Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 43,339	$ 32,830
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	84,767	79,113
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(198)	180
Share-based compensation expense	4,737	4,459
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	380	538
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,897	1,802
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,588	1,459
Impairments of real estate assets	1,481	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	164	973
Net gains on disposition of property	(13,657)	(6,519)
Gains on for-sale residential condominiums	0	(175)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,349)	(1,346)
Changes in financing obligations	(391)	(584)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,827	2,225
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	2,295	7,298
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(2,284)	(3,158)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(8,009)	(9,415)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(661)	(16,352)
Net cash provided by operating activities	116,926	93,328
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(228,461)	0
Investments in development in process	(11,499)	(1,531)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(42,343)	(43,851)
Investments in building improvements	(26,466)	(19,758)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	60,381	19,898
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	0	2,492
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	435	901
Investments in and repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	(156)	1,544
Investments in and advances/repayments to/from unconsolidated affiliates	(429)	(2,750)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	7,853	4,031
Net cash used in investing activities	(240,685)	(39,024)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(69,563)	(62,787)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,254)	(1,254)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,140)	(3,158)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(408)	(460)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	126,738	95,289
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(1,711)	(1,316)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(2,537)	(2,137)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	346,300	106,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(233,900)	(392,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	0	225,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(39,610)	(19,359)
Payments on financing obligations	(575)	(38)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(242)	(2,245)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	120,098	(58,965)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(3,661)	(4,661)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	13,783	11,188
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	10,122	6,527
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	40,480	48,063
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	6,599	(7,087)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	2,851	631
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	12,618	(2,448)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	17,732	28,629
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	11,363	8,765
Unrealized gains on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	312	216
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	9,649	16,501
Unrealized gains/(losses) on tax increment financing bond	299	583
Reduction of advances to unconsolidated affiliates related to acquisition activities	0	26,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	43,289	32,835
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	84,767	79,113
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(198)	180
Share-based compensation expense	4,737	4,459
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	380	538
Amortization of deferred financing costs	1,897	1,802
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,588	1,459
Impairments of real estate assets	1,481	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	164	973
Net gains on disposition of property	(13,657)	(6,519)
Gains on for-sale residential condominiums	0	(175)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,299)	(1,351)
Changes in financing obligations	(391)	(584)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,814	2,211
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	2,295	7,298
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(2,189)	(3,077)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(8,009)	(9,415)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(587)	(16,413)
Net cash provided by operating activities	117,082	93,334
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(228,461)	0
Investments in development in process	(11,499)	(1,531)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(42,343)	(43,851)
Investments in building improvements	(26,466)	(19,758)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	60,381	19,898
Net proceeds from disposition of for-sale residential condominiums	0	2,492
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	435	901
Investments in and repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	(156)	1,544
Investments in and advances/repayments to/from unconsolidated affiliates	(429)	(2,750)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	7,853	4,031
Net cash used in investing activities	(240,685)	(39,024)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(72,355)	(65,597)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,254)	(1,254)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(408)	(460)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	126,738	95,289
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(1,711)	(1,316)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(2,537)	(2,137)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	346,300	106,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(233,900)	(392,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	0	225,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(39,610)	(19,359)
Payments on financing obligations	(575)	(38)
Additions to deferred financing costs and other financing activities	(747)	(2,458)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	119,941	(58,830)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(3,662)	(4,520)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	13,867	11,151
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	10,205	6,631
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	40,480	48,063
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	6,599	(7,087)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	12,618	(2,448)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	17,732	28,629
Write-off of fully amortized deferred financing and leasing costs	11,363	8,765
Unrealized gains on marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan	312	216
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	5,482	14,225
Unrealized gains/(losses) on tax increment financing bond	299	583
Reduction of advances to unconsolidated affiliates related to acquisition activities	$ 0	$ 26,000