Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Rental and other revenues	$ 608,468		$ 556,810		$ 485,046
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	225,504		203,344		176,744
Depreciation and amortization	196,023		176,957		146,357
Impairments of real estate assets	588		0		0
General and administrative	36,223		37,193		37,377
Total operating expenses	458,338		417,494		360,478
Interest expense:
Contractual	82,287		88,838		92,838
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,082		3,802		3,685
Financing obligations	483		63		(409)
Total interest expense	85,852		92,703		96,114
Other income:
Interest and other income	5,439		6,597		7,353
Losses on debt extinguishment	(308)		(199)		(973)
Total other income	5,131		6,398		6,380
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates	69,409		53,011		34,834
Gains/(losses) on disposition of property	44,352		(3)		0
Gains on for-sale residential condominiums	0		0		444
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate	0		7,451		0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	1,827		2,264		5,035
Income from continuing operations	115,588		62,723		40,313
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0		6,776		14,467
Impairments of real estate assets	0		(2,194)		0
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations	384		63,792		29,455
Total discontinued operations	384		68,374		43,922
Net income	115,972		131,097		84,235
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,542)		(4,691)		(3,854)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,466)		(949)		(786)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,507)		(2,508)		(2,508)
Net income available for common stockholders	108,457		122,949		77,087
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.20		$ 0.67		$ 0.47
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.77		$ 0.55
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.20		$ 1.44		$ 1.02
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	90,743		85,335		75,811
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.19		$ 0.67		$ 0.47
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.77		$ 0.55
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.19		$ 1.44		$ 1.02
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	93,800	[1],[2]	88,836	[1],[2]	79,678	[1],[2]
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders	108,085		57,081		35,252
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders	372		65,868		41,835
Net income available for common stockholders	108,457		122,949		77,087
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues	608,468		556,810		485,046
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	225,455		203,303		176,495
Depreciation and amortization	196,023		176,957		146,357
Impairments of real estate assets	588		0		0
General and administrative	36,272		37,234		37,626
Total operating expenses	458,338		417,494		360,478
Interest expense:
Contractual	82,287		88,838		92,838
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,082		3,802		3,685
Financing obligations	483		63		(409)
Total interest expense	85,852		92,703		96,114
Other income:
Interest and other income	5,439		6,597		7,353
Losses on debt extinguishment	(308)		(199)		(973)
Total other income	5,131		6,398		6,380
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates	69,409		53,011		34,834
Gains/(losses) on disposition of property	44,352		(3)		0
Gains on for-sale residential condominiums	0		0		444
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate	0		7,451		0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	1,827		2,213		5,095
Income from continuing operations	115,588		62,672		40,373
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0		6,776		14,467
Impairments of real estate assets	0		(2,194)		0
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations	384		63,792		29,455
Total discontinued operations	384		68,374		43,922
Net income	115,972		131,046		84,295
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,466)		(949)		(786)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(2,507)		(2,508)		(2,508)
Net income available for common unitholders	111,999		127,589		81,001
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.20		$ 0.67		$ 0.47
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.77		$ 0.55
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.20		$ 1.44		$ 1.02
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)	93,272		88,313		79,147
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.20		$ 0.67		$ 0.47
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.77		$ 0.55
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.20		$ 1.44		$ 1.02
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	93,391	[1],[2]	88,427	[1],[2]	79,269	[1],[2]
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders	111,615		59,215		37,079
Total discontinued operations	384		68,374		43,922
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 111,999		$ 127,589		$ 81,001

[1] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[2] There were 0.3 million and 0.5 million options outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive. There were no such options outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2014.