Share-Based Payments (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 4,572	$ 4,295
Total unrecognized stock-based compensation costs	$ 7,400
Weighted average remaining contractual term for recognition of unrecognized stock-based compensation costs (in years)	2 years 6 months
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Time-Based Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Restricted stock shares granted (in shares)	90,218
Weighted average grant date fair value of each restricted stock share granted (in dollars per share)	$ 46.31
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Total Return-Based Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Restricted stock shares granted (in shares)	73,972
Weighted average grant date fair value of each restricted stock share granted (in dollars per share)	$ 41.13

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The aggregate amount of noncash, equity-based employee remuneration. This may include the value of stock or unit options, amortization of restricted stock or units, and adjustment for officers' compensation. As noncash, this element is an add back when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method.

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Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
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-Paragraph 28
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The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

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-Paragraph 2
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- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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