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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Operating Ground Leases Certain Wholly Owned Properties are subject to operating ground leases. Rental payments on these leases are adjusted periodically based on either the consumer price index or on a pre-determined schedule. Total rental property expense recorded on the straight-line basis for operating ground leases was $1.5 million, $1.4 million and $1.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The following table sets forth our scheduled obligations for future minimum payments on operating ground leases at December 31, 2012:
Years Ending December 31, |  | Minimum Payments
2013 |  | $ | 2,383 |
2014 |  | 2,404 |
2015 |  | 2,427 |
2016 |  | 2,451 |
2017 |  | 2,476 |
Thereafter |  | 49,875 |
|  | $ | 62,016 |
9. | Commitments and Contingencies - Continued
Lease and Contractual Commitments We have $122.0 million of lease and contractual commitments at December 31, 2012. Lease and contractual commitments represent commitments under signed leases and contracts for operating properties (excluding tenant-funded tenant improvements) and contracts for development/redevelopment projects, of which $22.1 million was recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2012. DLF I Obligation At the formation of DLF I, the amount our partner contributed in cash to the venture and subsequently distributed to us was determined to be $7.2 million in excess of the amount required based on its ownership interest and the agreed-upon value of the real estate assets. We are required to repay this amount over 14 years, beginning in the first quarter of 1999. The $7.2 million was discounted to net present value of $3.8 million using a discount rate of 9.62% specified in the agreement. Payments of $0.6 million were made in each of the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. The balance at December 31, 2012 and 2011 was $0.2 million and $0.8 million, respectively, which is included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities. Environmental Matters Substantially all of our in-service and development properties have been subjected to Phase I environmental assessments and, in certain instances, Phase II environmental assessments. Such assessments and/or updates have not revealed, nor are we aware of, any environmental liability that we believe would have a material adverse effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Litigation, Claims and Assessments We are from time to time a party to a variety of legal proceedings, claims and assessments arising in the ordinary course of our business. We regularly assess the liabilities and contingencies in connection with these matters based on the latest information available. For those matters where it is probable that we have incurred or will incur a loss and the loss or range of loss can be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss is accrued and charged to income in our Consolidated Financial Statements. In other instances, because of the uncertainties related to both the probable outcome and amount or range of loss, a reasonable estimate of liability, if any, cannot be made. Based on the current expected outcome of such matters, none of these proceedings, claims or assessments is expected to have a material effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] |
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Operating Ground Leases Certain Wholly Owned Properties are subject to operating ground leases. Rental payments on these leases are adjusted periodically based on either the consumer price index or on a pre-determined schedule. Total rental property expense recorded on the straight-line basis for operating ground leases was $1.5 million, $1.4 million and $1.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The following table sets forth our scheduled obligations for future minimum payments on operating ground leases at December 31, 2012:
Years Ending December 31, |  | Minimum Payments
2013 |  | $ | 2,383 |
2014 |  | 2,404 |
2015 |  | 2,427 |
2016 |  | 2,451 |
2017 |  | 2,476 |
Thereafter |  | 49,875 |
|  | $ | 62,016 |
9. | Commitments and Contingencies - Continued
Lease and Contractual Commitments We have $122.0 million of lease and contractual commitments at December 31, 2012. Lease and contractual commitments represent commitments under signed leases and contracts for operating properties (excluding tenant-funded tenant improvements) and contracts for development/redevelopment projects, of which $22.1 million was recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2012. DLF I Obligation At the formation of DLF I, the amount our partner contributed in cash to the venture and subsequently distributed to us was determined to be $7.2 million in excess of the amount required based on its ownership interest and the agreed-upon value of the real estate assets. We are required to repay this amount over 14 years, beginning in the first quarter of 1999. The $7.2 million was discounted to net present value of $3.8 million using a discount rate of 9.62% specified in the agreement. Payments of $0.6 million were made in each of the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. The balance at December 31, 2012 and 2011 was $0.2 million and $0.8 million, respectively, which is included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities. Environmental Matters Substantially all of our in-service and development properties have been subjected to Phase I environmental assessments and, in certain instances, Phase II environmental assessments. Such assessments and/or updates have not revealed, nor are we aware of, any environmental liability that we believe would have a material adverse effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Litigation, Claims and Assessments We are from time to time a party to a variety of legal proceedings, claims and assessments arising in the ordinary course of our business. We regularly assess the liabilities and contingencies in connection with these matters based on the latest information available. For those matters where it is probable that we have incurred or will incur a loss and the loss or range of loss can be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss is accrued and charged to income in our Consolidated Financial Statements. In other instances, because of the uncertainties related to both the probable outcome and amount or range of loss, a reasonable estimate of liability, if any, cannot be made. Based on the current expected outcome of such matters, none of these proceedings, claims or assessments is expected to have a material effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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