Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 443,705	$ 367,895
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,063,328	3,493,992
Development in-process	194,050	201,409
Land held for development	68,244	78,266
Total real estate assets	4,769,327	4,141,562
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,007,104)	(893,517)
Net real estate assets	3,762,223	3,248,045
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	240,948	236,815
Cash and cash equivalents	5,036	8,832
Restricted cash	16,769	14,595
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $928 and $1,314, respectively	29,077	48,557
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $287 and $275, respectively	2,096	13,116
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $257 and $316, respectively	150,392	130,394
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	20,676	50,685
Deferred financing and leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $123,723 and $108,122, respectively	241,663	222,448
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $15,648 and $13,887, respectively	24,552	25,636
Total Assets	4,493,432	3,999,123
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable	2,499,614	2,071,389
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	233,988	231,482
Liabilities held for sale	14,119	15,113
Total Liabilities	$ 2,747,721	$ 2,317,984
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$ 126,429	$ 130,048
Equity/Capital:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 authorized shares; 8.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (liquidation preference $1,000 per share), 29,050 and 29,060 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	29,050	29,060
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 96,091,932 and 92,907,310 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	961	929
Additional paid-in capital	2,598,242	2,464,275
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(1,023,135)	(957,370)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(3,811)	(3,912)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	1,601,307	1,532,982
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,975	18,109
Total Equity/Capital:	1,619,282	1,551,091
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	4,493,432	3,999,123
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	443,705	367,895
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,063,328	3,493,992
Development in-process	194,050	201,409
Land held for development	68,244	78,266
Total real estate assets	4,769,327	4,141,562
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,007,104)	(893,517)
Net real estate assets	3,762,223	3,248,045
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	240,948	236,815
Cash and cash equivalents	5,036	8,938
Restricted cash	16,769	14,595
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $928 and $1,314, respectively	29,077	48,557
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $287 and $275, respectively	2,096	13,116
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $257 and $316, respectively	150,392	130,394
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	20,676	50,685
Deferred financing and leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $123,723 and $108,122, respectively	241,663	222,448
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $15,648 and $13,887, respectively	24,552	25,636
Total Assets	4,493,432	3,999,229
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable	2,499,614	2,071,389
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	233,988	231,396
Liabilities held for sale	14,119	15,113
Total Liabilities	$ 2,747,721	$ 2,317,898
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,899,752 and 2,936,955 outstanding, respectively	$ 126,429	$ 130,048
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 29,050 and 29,060 units issued and outstanding, respectively	29,050	29,060
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	155,479	159,108
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 985,829 and 954,355 outstanding, respectively	15,759	15,078
Limited partner Common Units, 94,697,294 and 91,544,146 outstanding, respectively	1,560,309	1,492,948
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(3,811)	(3,912)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,975	18,109
Total Equity/Capital:	1,590,232	1,522,223
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 4,493,432	$ 3,999,229