Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 474,375	$ 443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,278,303	4,063,328
Development in-process	227,573	194,050
Land held for development	79,603	68,244
Total real estate assets	5,059,854	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,098,492)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	3,961,362	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	260	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	6,387	5,036
Restricted cash	37,763	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $791 and $928, respectively	26,756	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $0 and $287, respectively	9,525	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $703 and $257, respectively	167,503	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	18,697	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $136,292 and $115,172, respectively	218,976	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $20,008 and $17,830, respectively	28,581	26,649
Total Assets	4,475,810	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	1,901,066	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	258,638	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	2,159,704	2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	148,005	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), 28,920 and 29,050 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,920	29,050
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 100,204,106 and 96,091,932 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,002	961
Additional paid-in capital	2,780,443	2,598,242
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(650,954)	(1,023,135)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(9,260)	(3,811)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,150,151	1,601,307
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,950	17,975
Total Equity/Capital	2,168,101	1,619,282
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	4,475,810	4,485,631
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	474,375	443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,278,303	4,063,328
Development in-process	227,573	194,050
Land held for development	79,603	68,244
Total real estate assets	5,059,854	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,098,492)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	3,961,362	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	260	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	6,387	5,036
Restricted cash	37,763	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $791 and $928, respectively	26,756	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $0 and $287, respectively	9,525	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $703 and $257, respectively	167,503	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	18,697	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $136,292 and $115,172, respectively	218,976	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $20,008 and $17,830, respectively	28,581	26,649
Total Assets	4,475,810	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	1,901,066	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	258,638	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	2,159,704	2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,839,704 and 2,899,752 outstanding, respectively	148,005	126,429
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,920 and 29,050 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,920	29,050
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	176,925	155,479
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,026,350 and 985,829 outstanding, respectively	21,303	15,759
Limited partner Common Units, 98,768,947 and 94,697,294 outstanding, respectively	2,109,188	1,560,309
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(9,260)	(3,811)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,950	17,975
Total Equity/Capital	2,139,181	1,590,232
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 4,475,810	$ 4,485,631