Consolidated Statement Of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Paid-In Capital [Member]	Cumulative Net Income [Member]	Cumulative Distributions [Member]	Total PS Business Parks, Inc.'s Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Balances, value at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 885,000	$ 242	$ 537,091	$ 967,783	$ (944,427)	$ 1,445,689	$ 168,572	$ 1,614,261
Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2012	35,400	24,298,475
Issuance of preferred stock, net of issuance costs, value	$ 110,000		(3,689)			106,311		106,311
Issuance of preferred stock, net of issuance costs, shares	4,400
Issurance of common stock, net of issurance costs, value		$ 24	192,305			192,329		192,329
Issurance of common stock, net of issurance costs, shares		2,445,000
Exercise of stock options, value		$ 1	4,681			4,682		4,682
Exercise of stock options, shares		97,800
Stock compensation, net, value			(3,043)			(3,043)		(3,043)
Stock compensation, net, shares		8,547
Net income				103,192		103,192	12,952	116,144
Distributions:
Preferred stock					(59,216)	(59,216)		(59,216)
Common stock					(43,972)	(43,972)		(43,972)
Noncontrolling interests							(12,856)	(12,856)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests in underlying operating partnership			(28,031)			(28,031)	28,031
Balances, value at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 995,000	$ 267	699,314	1,070,975	(1,047,615)	1,717,941	196,699	1,914,640
Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2013	39,800	26,849,822
Exercise of stock options, value		$ 1	3,053			3,054		3,054
Exercise of stock options, shares		61,273
Stock compensation, net, value			8,842			8,842		8,842
Stock compensation, net, shares		8,066
Net income				173,971		173,971	30,729	204,700
Distributions:
Preferred stock					(60,488)	(60,488)		(60,488)
Common stock					(127,838)	(127,838)		(127,838)
Noncontrolling interests							(34,701)	(34,701)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests in underlying operating partnership			(2,201)			(2,201)	2,201
Balances, value at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 995,000	$ 268	709,008	1,244,946	(1,235,941)	1,713,281	194,928	1,908,209
Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2014	39,800	26,919,161
Redemption of preferred stock, net of issuance costs, value	$ (75,000)		2,487		(2,487)	(75,000)		(75,000)
Redemption of preferred stock, net of issuance costs, shares	(3,000)
Exercise of stock options, value		$ 1	5,088			5,089		5,089
Exercise of stock options, shares		99,178
Stock compensation, net, value			8,178			8,178		8,178
Stock compensation, net, shares		15,734
Net income				130,475		130,475	18,495	148,970
Distributions:
Preferred stock					(59,398)	(59,398)		(59,398)
Common stock					(59,377)	(59,377)		(59,377)
Noncontrolling interests							(16,072)	(16,072)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests in underlying operating partnership			(2,752)			(2,752)	2,752
Balances, value at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 920,000	$ 269	$ 722,009	$ 1,375,421	$ (1,357,203)	$ 1,660,496	$ 200,103	$ 1,860,599
Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	36,800	27,034,073