Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 491	$ 624
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	96	105
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	242	692
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	142,148	140,081
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 20,695	$ 19,904
Equity/Capital:
Series A Preferred Stock, dividend rate percentage (in hundredths)	8.625%	8.625%
Series A Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series A Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	28,905	28,920
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	28,905	28,920
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	102,018,119	101,665,554
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	102,018,119	101,665,554
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Accounts receivable allowance	$ 491	$ 624
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	96	105
Accrued straight-line rents receivable allowance	242	692
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	142,148	140,081
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated amortization	$ 20,695	$ 19,904
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	2,836,704	2,838,704
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	28,905	28,920
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	28,905	28,920
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	1,044,460	1,040,954
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	100,564,850	100,215,791