Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 jointventure property customers sqft acre	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate (in square feet)	32,236,000
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate under development (in square feet)	852,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres)	600
Number of common units required to convert to one share of common stock (in shares)	1
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Common units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares)	789,144
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum	50.00%
Consolidated in-service office properties not wholly owned (in units)	5
Number of joint ventures that have consolidated properties	2
Real estate assets, depreciation expense	$ 138,163	$ 118,223	$ 106,785
Maturity of highly liquid investments (in months)	3 months
Percent of annual REIT taxable income required to pay to the Company's stockholders	90.00%
Customers with leases on wholly owned properties	1,793
Percent of annualized cash rental revenue derived from geographic locations	10.00%
Limit of consolidated revenue generated by any single customer	10.00%
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, mimimum (in months)	1 month
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, maximum (in months)	3 months
Building [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	40 years
Building Improvements [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	15 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	5 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	7 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	3 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	10 years
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership owned (in shares)	89,500,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units	96.80%	95.60%
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares)	2,900,000