Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 482,658	$ 515,095
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,959,136	5,128,150
Development in-process	184,400	172,706
Land held for development	128,984	99,163
Total real estate assets	5,755,178	5,915,114
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,337,174)	(1,388,566)
Net real estate assets	4,418,004	4,526,548
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	2,726	20,790
Cash and cash equivalents	12,696	9,505
Restricted cash	111,393	5,237
Accounts receivable	26,326	23,370
Mortgages and notes receivable	1,489	1,501
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	239,669	234,652
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	26,286	26,298
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $146,438 and $146,125, respectively	225,258	231,347
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,909 and $20,017, respectively	66,862	58,996
Total Assets	5,130,709	5,138,244
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,410,189	2,543,710
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	264,986	286,911
Total Liabilities	2,675,175	2,830,621
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	100,674	133,216
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), 28,856 and 28,859 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,856	28,859
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 103,885,918 and 103,756,046 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,039	1,038
Additional paid-in capital	3,000,614	2,954,779
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(696,070)	(831,808)
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	(1,676)	(471)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,332,763	2,152,397
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	22,097	22,010
Total Equity/Capital	2,354,860	2,174,407
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	5,130,709	5,138,244
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	482,658	515,095
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,959,136	5,128,150
Development in-process	184,400	172,706
Land held for development	128,984	99,163
Total real estate assets	5,755,178	5,915,114
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,337,174)	(1,388,566)
Net real estate assets	4,418,004	4,526,548
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	2,726	20,790
Cash and cash equivalents	12,696	9,505
Restricted cash	111,393	5,237
Accounts receivable	26,326	23,370
Mortgages and notes receivable	1,489	1,501
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	239,669	234,652
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	26,286	26,298
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $146,438 and $146,125, respectively	225,258	231,347
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,909 and $20,017, respectively	66,862	58,996
Total Assets	5,130,709	5,138,244
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,410,189	2,543,710
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	264,986	286,911
Total Liabilities	2,675,175	2,830,621
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,842,295 and 2,723,703 outstanding, respectively	100,674	133,216
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,856 and 28,859 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,856	28,859
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	129,530	162,075
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,063,194 and 1,060,709 outstanding, respectively	23,055	21,240
Limited partner Common Units, 102,413,915 and 102,286,528 outstanding, respectively	2,282,528	2,102,769
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	(1,676)	(471)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	22,097	22,010
Total Equity/Capital	2,326,004	2,145,548
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 5,130,709	$ 5,138,244