Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Limit of consolidated revenue generated by any single customer																	10.00%
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues	$ 133,982	[1]	$ 128,214	[1]	$ 128,323	[1]	$ 125,583	[1]	$ 123,947	[1]	$ 117,265	[1]	$ 112,185	[1]	$ 110,047	[1]	$ 516,102		$ 463,444		$ 440,836
Total net operating income																	328,668		295,591		285,065
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Depreciation and amortization																	(156,318)		(137,890)		(130,232)
Impairments of real estate assets																	0		(2,429)		0
General and administrative expense																	(37,377)		(35,727)		(32,948)
Interest expense																	(96,114)		(95,510)		(92,951)
Other income																	6,380		7,363		5,657
Income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates																	45,239		31,398		34,591
Total Assets	3,350,428								3,180,992								3,350,428		3,180,992
Office Total Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	453,568	[2]	404,082	[2]	382,613	[2]
Total net operating income																	287,973	[2]	257,273	[2]	247,810	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	2,828,796								2,612,488								2,828,796		2,612,488
Office Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	61,947		49,521		44,480
Total net operating income																	39,306		31,077		27,607
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	495,175								359,225								495,175		359,225
Office Greenville, SC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	13,395		14,076		13,612
Total net operating income																	7,612		8,333		8,142
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	69,138								69,669								69,138		69,669
Office Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	15,003		13,795		14,160
Total net operating income																	9,516		8,374		8,824
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	84,538								86,028								84,538		86,028
Office Memphis, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	36,832		36,801		31,479
Total net operating income																	21,848		20,874		18,640
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	225,541								265,259								225,541		265,259
Office Nashville, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	56,542		53,645		52,159
Total net operating income																	38,831		36,586		35,451
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	314,705								325,272								314,705		325,272
Office Orlando, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	11,169		10,233		11,611
Total net operating income																	5,841		5,187		6,256
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	51,373								46,547								51,373		46,547
Office Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	21,569		20,645		21,163
Total net operating income																	13,325		13,041		13,886
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	144,404								115,096								144,404		115,096
Office Pittsburgh, PA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	38,796		10,963		0
Total net operating income																	19,545		5,450		0
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	330,975								227,965								330,975		227,965
Office Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	81,624		78,638		75,714
Total net operating income																	56,628		54,699		52,347
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	479,995								468,494								479,995		468,494
Office Richmond, VA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	47,310		47,525		47,175
Total net operating income																	32,407		31,281		32,035
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	246,276								254,364								246,276		254,364
Office Tampa, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	69,381		68,240		71,060
Total net operating income																	43,114		42,371		44,622
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	386,676								394,569								386,676		394,569
Industrial Total Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	25,323	[2]	25,093	[2]	24,707	[2]
Total net operating income																	18,431	[2]	18,432	[2]	17,771	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	191,343								211,721								191,343		211,721
Industrial Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	12,805		13,266		12,335
Total net operating income																	9,282		9,780		8,734
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	115,330								133,640								115,330		133,640
Industrial Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	12,518		11,827		12,372
Total net operating income																	9,149		8,652		9,037
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	76,013								78,081								76,013		78,081
Total Retail Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	37,211	[2]	34,269	[2]	33,516	[2]
Total net operating income																	22,528	[2]	20,157	[2]	19,927	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	166,030								170,717								166,030		170,717
Retail Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	37,211		34,269		33,516
Total net operating income																	22,528		20,157		19,927
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	166,030								170,717								166,030		170,717
Total Residential Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net operating income																	(178)	[2]	(195)	[2]	(362)	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	8								10,475								8		10,475
Residential Kansas City, MO [Member]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	0								5,707								0		5,707
Residential Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net operating income																	(178)	[3]	(195)	[3]	(362)	[3]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	8								4,768								8		4,768
Total Corporate and Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net operating income																	(86)	[2]	(76)	[2]	(81)	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	164,251								175,591								164,251		175,591
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Limit of consolidated revenue generated by any single customer																	10.00%
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues	133,982		128,214		128,323		125,583		123,947		117,265		112,185		110,047		516,102		463,444		440,836
Total net operating income																	328,917		295,617		285,425
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Depreciation and amortization																	(156,318)		(137,890)		(130,232)
Impairments of real estate assets																	0		(2,429)		0
General and administrative expense																	(37,626)		(35,753)		(33,308)
Interest expense																	(96,114)		(95,510)		(92,951)
