Name:	hiw_AdditionalBorrowingCapacity
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount after accumulated amortization of debt issuance costs. Includes, but not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

No definition available.

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

The number of optional extensions available to extend the loan maturity date.

No definition available.

Name:	hiw_NumberOfAdditionalExtensions
Namespace Prefix:	hiw_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The term of the debt instrument, in years.

No definition available.

Name:	hiw_TermOfDebtInstrument
Namespace Prefix:	hiw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The period for which there is an option to extend the maturity date of the facility, debt instrument or loan receivable, in years.

No definition available.

Name:	hiw_Termofoptionalextension
Namespace Prefix:	hiw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The undepreciated book value of real estate assets that are used to secure certain mortgages and notes payable.

No definition available.

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

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Date the credit facility terminates, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

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

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of all notes and loans payable (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
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-Section S99
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Name:	us-gaap_NotesAndLoansPayable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of cash outflow for payment of an obligation from a lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hiw_A750MortgageLoanDue2016Member
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hiw_VariableRateTermLoanFacilitydue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hiw_BridgeTermLoanFacilitydue2016Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
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