)
Payments on financing obligations	(1,316)	0
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(3,065)	(6,011)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(45,370)	40,880
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(2,102)	(3,118)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	11,188	14,206
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	9,086	11,088
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	72,793	69,321
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(10,424)	0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	731	1,344
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	1,829	3,707
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	36,918	39,039
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	14,189	13,683
Unrealized gains/(losses) on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	310	(354)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	12,485	(10,177)
Unrealized gains/(losses) on tax increment financing bond	482	129
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	192,367
Reduction of advances to unconsolidated affiliates related to acquisition activities	26,000	0
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets	2,299	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	68,635	35,133
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	117,764	103,594
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	358	1,347
Share-based compensation expense	6,464	4,771
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,235	1,586
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,709	2,448
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,250	(87)
Impairments of real estate assets	0	2,429
Losses on debt extinguishment	973	24
Net gains on disposition of property	(29,455)	(3,035)
(Gains)/losses on for-sale residential condominiums	(255)	322
Gains on disposition of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0	(2,282)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,679)	(3,945)
Changes in financing obligations	(1,010)	(339)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,230	3,382
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	5,310	(3,493)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,216)	(542)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(13,609)	(9,280)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(20,753)	4,118
Net cash provided by operating activities	137,951	136,151
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(158,200)	(75,510)
Investments in development in process	(5,392)	(5,835)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(61,821)	(59,692)
Investments in building improvements	(27,229)	(9,521)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	152,456	16,530
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	3,768	2,770
Proceeds from disposition of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	0	4,756
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	1,035	1,304
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,657	338
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(3,928)	(39,665)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	2,904	(15,598)
Net cash used in investing activities	(94,750)	(180,123)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(99,334)	(96,197)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	0	(52,515)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,881)	(3,926)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(663)	(391)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	191,667	22,043
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(2,745)	0
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(2,248)	0
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	219,800	285,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(492,800)	(150,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	225,000	200,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(77,264)	(156,602)
Payments on financing obligations	(1,316)	0
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(3,394)	(6,615)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(45,178)	40,797
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(1,977)	(3,175)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	11,151	14,198
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	9,174	11,023
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	72,793	69,321
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(10,424)	0
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	1,829	3,707
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	36,918	39,039
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	14,189	13,683
Unrealized gains/(losses) on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	310	(354)
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	10,187	(14,843)
Unrealized gains/(losses) on tax increment financing bond	482	129
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	192,367
Reduction of advances to unconsolidated affiliates related to acquisition activities	26,000	0
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets	$ 2,299	$ 0