Other income																	6,380		7,363		5,657
Income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates																	45,239		31,398		34,591
Total Assets	3,349,525								3,179,884								3,349,525		3,179,884
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Total Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	453,568	[2]	404,082	[2]	382,613	[2]
Total net operating income																	288,191	[2]	257,295	[2]	248,123	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	2,828,796								2,612,488								2,828,796		2,612,488
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	61,948		49,521		44,480
Total net operating income																	39,335		31,080		27,641
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	495,175								359,225								495,175		359,225
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Greenville, SC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	13,394		14,076		13,612
Total net operating income																	7,618		8,334		8,152
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	69,138								69,669								69,138		69,669
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	15,003		13,795		14,160
Total net operating income																	9,523		8,375		8,835
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	84,538								86,028								84,538		86,028
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Memphis, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	36,832		36,801		31,479
Total net operating income																	21,864		20,876		18,664
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	225,541								265,259								225,541		265,259
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Nashville, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	56,542		53,643		52,159
Total net operating income																	38,860		36,589		35,497
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	314,705								325,272								314,705		325,272
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Orlando, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	11,169		10,233		11,611
Total net operating income																	5,845		5,187		6,264
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	51,373								46,547								51,373		46,547
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	21,569		20,645		21,162
Total net operating income																	13,335		13,042		13,903
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	144,404								115,096								144,404		115,096
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Pittsburgh, PA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	38,796		10,963		0
Total net operating income																	19,548		5,450		0
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	330,975								227,965								330,975		227,965
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	81,624		78,640		75,715
Total net operating income																	56,682		54,704		52,413
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	479,995								468,494								479,995		468,494
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Richmond, VA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	47,310		47,525		47,175
Total net operating income																	32,431		31,283		32,075
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	246,276								254,364								246,276		254,364
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Office Tampa, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	69,381		68,240		71,060
Total net operating income																	43,150		42,375		44,679
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	386,676								394,569								386,676		394,569
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Industrial Total Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	25,323	[2]	25,093	[2]	24,707	[2]
Total net operating income																	18,445	[2]	18,434	[2]	17,793	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	191,343								211,721								191,343		211,721
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Industrial Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	12,805		13,266		12,335
Total net operating income																	9,289		9,781		8,745
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	115,330								133,640								115,330		133,640
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Industrial Piedmont Triad, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	12,518		11,827		12,372
Total net operating income																	9,156		8,653		9,048
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	76,013								78,081								76,013		78,081
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Retail Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	37,211	[2]	34,269	[2]	33,516	[2]
Total net operating income																	22,545	[2]	20,159	[2]	19,952	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	166,030								170,717								166,030		170,717
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Retail Kansas City, MO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Rental and other revenues																	37,211		34,269		33,516
Total net operating income																	22,545		20,159		19,952
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	166,030								170,717								166,030		170,717
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Residential Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net operating income																	(178)	[2]	(195)	[2]	(362)	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	8								10,475								8		10,475
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Residential Kansas City, MO [Member]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	0								5,707								0		5,707
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Residential Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net operating income																	(178)	[3]	(195)	[3]	(362)	[3]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	8								4,768								8		4,768
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Total Corporate and Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net operating income																	(86)	[2]	(76)	[2]	(81)	[2]
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before disposition of property, condominiums and investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates:
Total Assets	$ 163,348								$ 174,483								$ 163,348		$ 174,483

[1] The amounts presented may not equal to the amounts previously reported in the most recent Form 10-Qs or prior 10-K for each period as a result of discontinued operations.

[2] Net of discontinued operations.

[3] Negative NOI with no corresponding revenues represents expensed real estate taxes and other carrying costs associated with land held for development that is currently zoned for the respective product type.