Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	$ 9,525	$ 2,096
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		2,426	2,736
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		11,197
Total Assets		11,951	16,029
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	1,941,317	2,517,589
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		8,701	3,073
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		2,426	2,736
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		7,402
Total Liabilities		1,952,444	2,530,800
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		2,426	2,736
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		0
Total Assets		2,426	2,736
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		2,426	2,736
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		0
Total Liabilities		2,426	2,736
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	9,525	2,096
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		0	0
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		0
Total Assets		9,525	2,096
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	1,941,317	2,517,589
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		8,701	3,073
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		0
Total Liabilities		1,950,018	2,520,662
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		0	0
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		11,197
Total Assets		0	11,197
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		7,402
Total Liabilities		0	7,402
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		148,005	126,429
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		148,005	126,429
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		0	0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		$ 0	$ 0

[1] Amounts recorded at historical cost on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

[2] Sold during the first quarter of 2016 in conjunction with the sales of the Plaza assets.