Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 8,386	$ 34,246
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	69,204	57,568
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	1,689	(509)
Share-based compensation expense	4,572	4,295
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	7,315	227
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(85)	(112)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	736	686
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(515)	(106)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	385	317
Losses on debt extinguishment	375	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(664)	(522)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	609	881
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(5,144)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(2,583)	3,288
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(6,953)	(7,692)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,903)	(6,619)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(11,798)	(14,636)
Net cash provided by operating activities	62,713	78,528
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(28,555)	(42,438)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(38,544)	(33,071)
Investments in building improvements	(12,517)	(19,293)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	74	379
Changes in other investing activities	(1,989)	(586)
Net cash used in investing activities	(81,502)	(145,553)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(49,175)	(47,747)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)	(5)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)	(623)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,300)	(1,300)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(308)	(238)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	652	561
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	0	(46)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,780)	(1,544)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	98,300	32,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(145,300)	(277,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	349,010	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(225,462)	(444)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(2,884)	(2,903)
Net cash provided by financing activities	21,113	46,574
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	2,324	(20,451)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	12,467	67,882
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,827	31,034
Restricted cash at end of the period	7,640	36,848
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	23,924	15,986
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(1,904)	7,877
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	131	902
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(119)	(7,333)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	23,880	10,511
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	12,671	7,112
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	828	0
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	23,254	(19,582)
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	35,349	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	8,386	34,246
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	69,204	57,568
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	1,689	(509)
Share-based compensation expense	4,572	4,295
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	7,315	227
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(85)	(112)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	736	686
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(515)	(106)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	385	317
Losses on debt extinguishment	375	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(664)	(522)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	609	881
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(5,144)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(2,583)	3,288
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(6,953)	(7,692)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,903)	(6,619)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(11,798)	(14,636)
Net cash provided by operating activities	62,713	78,528
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(28,555)	(42,438)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(38,544)	(33,071)
Investments in building improvements	(12,517)	(19,293)
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	74	379
Changes in other investing activities	(1,989)	(586)
Net cash used in investing activities	(81,502)	(145,553)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(50,281)	(48,858)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(18)	(5)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622)	(623)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(308)	(238)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	652	561
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	0	(46)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,780)	(1,544)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	98,300	32,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(145,300)	(277,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	349,010	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(225,462)	(444)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(3,078)	(3,092)
Net cash provided by financing activities	21,113	46,574
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	2,324	(20,451)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	12,467	67,882
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,827	31,034
Restricted cash at end of the period	7,640	36,848
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	23,924	15,986
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(1,904)	7,877
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(119)	(7,333)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	23,880	10,511
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	12,671	7,112
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	828	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	22,016	20,896
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	$ 35,349	$ 0