Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 448,706	$ 443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,113,001	4,063,328
Development in-process	180,150	194,050
Land held for development	68,244	68,244
Total real estate assets	4,810,101	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,033,127)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	3,776,974	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	0	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	3,345	5,036
Restricted cash	258,444	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $1,003 and $928, respectively	25,912	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $282 and $287, respectively	9,661	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $468 and $257, respectively	156,323	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	19,225	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $122,630 and $115,172, respectively	224,459	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $18,590 and $17,830, respectively	39,681	26,649
Total Assets	4,514,024	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,100,937	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	212,106	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	$ 2,313,043	$ 2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$ 138,637	$ 126,429
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), 29,030 and 29,050 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	29,030	29,050
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 97,392,301 and 96,091,932 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	974	961
Additional paid-in capital	2,652,254	2,598,242
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(631,226)	(1,023,135)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(6,651)	(3,811)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,044,381	1,601,307
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,963	17,975
Total Equity/Capital	2,062,344	1,619,282
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	4,514,024	4,485,631
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	448,706	443,705
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,113,001	4,063,328
Development in-process	180,150	194,050
Land held for development	68,244	68,244
Total real estate assets	4,810,101	4,769,327
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,033,127)	(1,007,104)
Net real estate assets	3,776,974	3,762,223
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	0	240,948
Cash and cash equivalents	3,345	5,036
Restricted cash	258,444	16,769
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $1,003 and $928, respectively	25,912	29,077
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $282 and $287, respectively	9,661	2,096
Accrued straight-line rents receivable, net of allowance of $468 and $257, respectively	156,323	150,392
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	19,225	20,676
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $122,630 and $115,172, respectively	224,459	231,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated amortization of $18,590 and $17,830, respectively	39,681	26,649
Total Assets	4,514,024	4,485,631
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,100,937	2,491,813
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	212,106	233,988
Liabilities held for sale	0	14,119
Total Liabilities	$ 2,313,043	$ 2,739,920
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,899,752 outstanding	$ 138,637	$ 126,429
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 29,030 and 29,050 units issued and outstanding, respectively	29,030	29,050
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	167,667	155,479
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 998,832 and 985,829 outstanding, respectively	20,219	15,759
Limited partner Common Units, 95,984,660 and 94,697,294 outstanding, respectively	2,001,783	1,560,309
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(6,651)	(3,811)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	17,963	17,975
Total Equity/Capital	2,033,314	1,590,232
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 4,514,024	$ 4,485,631