Real Estate and Other Assets Held For Sale (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets, held for sale [Abstract]
Land held for development	$ 2,961	$ 995
Net real estate assets	2,961	995
Prepaid expenses and other assets	19	43
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	$ 2,980us-gaap_RealEstateHeldforsale	$ 1,038us-gaap_RealEstateHeldforsale

For the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), the carrying amount of land available for development.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hiw_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLandHeldForDevelopment
Namespace Prefix:	hiw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operations), the net book value of real estate property held for investment purposes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hiw_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsRealEstateInvestmentPropertyNet
Namespace Prefix:	hiw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount classified as other assets attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOtherAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of investments in land and buildings held for sale, excluding real estate considered to be inventory of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(f))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateHeldforsale
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant