Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 446,735	$ 20,835
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	53,494	50,308
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	108	(67)
Share-based compensation expense	3,556	3,866
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,077	417
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(42)	(170)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	990	800
Amortization of cash flow hedges	795	924
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(59)	57
Net gains on disposition of property	(418,893)	(1,157)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,285)	(1,811)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	717	1,386
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	601	3,166
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(6,577)	(6,769)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,624)	(5,591)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(26,358)	(33,088)
Net cash provided by operating activities	48,235	33,106
Investing activities:
Investments in development in-process	(33,188)	(11,232)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(23,513)	(30,008)
Investments in building improvements	(16,479)	(12,081)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	661,390	5,650
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	2,118	394
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(7,602)	(938)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	79	87
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(105)	0
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(248,865)	993
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	333,835	(47,135)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(40,881)	(39,563)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(20)	(10)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(626)	(627)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,232)	(1,248)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(320)	(321)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	54,915	44,937
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(788)	(643)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(3,229)	(3,727)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	66,400	110,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(107,400)	(91,900)
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(350,535)	(1,220)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(45)	0
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(383,761)	16,578
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,691)	2,549
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	5,036	8,832
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	3,345	11,381
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	20,951	21,480
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(3,635)	(2,914)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	0	1,206
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(5,978)	(2,697)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	12,579	15,020
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	5,282	10,147
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	429	5,036
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	0	193
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	446,735	20,835
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	53,494	50,308
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	108	(67)
Share-based compensation expense	3,556	3,866
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,077	417
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(42)	(170)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	990	800
Amortization of cash flow hedges	795	924
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(59)	57
Net gains on disposition of property	(418,893)	(1,157)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,285)	(1,811)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	717	1,386
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	601	3,166
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(6,577)	(6,769)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,624)	(5,591)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(26,358)	(33,002)
Net cash provided by operating activities	48,235	33,192
Investing activities:
Investments in development in-process	(33,188)	(11,232)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(23,513)	(30,008)
Investments in building improvements	(16,479)	(12,081)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	661,390	5,650
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	2,118	394
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(7,602)	(938)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	79	87
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(105)	0
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(248,865)	993
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	333,835	(47,135)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(41,939)	(40,637)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(20)	(10)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(626)	(627)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(320)	(321)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	54,915	44,937
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(788)	(643)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(3,229)	(3,727)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	66,400	110,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(107,400)	(91,900)
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(350,535)	(1,220)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(219)	(366)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(383,761)	16,386
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,691)	2,443
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	5,036	8,938
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	3,345	11,381
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	20,951	21,480
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(3,635)	(2,914)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(5,978)	(2,697)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	12,579	15,020
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	5,282	10,147
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	12,208	3,178
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	$ 0	$ 193