Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 47,971	$ 72,303	$ 61,694
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	143,146	136,158	131,883
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	1,446	1,239	1,110
Share-based compensation expense	6,094	6,572	6,567
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	2,521	4,009	5,639
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,312	3,385	2,760
Amortization of settled cash flow hedges	(118)	237	(249)
Impairment of assets held for use	2,429	0	13,518
(Gain)/loss on debt extinguishment	24	705	(1,287)
Net (gains)/losses on disposition of property	(3,337)	12	(21,732)
(Gains)/losses on for-sale residential condominiums	316	(276)	(922)
Gains on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,282)	(25,330)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,878)	(3,821)	(5,421)
Changes in financing obligations	(476)	708	392
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	5,029	4,433	4,180
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(8,498)	(3,290)	(2,819)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(400)	370	(2,629)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(13,604)	(11,889)	(6,521)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	16,701	5,012	2,957
Net cash provided by operating activities	195,396	190,537	189,120
Investing activities:
Additions to real estate assets and deferred leasing costs	(184,566)	(102,717)	(151,482)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	17,717	6,801	77,288
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	3,020	4,952	12,196
Proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	4,756	15,000	0
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	1,577	1,933	3,955
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	444	329	459
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(39,901)	(2,875)	(952)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(18,526)	(1,578)	(3,288)
Net cash used in investing activities	(215,479)	(78,155)	(61,824)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(122,745)	(121,643)	(114,429)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(52,515)	0	0
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(4,553)	(6,708)	(6,708)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(6,413)	(6,469)	(6,832)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(569)	(568)	(1,004)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in consolidated affiliate	0	(500)	0
Net proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	23,270	2,998	150,941
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	525,800	37,500	128,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(193,800)	(7,500)	(291,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	200,000	10,368	217,215
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(344,203)	(27,004)	(188,501)
Borrowings on financing obligations	0	0	4,184
Payments on financing obligations	(1,194)	(1,116)	(1,044)
Payments on debt extinguishment	0	(577)	0
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(6,013)	(656)	(8,176)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	17,065	(121,875)	(117,354)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,018)	(9,493)	9,942
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	14,206	23,699	13,757
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	11,188	14,206	23,699
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	90,838	86,395	85,422
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(2,202)	0	937
Conversion of Common Units to Common Stock	1,906	3,061	5,591
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	11,048	(1,946)	(19,098)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	48,565	43,955	33,006
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	19,987	15,719	19,194
Unrealized gains/(losses) on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation	(119)	382	1,497
Settlement of financing obligation	0	4,184	0
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(3,955)	(2,721)	27,717
Unrealized gain/(loss) on tax increment financing bond	234	(177)	293
Mortgages receivable from seller financing	0	17,030	0
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	192,367	40,306	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	48,032	72,276	61,640
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	143,146	136,158	131,883
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	1,446	1,239	1,110
Share-based compensation expense	6,094	6,572	6,567
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	2,521	4,009	5,639
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,312	3,385	2,760
Amortization of settled cash flow hedges	(118)	237	(249)
Impairment of assets held for use	2,429	0	13,518
(Gain)/loss on debt extinguishment	24	705	(1,287)
Net (gains)/losses on disposition of property	(3,337)	12	(21,732)
(Gains)/losses on for-sale residential condominiums	316	(276)	(922)
Gains on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,282)	(25,330)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,939)	(3,794)	(5,367)
Changes in financing obligations	(476)	708	392
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	5,005	4,377	4,103
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(8,498)	(3,290)	(2,819)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(400)	370	(2,629)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(13,604)	(11,889)	(6,521)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	16,701	5,012	2,962
Net cash provided by operating activities	195,372	190,481	189,048
Investing activities:
Additions to real estate assets and deferred leasing costs	(184,566)	(102,717)	(151,482)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	17,717	6,801	77,288
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	3,020	4,952	12,196
Proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	4,756	15,000	0
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	1,577	1,933	3,955
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	444	329	459
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(39,901)	(2,875)	(952)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(18,526)	(1,576)	(3,288)
Net cash used in investing activities	(215,479)	(78,153)	(61,824)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(128,463)	(127,417)	(120,566)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(52,515)	0	0
Distributions on Preferred Units	(4,553)	(6,708)	(6,708)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(569)	(568)	(1,004)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in consolidated affiliate	0	(500)	0
Net proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	23,270	2,998	150,941
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	525,800	37,500	128,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(193,800)	(7,500)	(291,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	200,000	10,368	217,215
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(344,203)	(27,004)	(188,501)
Borrowings on financing obligations	0	0	4,184
Payments on financing obligations	(1,194)	(1,116)	(1,044)
Payments on debt extinguishment	0	(577)	0
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(6,713)	(1,125)	(8,871)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	17,060	(121,649)	(117,354)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,047)	(9,321)	9,870
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	14,198	23,519	13,649
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	11,151	14,198	23,519
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	90,838	86,395	85,422
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(2,202)	0	937
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	11,048	(1,946)	(19,098)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	48,565	43,955	33,006
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	19,987	15,719	19,194
Unrealized gains/(losses) on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation	(119)	382	1,497
Settlement of financing obligation	0	4,184	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	(10,183)	(2,721)	27,717
Unrealized gain/(loss) on tax increment financing bond	234	(177)	293
Mortgages receivable from seller financing	0	17,030	0
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	$ 192,367	$ 40,306	$ 0