Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 32,830	$ 26,877
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	79,113	67,274
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	180	968
Share-based compensation expense	4,459	3,453
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	538	1,029
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,802	1,642
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,459	(58)
Losses on debt extinguishment	973	24
Net gains on disposition of property	(6,519)	(200)
Gains on for-sale residential condominiums	(175)	(154)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,346)	(2,820)
Changes in financing obligations	(584)	(245)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,225	2,162
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	7,298	(1,821)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,158)	(644)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(9,415)	(6,098)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(16,352)	(3,794)
Net cash provided by operating activities	93,328	87,595
Investing activities:
Investment in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(7,761)
Investment in development in process	(1,531)	(2,598)
Investment in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(43,851)	(28,456)
Investment in building improvements	(19,758)	(5,632)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	19,898	2,063
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	2,492	2,401
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	901	632
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,544	235
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(2,750)	(39,402)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	4,031	(395)
Net cash used in investing activities	(39,024)	(78,913)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(62,787)	(61,069)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	0	(52,505)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,254)	(3,299)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,158)	(3,215)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(460)	(319)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	95,289	16,984
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(1,316)	0
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(2,137)	0
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	106,300	124,700
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(392,800)	(79,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	225,000	200,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(19,359)	(153,522)
Payments on financing obligations	(38)	0
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(2,245)	(2,104)
Net cash used in financing activities	(58,965)	(13,649)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(4,661)	(4,967)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	11,188	14,206
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	6,527	9,239
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	48,063	44,948
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(7,087)	0
Conversion of Common Units to Common Stock	631	635
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(2,448)	1,525
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	28,629	23,352
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	8,765	8,247
Unrealized gains on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	216	210
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	16,501	6,957
Unrealized gains/(losses) on tax increment financing bond	583	(471)
Reduction of advances to unconsolidated affiliates related to acquisition activities	26,000	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	32,835	26,889
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	79,113	67,274
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	180	968
Share-based compensation expense	4,459	3,453
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	538	1,029
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,802	1,642
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,459	(58)
Losses on debt extinguishment	973	24
Net gains on disposition of property	(6,519)	(200)
Gains on for-sale residential condominiums	(175)	(154)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,351)	(2,832)
Changes in financing obligations	(584)	(245)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,211	2,150
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	7,298	(1,821)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,077)	(544)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(9,415)	(6,098)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(16,413)	(3,794)
Net cash provided by operating activities	93,334	87,683
Investing activities:
Investment in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(7,761)
Investment in development in process	(1,531)	(2,598)
Investment in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(43,851)	(28,456)
Investment in building improvements	(19,758)	(5,632)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	19,898	2,063
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	2,492	2,401
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	901	632
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,544	235
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(2,750)	(39,402)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	4,031	(395)
Net cash used in investing activities	(39,024)	(78,913)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(65,597)	(63,936)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	0	(52,505)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,254)	(3,299)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(460)	(319)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	95,289	16,984
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(1,316)	0
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(2,137)	0
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	106,300	124,700
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(392,800)	(79,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	225,000	200,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(19,359)	(153,522)
Payments on financing obligations	(38)	0
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(2,458)	(2,684)
Net cash used in financing activities	(58,830)	(13,881)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(4,520)	(5,111)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	11,151	14,198
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	6,631	9,087
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	48,063	44,948
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(7,087)	0
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(2,448)	1,525
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	28,629	23,352
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	8,765	8,247
Unrealized gains on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	216	210
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	14,225	4,237
Unrealized gains/(losses) on tax increment financing bond	583	(471)
Reduction of advances to unconsolidated affiliates related to acquisition activities	$ 26,000	$ 0