Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) a ft² phase shares	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) ft²	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) a ft² phase shares	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²		31,200,000			31,200,000
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate office properties under development (in sq feet) | ft²		1,200,000			1,200,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres) | a		275			275
Real estate assets, depreciation expense		$ 51,300		$ 48,100	$ 159,700	$ 142,400
Self insurance liability		500			500
Credit losses on operating lease receivables					8,711	791
Write-offs of lease incentives					197	(1,488)
Write-offs of notes receivable					4,087	0
Write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		$ 60,850		57,661	$ 189,514	171,923
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) | shares		103,300,000			103,300,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths)		97.40%			97.40%
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) | shares					13,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | shares		2,700,000			2,700,000
Credit losses on operating lease receivables					$ 8,711	791
Write-offs of lease incentives					197	(1,488)
Write-offs of notes receivable					4,087	0
Write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		$ 60,850		$ 57,661	$ 189,514	$ 171,923
Building [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					40 years
Building Improvements [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					15 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					5 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					7 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					3 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					10 years
Submarket Acquisition [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²		841,000			841,000
Total investment cost of acquisition		$ 436,000
Earnest money deposit		$ 50,000			$ 50,000
Division Exit [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Number of plan phases (in ones) | phase		2			2
Purchase price of real estate		$ 436,000
Expected severance costs		$ 700
LSI Ceased Operations [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²			176,000
Credit losses on operating lease receivables			$ 5,600
Write-offs of lease incentives			2,300
Write-offs of notes receivable			4,100
Write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs			$ 11,600
Forecast [Member] | Division Exit [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Expected severance costs	$ 1,500