Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 79,343	$ 92,387
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	156,200	146,895
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	214	249
Share-based compensation expense	5,996	6,179
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,851	1,942
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(313)	(354)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,501	2,270
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,781	2,824
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	7	(845)
Impairments of real estate assets	0	588
Losses on debt extinguishment	220	308
Net gains on disposition of property	(10,581)	(42,569)
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	(4,155)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,367)	(886)
Changes in financing obligation	162	(241)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	4,099	1,634
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	1,716	(1,762)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,475)	(2,927)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(16,955)	(16,202)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(5,834)	(5,815)
Net cash provided by operating activities	209,410	183,675
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(408,634)	(83,751)
Investments in development in process	(87,222)	(122,106)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(85,234)	(80,132)
Investments in building improvements	(38,295)	(39,401)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	22,781	151,987
Net proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	6,919	0
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	10,227	725
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(1,772)	(419)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	9,301	16,974
Investments in and advances/repayments to/from unconsolidated affiliates	20,416	(6,425)
Redemption of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	4,660
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(12,582)	(1,296)
Net cash used in investing activities	(564,095)	(159,184)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(119,729)	(115,037)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(10)	0
Redemptions of Common Units	0	(93)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,879)	(1,881)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,721)	(3,745)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,070)	(940)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	98,485	49,216
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(1,518)	(600)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(3,751)	(2,694)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	393,900	377,700
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(337,900)	(443,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	375,000	296,949
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(43,076)	(172,810)
Payments on financing obligation	(1,722)	(2,904)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	0	(369)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(1,972)	(2,467)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	351,037	(23,075)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,648)	1,416
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	8,832	10,184
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	5,184	11,600
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	62,661	63,340
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(5,666)	(3,337)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,206	162
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	1,759	17,255
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	44,742	29,953
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	27,658	17,138
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(14,649)	8,955
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	187	293
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	19,277	0
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	79,343	92,387
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	156,200	146,895
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	214	249
Share-based compensation expense	5,996	6,179
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,851	1,942
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(313)	(354)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,501	2,270
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,781	2,824
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	7	(845)
Impairments of real estate assets	0	588
Losses on debt extinguishment	220	308
Net gains on disposition of property	(10,581)	(42,569)
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	(4,155)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,367)	(886)
Changes in financing obligation	162	(241)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	4,099	1,634
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	1,716	(1,762)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,475)	(2,885)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(16,955)	(16,202)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(5,748)	(5,804)
Net cash provided by operating activities	209,496	183,728
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(408,634)	(83,751)
Investments in development in process	(87,222)	(122,106)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(85,234)	(80,132)
Investments in building improvements	(38,295)	(39,401)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	22,781	151,987
Net proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	6,919	0
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	10,227	725
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(1,772)	(419)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	9,301	16,974
Investments in and advances/repayments to/from unconsolidated affiliates	20,416	(6,425)
Redemption of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	4,660
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(12,582)	(1,296)
Net cash used in investing activities	(564,095)	(159,184)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(122,929)	(118,261)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(10)	0
Redemptions of Common Units	0	(93)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,879)	(1,881)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,070)	(940)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	98,485	49,216
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(1,518)	(600)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(3,751)	(2,694)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	393,900	377,700
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(337,900)	(443,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	375,000	296,949
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(43,076)	(172,810)
Payments on financing obligation	(1,722)	(2,904)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	0	(369)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(2,685)	(3,032)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	350,845	(23,119)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,754)	1,425
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	8,938	10,281
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	5,184	11,706
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	62,661	63,340
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(5,666)	(3,337)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	1,759	17,255
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	44,742	29,953
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	27,658	17,138
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	(17,280)	7,768
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	187	293
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	19,277	0
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