Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 928	$ 1,314
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	287	275
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	257	316
Deferred financing and leasing costs, accumulated amortization	123,723	108,122
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 15,648	$ 13,887
Equity/Capital:
Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	96,091,932	92,907,310
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	96,091,932	92,907,310
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 928	$ 1,314
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	287	275
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	257	316
Deferred financing and leasing costs, accumulated amortization	123,723	108,122
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 15,648	$ 13,887
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Redeemable Common Units, outstanding (in shares)	2,899,752	2,936,955
Preferred Units liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Common Units:
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	985,829	954,355
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	94,697,294	91,544,146