Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	$ 8,833	$ 2,096
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		7,619
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		2,451	2,736	$ 3,635
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		11,197
Total Assets		18,903	16,029
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	1,965,611	2,517,589
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		1,870	3,073
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		2,451	2,736	$ 3,635	$ 3,996
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		7,402
Total Liabilities		1,969,932	2,530,800
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		2,451	2,736
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		0
Total Assets		2,451	2,736
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		2,451	2,736
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		0
Total Liabilities		2,451	2,736
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	8,833	2,096
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		7,619
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		0	0
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		0
Total Assets		16,452	2,096
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	1,965,611	2,517,589
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		1,870	3,073
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		0
Total Liabilities		1,967,481	2,520,662
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)		0	0
Tax increment financing bond (in real estate and other assets, net, held for sale)	[2]		11,197
Total Assets		0	11,197
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	[1]	0	0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)		0	0
Financing obligation, at fair value (in liabilities held for sale)	[1],[2]		7,402
Total Liabilities		0	7,402
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		144,802	126,429
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		144,802	126,429
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		0	0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership		$ 0	$ 0

[1] Amounts recorded at historical cost on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2016 and 2015.

[2] Sold during 2016 in conjunction with the sales of the Plaza assets.