Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Rental and other revenues		$ 164,859	$ 145,236
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		57,580	52,514
Depreciation and amortization		53,494	46,867
General and administrative		11,137	11,243
Total operating expenses		122,211	110,624
Interest expense:
Contractual		19,715	20,442
Amortization of debt issuance costs		990	800
Total interest expense		20,705	21,242
Other income:
Interest and other income		517	582
Total other income		517	582
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		22,460	13,952
Gains on disposition of property		4,397	1,157
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		1,285	1,811
Income from continuing operations		28,142	16,920
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations		4,097	3,915
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		414,496	0
Total income from discontinued operations		418,593	3,915
Net income		446,735	20,835
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(13,011)	(596)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(308)	(296)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(626)	(627)
Net income available for common stockholders		$ 432,790	$ 19,316
Earnings per Common Share – basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.27	$ 0.17
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		4.22	0.04
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 4.49	$ 0.21
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)		96,373	93,222
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.27	$ 0.17
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		4.22	0.04
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 4.49	$ 0.21
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[1],[2]	99,357	96,279
Dividends declared per Common Share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.425	$ 0.425
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders		$ 26,462	$ 15,521
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders		406,328	3,795
Net income available for common stockholders		432,790	19,316
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues		164,859	145,236
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		57,580	52,514
Depreciation and amortization		53,494	46,867
General and administrative		11,137	11,243
Total operating expenses		122,211	110,624
Interest expense:
Contractual		19,715	20,442
Amortization of debt issuance costs		990	800
Total interest expense		20,705	21,242
Other income:
Interest and other income		517	582
Total other income		517	582
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		22,460	13,952
Gains on disposition of property		4,397	1,157
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		1,285	1,811
Income from continuing operations		28,142	16,920
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations		4,097	3,915
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		414,496	0
Total income from discontinued operations		418,593	3,915
Net income		446,735	20,835
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(308)	(296)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(626)	(627)
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 445,801	$ 19,912
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.28	$ 0.17
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		4.23	0.04
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 4.51	$ 0.21
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)		98,864	95,746
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.28	$ 0.17
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		4.23	0.04
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 4.51	$ 0.21
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[3],[4]	98,948	95,870
Distributions declared per Common Unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 0.425	$ 0.425
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders		$ 27,208	$ 15,997
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders		418,593	3,915
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 445,801	$ 19,912

[1] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[2] There were 0.4 million and 0.2 million options outstanding during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive.

[3] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[4] There were 0.4 million and 0.2 million options outstanding during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per unit because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive.