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Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, ft² in Millions | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) a ft² $ / shares shares | Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) | ft² | 31.3 |
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties under development (in sq feet) | ft² | 1.2 |
Undeveloped land suitable for development (in acres) | a | 400 |
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period | $ | $ 9,134 | $ 50,898
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] |  |
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) | 101,600,000 |
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths) | 97.30% |
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) | 2,000 |
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member] |  |
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period | $ | $ 9,100 |
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares) | 186,185 |
Average price of Common Stock sold during the period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares | $ 49.73 |
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period | $ | $ 300,000 |
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] |  |
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | 2,800,000 |

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