Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 26,485,000	$ 24,725,000
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	301,000
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,996,000	3,354,000	3,149,000
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	13,403,000	14,496,000
Total Assets	44,185,000	42,575,000
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	2,037,385,000	1,987,364,000
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	510,000	9,369,000
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,996,000	3,354,000	3,149,000	4,091,000
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		563,000
Financing obligations, at fair value	22,478,000	23,252,000
Total Liabilities	2,064,369,000	2,023,902,000
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	3,996,000	3,354,000
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Total Assets	3,996,000	3,354,000
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,996,000	3,354,000
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0	0
Total Liabilities	3,996,000	3,354,000
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	17,029,000	16,077,000
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	301,000
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Total Assets	17,330,000	16,077,000
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	2,037,385,000	1,987,364,000
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	510,000	9,369,000
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0
Financing obligations, at fair value	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,037,895,000	1,996,733,000
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	9,456,000	8,648,000
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0	0
Tax increment financing bond (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	13,403,000	14,496,000
Total Assets	22,859,000	23,144,000
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, at fair value	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0	0
Contingent consideration to acquire real estate assets (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		563,000
Financing obligations, at fair value	22,478,000	23,252,000
Total Liabilities	22,478,000	23,815,000
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	106,480,000	124,869,000
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	106,480,000	124,869,000
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	0	0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$ 0	$ 0