Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, ft² in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) a ft² $ / shares shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) a ft² $ / shares shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	31.1	31.1
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties under development (in sq feet) | ft²	1.1	1.1
Undeveloped land suitable for development (in acres) | a	450	450
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period		$ 187,214	$ 93,216
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum (in hundredths)	50.00%	50.00%
Carrying value of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ 18,697	$ 18,697		$ 20,676
Debt issuance costs reclassified to contra liability account	1,901,066	1,901,066		2,491,813
Debt issuance costs reclassified to prepaid expenses and other assets	$ 28,581	$ 28,581		26,649
Reclassified Debt Issuance Costs Member
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs reclassified to contra liability account				7,800
Debt issuance costs reclassified to prepaid expenses and other assets				$ 2,100
Unconsolidated Affiliate VIE Member
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum (in hundredths)	12.50%	12.50%
Carrying value of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ 100	$ 100
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	99,800,000	99,800,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths)	97.20%	97.20%		97.10%
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) | shares		60,048
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares) | shares	1,547,457	3,624,528
Average price of Common Stock sold during the period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 52.79	$ 49.67
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 80,500	$ 177,300
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	2,800,000	2,800,000
Carrying value of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ 18,697	$ 18,697		$ 20,676
Debt issuance costs reclassified to contra liability account	1,901,066	1,901,066		2,491,813
Debt issuance costs reclassified to prepaid expenses and other assets	$ 28,581	$ 28,581		$ 26,649