Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($) ft² a numberOfBuildings numberOfLoans shares	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($) ft² a numberOfBuildings numberOfLoans $ / shares shares	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	29,000,000		29,000,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres) | a	300		300
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 7,508	$ 387	$ 13,405	$ 1,788
Self insurance liability	500		500
Deferred rents included in accounts receivable	1,200		1,200
PAC Portfolio Acquisition [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Acquisition purchase price	653,600
Capitalized acquisition costs	$ 4,500		$ 4,500
Number of loans assumed in acquisition | numberOfLoans	4		4
Fair value of debt assumed from the acquisition	$ 403,000		$ 403,000
Effective interest rate of secured debt assumed from the acquisition	3.54%		3.54%
Term of debt instrument	10 years 8 months 12 days
Deferred financing fees	$ 3,500		$ 3,500
150 Fayetteville Asset [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	560,000		560,000
CAPTRUST Towers Asset [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	300,000		300,000
Capitol Towers Asset [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	479,000		479,000
Morrocroft Centre Asset [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft²	291,000		291,000
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	104,000,000		104,000,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths)	97.40%		97.40%		97.30%
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) | shares			6,238
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering
Description of Business [Abstract]
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period			$ 13,600
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares) | shares			299,360
Average price of Common Stock sold during the period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares			$ 45.96
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period					$ 300,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	2,800,000		2,800,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
VIE like-kind exchange agreement (in days)	180 days
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Number of 1031 transactions (minimum) | numberOfBuildings	1		1