Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, ft² in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) a ft² $ / shares shares	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	31.2
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties under development (in sq feet) | ft²	1.3
Undeveloped land suitable for development (in acres) | a	500
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 50,898	$ 40,567
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum (in hundredths)	50.00%
Carrying value of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ 19,225		$ 20,676
Debt issuance costs reclassified to contra liability account	2,100,937		2,491,813
Debt issuance costs reclassified to prepaid expenses and other assets	39,681		$ 26,649
Reclassified Debt Issuance Costs Member
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs reclassified to contra liability account	7,800
Debt issuance costs reclassified to prepaid expenses and other assets	$ 2,100
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	97,000,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths)	97.10%		97.10%
Joint venture partner's interest in unconsolidated affiliate (in hundredths)			80.00%
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares) | shares	1,054,496
Average price of Common Stock sold during the period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 45.86
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 47,600
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	2,900,000
Carrying value of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ 19,225		$ 20,676
Debt issuance costs reclassified to contra liability account	2,100,937		2,491,813
Debt issuance costs reclassified to prepaid expenses and other assets	$ 39,681		$ 26,649
Unconsolidated Affiliate VIE Member
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum (in hundredths)	12.50%
Carrying value of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ 1,600