Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	$ 137,030		$ 124,894
Total Net Operating Income	88,089		80,516
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of condominiums and equity in earnings/(losses) of unconsolidated affiliates:
Depreciation and amortization	(42,144)		(36,983)
Impairments of real estate assets	(415)		0
General and administrative expense	(10,582)		(9,673)
Interest expense	(23,868)		(24,677)
Interest and Other income	1,619		2,230
Income from continuing operations before disposition of condominiums and equity in earnings/(losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	12,699		11,413
Total Office Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	121,473	[1]	109,867	[1]
Total Net Operating Income	78,053	[1]	70,649	[1]
Office Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	17,535		14,908
Total Net Operating Income	11,170		9,728
Office Greenville, SC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,229		3,503
Total Net Operating Income	1,889		2,132
Office Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,970		3,602
Total Net Operating Income	2,564		2,332
Office Memphis, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,383		9,256
Total Net Operating Income	5,632		5,555
Office Nashville, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	14,076		13,862
Total Net Operating Income	9,690		9,652
Office Orlando, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	2,222		2,158
Total Net Operating Income	1,079		1,064
Office Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	6,891		5,079
Total Net Operating Income	4,356		3,232
Office Pittsburgh, PA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	13,693		9,084
Total Net Operating Income	7,423		4,280
Office Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	20,668		19,775
Total Net Operating Income	14,631		13,959
Office Richmond, VA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	11,777		11,507
Total Net Operating Income	8,116		7,880
Office Tampa, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	18,029		17,133
Total Net Operating Income	11,503		10,835
Total Industrial Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	6,091	[1]	6,105	[1]
Total Net Operating Income	4,432	[1]	4,443	[1]
Industrial Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	2,968		2,941
Total Net Operating Income	2,186		2,156
Industrial Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,123		3,164
Total Net Operating Income	2,246		2,287
Total Retail Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,466	[1]	8,922	[1]
Total Net Operating Income	5,623	[1]	5,533	[1]
Retail Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,466		8,922
Total Net Operating Income	5,623		5,533
Total Residential Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Net Operating Income	0	[1]	(87)	[1]
Residential Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Net Operating Income	0		(87)
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Net Operating Income	(19)	[2]	(22)	[2]
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	137,030		124,894
Total Net Operating Income	88,063		80,578
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of condominiums and equity in earnings/(losses) of unconsolidated affiliates:
Depreciation and amortization	(42,144)		(36,983)
Impairments of real estate assets	(415)		0
General and administrative expense	(10,556)		(9,735)
Interest expense	(23,868)		(24,677)
Interest and Other income	1,619		2,230
Income from continuing operations before disposition of condominiums and equity in earnings/(losses) of unconsolidated affiliates	12,699		11,413
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Office Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	121,473	[1]	109,867	[1]
Total Net Operating Income	78,031	[1]	70,703	[1]
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	17,535		14,908
Total Net Operating Income	11,167		9,735
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Greenville, SC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,229		3,503
Total Net Operating Income	1,888		2,134
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,970		3,602
Total Net Operating Income	2,563		2,334
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Memphis, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,383		9,256
Total Net Operating Income	5,630		5,559
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Nashville, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	14,076		13,862
Total Net Operating Income	9,687		9,659
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Orlando, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	2,222		2,158
Total Net Operating Income	1,079		1,065
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	6,891		5,079
Total Net Operating Income	4,355		3,234
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Pittsburgh, PA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	13,693		9,084
Total Net Operating Income	7,421		4,284
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	20,668		19,775
Total Net Operating Income	14,627		13,970
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Richmond, VA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	11,777		11,507
Total Net Operating Income	8,114		7,886
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Tampa, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	18,029		17,133
Total Net Operating Income	11,500		10,843
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Industrial Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	6,091	[1]	6,105	[1]
Total Net Operating Income	4,430	[1]	4,447	[1]
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Industrial Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	2,968		2,941
Total Net Operating Income	2,185		2,158
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Industrial Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,123		3,164
Total Net Operating Income	2,245		2,289
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Retail Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,466	[1]	8,922	[1]
Total Net Operating Income	5,621	[1]	5,537	[1]
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Retail Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,466		8,922
Total Net Operating Income	5,621		5,537
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Residential Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Net Operating Income	0	[1]	(87)	[1]
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Residential Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Net Operating Income	0		(87)
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Net Operating Income	$ (19)	[2]	$ (22)	[2]

[1] Net of discontinued operations.

[2] Negative NOI with no corresponding revenues represents expensed real estate taxes and other carrying costs associated with land held for development that is currently zoned for the respective product type.