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Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
Operating ground leases [Abstract] |  |  |
Rental property expense | $ 1,500,000 | $ 1,400,000 | $ 1,500,000
Operating ground leases, scheduled future minimum payments [Abstract] |  |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments due, 2013 | 2,383,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2014 | 2,404,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2015 | 2,427,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2016 | 2,451,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2017 | 2,476,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, thereafter | 49,875,000 |  |
Operating leases, total future minimum payments due | 62,016,000 |  |
Lease and Contractual Commitments [Abstract] |  |  |
Lease and contractual commitments | 122,000,000 |  |
Accrued amount of lease and contractual commitments | 22,100,000 |  |
DLF I obligation [Abstract] |  |  |
Excess contribution, gross | 7,200,000 |  |
Term to repay excess contribution (in years) | 14 years |  |
Excess contribution, initial repayment date | 3/12/1999 |  |
Excess contribution, net discounted amount | 3,800,000 |  |
Excess contribution, discount rate | 9.62% |  |
Excess contribution, payments | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000
Excess contribution, discounted balance | 200,000 | 800,000 |
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] |  |  |
Operating ground leases [Abstract] |  |  |
Rental property expense | 1,500,000 | 1,400,000 | 1,500,000
Operating ground leases, scheduled future minimum payments [Abstract] |  |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments due, 2013 | 2,383,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2014 | 2,404,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2015 | 2,427,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2016 | 2,451,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, 2017 | 2,476,000 |  |
Operating leases, future minimum payments, thereafter | 49,875,000 |  |
Operating leases, total future minimum payments due | 62,016,000 |  |
Lease and Contractual Commitments [Abstract] |  |  |
Lease and contractual commitments | 122,000,000 |  |
Accrued amount of lease and contractual commitments | 22,100,000 |  |
DLF I obligation [Abstract] |  |  |
Excess contribution, gross | 7,200,000 |  |
Term to repay excess contribution (in years) | 14 years |  |
Excess contribution, initial repayment date | 3/12/1999 |  |
Excess contribution, net discounted amount | 3,800,000 |  |
Excess contribution, discount rate | 9.62% |  |
Excess contribution, payments | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000
Excess contribution, discounted balance | $ 200,000 | $ 800,000 |

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- Definition Rental expense incurred for leased assets including furniture and equipment which has not been recognized in costs and expenses applicable to sales and revenues; for example, cost of goods sold or other operating costs and expenses. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph b(i) -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 122 -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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph b(i) -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 122 -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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the forth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph b(i) -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 122 -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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph b(i) -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 122 -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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph b(i) -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 13 -Paragraph 122 -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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 + Details
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