Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 474,375	$ 443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,313,373	4,063,328
Development in-process	279,602	194,050
Land held for development	77,355	68,244
Total real estate assets	5,144,705	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,134,103)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	4,010,602	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	0	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	49,490	5,036
Restricted cash	29,141	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $624 and $928, respectively	17,372	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $105 and $287, respectively	8,833	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $692 and $257, respectively	172,829	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	18,846	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $140,081 and $115,172, respectively	213,500	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $19,904 and $17,830, respectively	40,437	26,649
Total Assets	4,561,050	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	1,948,047	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	313,885	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	2,261,932	2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	144,802	126,429
Equity/Capital:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 authorized shares; 8.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (liquidation preference $1,000 per share), 28,920 and 29,050 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,920	29,050
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 101,665,554 and 96,091,932 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,017	961
Additional paid-in capital	2,850,881	2,598,242
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(749,412)	(1,023,135)
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	4,949	(3,811)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,136,355	1,601,307
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,961	17,975
Total Equity/Capital:	2,154,316	1,619,282
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	4,561,050	4,485,631
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	474,375	443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,313,373	4,063,328
Development in-process	279,602	194,050
Land held for development	77,355	68,244
Total real estate assets	5,144,705	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,134,103)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	4,010,602	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	0	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	49,490	5,036
Restricted cash	29,141	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $624 and $928, respectively	17,372	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $105 and $287, respectively	8,833	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $692 and $257, respectively	172,829	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	18,846	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $140,081 and $115,172, respectively	213,500	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $19,904 and $17,830, respectively	40,437	26,649
Total Assets	4,561,050	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	1,948,047	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	313,885	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	2,261,932	2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,838,704 and 2,899,752 outstanding, respectively	144,802	126,429
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,920 and 29,050 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,920	29,050
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	173,722	155,479
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,040,954 and 985,829 outstanding, respectively	21,023	15,759
Limited partner Common Units, 100,215,791 and 94,697,294 outstanding, respectively	2,081,463	1,560,309
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	4,949	(3,811)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,961	17,975
Total Equity/Capital:	2,125,396	1,590,232
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 4,561,050	$ 4,485,631