Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 92,387	$ 99,407
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	146,895	133,556
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	249	258
Share-based compensation expense	6,179	5,896
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,942	1,029
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(354)	0
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,270	2,860
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,824	2,428
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(845)	(1,015)
Impairments of real estate assets	588	2,194
Losses on debt extinguishment	308	196
Net gains on disposition of property	(42,569)	(52,350)
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate	0	(7,451)
Equity in (earnings)/losses of unconsolidated affiliates	(886)	1,824
Changes in financing obligations	(241)	(591)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,634	3,129
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(1,762)	(508)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(2,927)	(2,188)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(16,202)	(12,368)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(5,815)	10,206
Net cash provided by operating activities	183,675	186,512
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(83,751)	(418,796)
Investment in acquired controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate	0	(32,818)
Investments in development in process	(122,106)	(16,634)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(80,132)	(77,456)
Investments in building improvements	(39,401)	(38,702)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	151,987	161,970
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	725	16,671
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(419)	(1,301)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	16,974	437
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(6,425)	(429)
Redemption of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	4,660	0
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(1,296)	5,484
Net cash (used in) investing activities	(159,184)	(401,574)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(115,037)	(107,750)
Redemptions of Common Units	(93)	0
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,881)	(1,881)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,745)	(4,416)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(940)	(408)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	49,216	315,818
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(600)	(7,678)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(2,694)	(2,539)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	377,700	695,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(443,400)	(511,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	296,949	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(172,810)	(157,001)
Payments on financing obligations	(2,904)	(575)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(369)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	16,240
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(2,467)	(242)
Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities	(23,075)	232,968
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	1,416	17,906
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	10,184	13,783
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	11,600	31,689
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	63,340	67,786
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(3,337)	4,801
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	162	28,788
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	17,255	12,778
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	29,953	24,498
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	17,138	17,500
Unrealized gains on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	149	558
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	8,955	8,570
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	293	396
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	165,515
Reclass of aggregate differences between historical cost basis and the basis reflected at the joint venture level for assets acquired	0	8,206
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	92,387	99,356
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	146,895	133,556
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	249	258
Share-based compensation expense	6,179	5,896
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,942	1,029
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(354)	0
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,270	2,860
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,824	2,428
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(845)	(1,015)
Impairments of real estate assets	588	2,194
Losses on debt extinguishment	308	196
Net gains on disposition of property	(42,569)	(52,350)
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate	0	(7,451)
Equity in (earnings)/losses of unconsolidated affiliates	(886)	1,875
Changes in financing obligations	(241)	(591)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,634	3,109
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(1,762)	(508)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(2,885)	(2,141)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(16,202)	(12,368)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(5,804)	10,257
Net cash provided by operating activities	183,728	186,590
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(83,751)	(418,796)
Investment in acquired controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate	0	(32,818)
Investments in development in process	(122,106)	(16,634)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(80,132)	(77,456)
Investments in building improvements	(39,401)	(38,702)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	151,987	161,970
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	725	16,671
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(419)	(1,301)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	16,974	437
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(6,425)	(429)
Redemption of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	4,660	0
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(1,296)	5,484
Net cash (used in) investing activities	(159,184)	(401,574)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(118,261)	(111,645)
Redemptions of Common Units	(93)	0
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,881)	(1,881)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(940)	(408)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	49,216	315,818
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(600)	(7,678)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(2,694)	(2,539)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	377,700	695,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(443,400)	(511,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	296,949	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(172,810)	(157,001)
Payments on financing obligations	(2,904)	(575)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(369)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	16,240
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(3,032)	(834)
Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities	(23,119)	232,897
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	1,425	17,913
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	10,281	13,867
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	11,706	31,780
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	63,340	67,786
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(3,337)	4,801
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	17,255	12,778
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	29,953	24,498
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	17,138	17,500
Unrealized gains on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	149	558
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	7,768	(20,921)
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	293	396
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	165,515
Reclass of aggregate differences between historical cost basis and the basis reflected at the joint venture level for assets acquired	$ 0	$ 8,206