
   

                                  EXHIBIT 24.9

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                       OF
                                  L. GLENN ORR

      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned director of Highwoods
Properties, Inc. (the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints Ronald P.
Gibson, Carman J. Liuzzo, Edward J. Fritsch and/or Mack D. Pridgen his true and
lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full powers to sign
for me and in my name the Registration Statement on Form S-3 to register the
shares and warrants of the Company, as contemplated by the Registration Rights
and Lockup Agreements between the Company and the holders listed therein, dated
as of October 7, 1997, and as of October 1, 1997, and generally to do all such
things in my name and in my capacity as a director to enable the Company to
comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, hereby
ratifying and confirming my signature as it may be signed by my said
attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and any
amendments thereto.

                                       Signature:

Date: January 5, 1998                  /s/ L. Glenn Orr
                                       -----------------
                                       L. Glenn Orr
    
