Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 448,212	$ 443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,128,823	4,063,328
Development in-process	229,184	194,050
Land held for development	75,078	68,244
Total real estate assets	4,881,297	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,063,010)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	3,818,287	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	2,387	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	2,444	5,036
Restricted cash	265,193	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $850 and $928, respectively	26,671	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $75 and $287, respectively	9,971	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $483 and $257, respectively	162,573	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	19,786	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $129,252 and $115,172, respectively	217,042	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $19,260 and $17,830, respectively	40,008	26,649
Total Assets	4,564,362	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,082,207	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	241,979	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	2,324,186	2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	151,400	126,429
Equity/Capital:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 authorized shares; 8.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (liquidation preference $1,000 per share), 28,935 and 29,050 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,935	29,050
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 98,570,974 and 96,091,932 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	986	961
Additional paid-in capital	2,693,755	2,598,242
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(640,969)	(1,023,135)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(11,628)	(3,811)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,071,079	1,601,307
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,697	17,975
Total Equity/Capital	2,088,776	1,619,282
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	4,564,362	4,485,631
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	448,212	443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,128,823	4,063,328
Development in-process	229,184	194,050
Land held for development	75,078	68,244
Total real estate assets	4,881,297	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,063,010)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	3,818,287	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	2,387	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	2,444	5,036
Restricted cash	265,193	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $850 and $928, respectively	26,671	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $75 and $287, respectively	9,971	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $483 and $257, respectively	162,573	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	19,786	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $129,252 and $115,172, respectively	217,042	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $19,260 and $17,830, respectively	40,008	26,649
Total Assets	4,564,362	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,082,207	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	241,979	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	2,324,186	2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,867,424 and 2,899,752 outstanding, respectively	151,400	126,429
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,935 and 29,050 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,935	29,050
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	180,335	155,479
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,010,296 and 985,829 outstanding, respectively	20,537	15,759
Limited partner Common Units, 97,151,869 and 94,697,294 outstanding, respectively	2,033,235	1,560,309
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(11,628)	(3,811)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,697	17,975
Total Equity/Capital	2,059,841	1,590,232
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 4,564,362	$ 4,485,631