Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 480,263	$ 47,726
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	108,811	101,548
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(1,179)	9
Share-based compensation expense	4,550	5,067
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,218	1,174
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(212)	(268)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,801	1,628
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,578	1,849
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(116)	84
Losses on debt extinguishment	0	220
Net gains on disposition of property	(424,754)	(3,569)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,202)	(3,587)
Changes in financing obligation	0	162
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,095	3,438
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(181)	1,723
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,297)	(4,365)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(13,600)	(11,417)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(13,970)	(19,127)
Net cash provided by operating activities	137,805	122,295
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(9,058)	(4,277)
Investments in development in-process	(74,668)	(44,601)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(42,954)	(61,282)
Investments in building improvements	(31,677)	(23,513)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	675,003	6,070
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	2,118	10,077
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(7,818)	(1,772)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	155	9,221
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(105)	0
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(257,181)	(6,741)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	253,815	(116,818)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(82,272)	(79,526)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(115)	(10)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,253)	(1,253)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,463)	(2,485)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(900)	(751)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	110,158	47,678
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(1,629)	(735)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(4,057)	(3,727)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	153,800	183,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(169,800)	(233,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	0	125,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(394,738)	(41,887)
Payments on financing obligation	0	(162)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(943)	(1,512)
Net cash used in financing activities	(394,212)	(9,370)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(2,592)	(3,893)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	5,036	8,832
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	2,444	4,939
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	38,222	40,540
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(9,395)	(2,645)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,558	1,206
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	9,227	(3,250)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	21,948	31,011
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	11,690	17,812
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	15,042	(11,475)
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	0	194
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	19,277
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	0	900
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	480,263	47,726
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	108,811	101,548
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(1,179)	9
Share-based compensation expense	4,550	5,067
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	1,218	1,174
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(212)	(268)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,801	1,628
Amortization of cash flow hedges	1,578	1,849
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(116)	84
Losses on debt extinguishment	0	220
Net gains on disposition of property	(424,754)	(3,569)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,202)	(3,587)
Changes in financing obligation	0	162
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,095	3,438
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(181)	1,723
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,297)	(4,365)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(13,600)	(11,417)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(13,970)	(19,041)
Net cash provided by operating activities	137,805	122,381
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(9,058)	(4,277)
Investments in development in-process	(74,668)	(44,601)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(42,954)	(61,282)
Investments in building improvements	(31,677)	(23,513)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	675,003	6,070
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	2,118	10,077
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(7,818)	(1,772)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	155	9,221
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(105)	0
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(257,181)	(6,741)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	253,815	(116,818)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(84,387)	(81,663)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(115)	(10)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,253)	(1,253)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(900)	(751)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	110,158	47,678
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(1,629)	(735)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(4,057)	(3,727)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	153,800	183,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(169,800)	(233,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	0	125,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(394,738)	(41,887)
Payments on financing obligation	0	(162)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(1,291)	(2,052)
Net cash used in financing activities	(394,212)	(9,562)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(2,592)	(3,999)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	5,036	8,938
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	2,444	4,939
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	38,222	40,540
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(9,395)	(2,645)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	9,227	(3,250)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	21,948	31,011
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	11,690	17,812
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	24,971	(13,788)
Unrealized gains on tax increment financing bond	0	194
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities	0	19,277
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	$ 0	$ 900