Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 1,835	$ 1,314
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	362	275
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	993	600
Deferred financing and leasing costs, accumulated amortization	123,463	112,804
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 15,697	$ 14,259
Equity/Capital:
Series A Preferred Stock, dividend rate percentage (in hundredths)	8.625%	8.625%
Series A Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series A Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	95,329,758	92,907,310
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	95,329,758	92,907,310
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 1,835	$ 1,314
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	362	275
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	993	600
Deferred financing and leasing costs, accumulated amortization	123,463	112,804
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 15,697	$ 14,259
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	2,910,135	2,936,955
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	978,311	954,355
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	93,942,638	91,544,146