Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 33,485	$ 446,735
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	56,145	53,494
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(10)	108
Share-based compensation expense	3,783	3,556
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	61	1,077
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(132)	(42)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	840	990
Amortization of cash flow hedges	484	795
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(30)	(59)
Net gains on disposition of property	(5,332)	(418,893)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(955)	(1,285)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,431	717
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,322	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	3,922	601
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,959)	(6,577)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,185)	(6,624)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(20,951)	(26,358)
Net cash provided by operating activities	68,919	48,235
Investing activities:
Investments in development in-process	(59,408)	(33,188)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(24,649)	(23,513)
Investments in building improvements	(17,194)	(16,479)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	11,532	661,390
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	6,512	2,118
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	0	(7,602)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,178	79
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(105)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(1,696)	(248,865)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(83,725)	333,835
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(44,917)	(40,881)
Special dividend on Common Stock	(81,205)	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(15)	(20)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(623)	(626)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,249)	(1,232)
Special distribution to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,271)	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(466)	(320)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	13,191	54,915
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(250)	(788)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(3,807)	(3,229)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	200,300	66,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(69,300)	(107,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	346,001	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(380,261)	(350,535)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(4,894)	(45)
Net cash used in financing activities	(29,766)	(383,761)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(44,572)	(1,691)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	49,490	5,036
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,918	3,345
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	18,909	20,951
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	452	(3,635)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	102	0
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(6,741)	(5,978)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	10,649	12,579
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	13,252	5,282
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(4,972)	429
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	33,485	446,735
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	56,145	53,494
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(10)	108
Share-based compensation expense	3,783	3,556
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	61	1,077
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(132)	(42)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	840	990
Amortization of cash flow hedges	484	795
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	(30)	(59)
Net gains on disposition of property	(5,332)	(418,893)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(955)	(1,285)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,431	717
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,322	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	3,922	601
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,959)	(6,577)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,185)	(6,624)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(20,951)	(26,358)
Net cash provided by operating activities	68,919	48,235
Investing activities:
Investments in development in-process	(59,408)	(33,188)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(24,649)	(23,513)
Investments in building improvements	(17,194)	(16,479)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	11,532	661,390
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	6,512	2,118
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	0	(7,602)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,178	79
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(105)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(1,696)	(248,865)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(83,725)	333,835
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(45,986)	(41,939)
Special distribution on Common Units	(83,149)	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(15)	(20)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(623)	(626)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(466)	(320)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	13,191	54,915
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(250)	(788)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(3,807)	(3,229)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	200,300	66,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(69,300)	(107,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	346,001	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(380,261)	(350,535)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(5,401)	(219)
Net cash used in financing activities	(29,766)	(383,761)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(44,572)	(1,691)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	49,490	5,036
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,918	3,345
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	18,909	20,951
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	452	(3,635)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(6,741)	(5,978)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	10,649	12,579
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance and leasing costs	13,252	5,282
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	$ (5,435)	$ 12,208