Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 47,726	$ 38,088
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	101,548	98,608
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	9	234
Share-based compensation expense	5,067	5,381
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,174	1,278
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(268)	(232)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,628	1,451
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,849	1,872
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	84	(902)
Impairments of real estate assets	0	588
(Gains)/losses on debt extinguishment	220	(18)
Net gains on disposition of property	(3,569)	(6,331)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(3,587)	(638)
Changes in financing obligation	162	(628)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,438	1,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	1,723	1,491
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(4,365)	(4,962)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(11,417)	(10,365)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(19,127)	(11,597)
Net cash provided by operating activities	122,295	114,534
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(4,277)	0
Investments in development in process	(44,601)	(69,928)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(61,282)	(54,794)
Investments in building improvements	(23,513)	(28,877)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	6,070	8,975
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	10,077	468
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(1,772)	(234)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	9,221	16,817
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(6,225)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(6,741)	686
Net cash used in investing activities	(116,818)	(133,112)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(79,526)	(76,605)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(10)	0
Redemptions of Common Units	0	(93)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,253)	(1,254)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,485)	(2,497)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(751)	(940)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	47,678	11,404
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(735)	(42)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(3,727)	(2,650)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	183,900	302,100
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(233,900)	(360,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	125,000	296,949
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(41,887)	(134,648)
Payments on financing obligation	(162)	(1,364)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(1,512)	(2,467)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(9,370)	27,093
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,893)	8,515
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	8,832	10,184
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,939	18,699
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	40,540	41,468
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(2,645)	(4,250)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,206	162
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(3,250)	10,726
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	31,011	16,994
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	17,812	13,273
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(11,475)	18,337
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	194	270
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	19,277	0
Receivable related to redemption of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	4,660
Reduction in the carrying amount of real estate purchased from unconsolidated affiliate by our share of the unconsolidated affiliate's gain	3,124	0
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	900	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	47,726	38,088
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	101,548	98,608
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	9	234
Share-based compensation expense	5,067	5,381
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,174	1,278
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(268)	(232)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,628	1,451
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,849	1,872
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	84	(902)
Impairments of real estate assets	0	588
(Gains)/losses on debt extinguishment	220	(18)
Net gains on disposition of property	(3,569)	(6,331)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(3,587)	(638)
Changes in financing obligation	162	(628)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,438	1,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	1,723	1,491
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(4,365)	(4,892)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(11,417)	(10,365)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(19,041)	(11,568)
Net cash provided by operating activities	122,381	114,633
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(4,277)	0
Investments in development in process	(44,601)	(69,928)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(61,282)	(54,794)
Investments in building improvements	(23,513)	(28,877)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	6,070	8,975
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	10,077	468
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(1,772)	(234)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	9,221	16,817
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(6,225)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(6,741)	686
Net cash used in investing activities	(116,818)	(133,112)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(81,663)	(78,754)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(10)	0
Redemptions of Common Units	0	(93)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,253)	(1,254)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(751)	(940)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	47,678	11,404
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(735)	(42)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(3,727)	(2,650)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	183,900	302,100
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(233,900)	(360,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	125,000	296,949
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(41,887)	(134,648)
Payments on financing obligation	(162)	(1,364)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(2,052)	(2,917)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(9,562)	26,991
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,999)	8,512
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	8,938	10,281
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,939	18,793
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	40,540	41,468
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(2,645)	(4,250)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(3,250)	10,726
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	31,011	16,994
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	17,812	13,273
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	(13,788)	16,725
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	194	270
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	19,277	0
Receivable related to redemption of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	4,660
Reduction in the carrying amount of real estate purchased from unconsolidated affiliate by our share of the unconsolidated affiliate's gain	3,124	0
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	$ 900	$ 0