Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Rental and other revenues		$ 604,671	$ 555,871	$ 505,008
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		215,941	205,884	184,187
Depreciation and amortization		201,918	180,637	162,937
Impairments of real estate assets		0	588	0
General and administrative		37,642	35,258	36,381
Total operating expenses		455,501	422,367	383,505
Interest expense:
Contractual		82,245	82,287	88,838
Amortization of deferred financing costs		3,645	3,082	3,802
Financing obligation		162	(242)	(754)
Total interest expense		86,052	85,127	91,886
Other income:
Interest and other income		1,969	2,739	3,511
Losses on debt extinguishment		(243)	(308)	(199)
Total other income		1,726	2,431	3,312
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		64,844	50,808	32,929
Gains/(losses) on disposition of property		11,444	44,352	(3)
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate		4,155	0	0
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate		0	0	7,451
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		5,078	1,827	2,264
Income from continuing operations		85,521	96,987	42,641
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations		15,739	18,601	26,858
Impairments of real estate assets		0	0	(2,194)
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		0	384	63,792
Total income from discontinued operations		15,739	18,985	88,456
Net income		101,260	115,972	131,097
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(2,918)	(3,542)	(4,691)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(1,264)	(1,466)	(949)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(2,506)	(2,507)	(2,508)
Net income available for common stockholders		$ 94,572	$ 108,457	$ 122,949
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.84	$ 1.00	$ 0.44
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.16	0.20	1.00
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 1.00	$ 1.20	$ 1.44
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)		94,404	90,743	85,335
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.84	$ 0.99	$ 0.44
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.16	0.20	1.00
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 1.00	$ 1.19	$ 1.44
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[1],[2]	97,406	93,800	88,836
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders		$ 79,308	$ 90,069	$ 37,890
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders		15,264	18,388	85,059
Net income available for common stockholders		94,572	108,457	122,949
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues		604,671	555,871	505,008
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		215,941	205,835	184,146
Depreciation and amortization		201,918	180,637	162,937
Impairments of real estate assets		0	588	0
General and administrative		37,642	35,307	36,422
Total operating expenses		455,501	422,367	383,505
Interest expense:
Contractual		82,245	82,287	88,838
Amortization of deferred financing costs		3,645	3,082	3,802
Financing obligation		162	(242)	(754)
Total interest expense		86,052	85,127	91,886
Other income:
Interest and other income		1,969	2,739	3,511
Losses on debt extinguishment		(243)	(308)	(199)
Total other income		1,726	2,431	3,312
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		64,844	50,808	32,929
Gains/(losses) on disposition of property		11,444	44,352	(3)
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate		4,155	0	0
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate		0	0	7,451
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		5,078	1,827	2,213
Income from continuing operations		85,521	96,987	42,590
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations		15,739	18,601	26,858
Impairments of real estate assets		0	0	(2,194)
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		0	384	63,792
Total income from discontinued operations		15,739	18,985	88,456
Net income		101,260	115,972	131,046
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(1,264)	(1,466)	(949)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,506)	(2,507)	(2,508)
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 97,490	$ 111,999	$ 127,589
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.84	$ 1.00	$ 0.44
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		0.17	0.20	1.00
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 1.01	$ 1.20	$ 1.44
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)		96,910	93,272	88,313
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.84	$ 1.00	$ 0.44
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		0.17	0.20	1.00
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 1.01	$ 1.20	$ 1.44
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[1],[2]	96,997	93,391	88,427
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders		$ 81,751	$ 93,014	$ 39,133
Total income from discontinued operations		15,739	18,985	88,456
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 97,490	$ 111,999	$ 127,589

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

[2] There were 0.2 million and 0.3 million options outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2013, 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.