Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 514,103	$ 79,343
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	161,734	156,200
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(1,599)	214
Share-based compensation expense	5,412	5,996
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,846	1,851
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(364)	(313)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,645	2,501
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,336	2,781
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(175)	7
Losses on debt extinguishment	0	220
Net gains on disposition of property	(428,656)	(10,581)
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	(4,155)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(5,010)	(4,367)
Changes in financing obligation	0	162
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,936	4,099
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,798	1,716
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(2,243)	(3,475)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(18,931)	(16,955)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(7,447)	(5,834)
Net cash provided by operating activities	232,385	209,410
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(110,249)	(408,634)
Investments in development in-process	(122,839)	(87,222)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(63,715)	(85,234)
Investments in building improvements	(51,714)	(38,295)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	680,994	22,781
Net proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	6,919
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	2,639	10,227
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(7,934)	(1,772)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	869	9,301
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(105)	(384)
Repayments from unconsolidated affiliates	448	20,800
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(23,310)	(12,582)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	305,084	(564,095)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(124,228)	(119,729)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(130)	(10)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,877)	(1,879)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,684)	(3,721)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(966)	(1,070)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	194,518	98,485
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(2,888)	(1,518)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(4,416)	(3,751)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	257,800	393,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(528,800)	(337,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	75,000	375,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(395,455)	(43,076)
Payments on financing obligation	0	(1,722)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(992)	(1,972)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(536,118)	351,037
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,351	(3,648)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	5,036	8,832
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	6,387	5,184
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	58,138	62,661
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(7,785)	(5,666)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	3,006	1,206
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	25,037	1,759
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	28,783	44,742
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	16,991	27,658
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	13,390	(14,649)
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	0	187
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	19,277
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	0	900
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	514,103	79,343
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	161,734	156,200
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(1,599)	214
Share-based compensation expense	5,412	5,996
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,846	1,851
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(364)	(313)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,645	2,501
Amortization of cash flow hedges	2,336	2,781
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(175)	7
Losses on debt extinguishment	0	220
Net gains on disposition of property	(428,656)	(10,581)
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	(4,155)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(5,010)	(4,367)
Changes in financing obligation	0	162
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	3,523	4,099
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,798	1,716
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(2,243)	(3,475)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(18,931)	(16,955)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(7,447)	(5,748)
Net cash provided by operating activities	231,972	209,496
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(110,249)	(408,634)
Investments in development in-process	(122,839)	(87,222)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(63,715)	(85,234)
Investments in building improvements	(51,714)	(38,295)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	680,994	22,781
Net proceeds from disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	6,919
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	3,052	10,227
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(7,934)	(1,772)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	869	9,301
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(105)	(384)
Repayments from unconsolidated affiliates	448	20,800
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(23,310)	(12,582)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	305,497	(564,095)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(127,391)	(122,929)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(130)	(10)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,877)	(1,879)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(966)	(1,070)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	194,518	98,485
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(2,888)	(1,518)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(4,416)	(3,751)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	257,800	393,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(528,800)	(337,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	75,000	375,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(395,455)	(43,076)
Payments on financing obligation	0	(1,722)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(1,513)	(2,685)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(536,118)	350,845
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,351	(3,754)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	5,036	8,938
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	6,387	5,184
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	58,138	62,661
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(7,785)	(5,666)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	25,037	1,759
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	28,783	44,742
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	16,991	27,658
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	21,576	(17,280)
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	0	187
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	19,277
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	$ 0	$ 900