Cover Page Cover Page - shares	9 Months Ended
Cover Page Cover Page - shares	Sep. 30, 2019	Oct. 15, 2019
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity Registrant Name	HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES, INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	MD
Entity File Number	001-13100
Entity Tax Identification Number	56-1871668
Entity Address, Address Line One	3100 Smoketree Court
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 600
Entity Address, City or Town	Raleigh
Entity Address, State or Province	NC
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	27604
City Area Code	919
Local Phone Number	872-4924
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $.01 par value, of Highwoods Properties, Inc.
Trading Symbol	HIW
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		103,743,546
Entity Central Index Key	0000921082
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Amendment Flag	false
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	HIGHWOODS REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	NC
Entity File Number	000-21731
Entity Tax Identification Number	56-1869557
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Central Index Key	0000941713
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Amendment Flag	false

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 495,501	$ 491,441
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,844,229	4,676,862
Development in-process	133,189	165,537
Land held for development	94,550	128,248
Total real estate assets	5,567,469	5,462,088
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,388,166)	(1,296,562)
Net real estate assets	4,179,303	4,165,526
Cash and cash equivalents	116,724	3,769
Restricted cash	6,300	6,374
Accounts receivable	25,507	25,952
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $19 and $44, respectively	1,542	5,599
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	233,078	220,088
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	24,088	23,585
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $148,019 and $149,275, respectively	196,048	195,273
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,944 and $18,074, respectively	108,035	28,843
Total Assets	4,890,625	4,675,009
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,322,226	2,085,831
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	272,989	218,922
Total Liabilities	2,595,215	2,304,753
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	122,493	105,960
Equity/Capital:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 authorized shares; 8.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (liquidation preference $1,000 per share), 28,859 and 28,877 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,859	28,877
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 103,748,337 and 103,557,065 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,037	1,036
Additional paid-in capital	2,963,680	2,976,197
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(842,387)	(769,303)
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	(527)	9,913
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,150,662	2,246,720
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	22,255	17,576
Total Equity/Capital	2,172,917	2,264,296
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	4,890,625	4,675,009
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	495,501	491,441
Buildings and tenant improvements	4,844,229	4,676,862
Development in-process	133,189	165,537
Land held for development	94,550	128,248
Total real estate assets	5,567,469	5,462,088
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,388,166)	(1,296,562)
Net real estate assets	4,179,303	4,165,526
Cash and cash equivalents	116,724	3,769
Restricted cash	6,300	6,374
Accounts receivable	25,507	25,952
Mortgages and notes receivable, net of allowance of $19 and $44, respectively	1,542	5,599
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	233,078	220,088
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	24,088	23,585
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $148,019 and $149,275, respectively	196,048	195,273
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,944 and $18,074, respectively	108,035	28,843
Total Assets	4,890,625	4,675,009
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,322,226	2,085,831
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	272,989	218,922
Total Liabilities	2,595,215	2,304,753
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,725,703 and 2,738,703 outstanding, respectively	122,493	105,960
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,859 and 28,877 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,859	28,877
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	151,352	134,837
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,060,652 and 1,058,870 outstanding, respectively	21,221	22,078
Limited partner Common Units, 102,278,876 and 102,089,386 outstanding, respectively	2,101,109	2,185,852
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	(527)	9,913
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	22,255	17,576
Total Equity/Capital	2,144,058	2,235,419
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 4,890,625	$ 4,675,009

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	$ 19	$ 44
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	148,019	149,275
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated depreciation	$ 19,944	$ 18,074
Equity/Capital:
Series A Preferred Stock, dividend rate percentage (in hundredths)	8.625%	8.625%
Series A Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series A Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	28,859	28,877
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	28,859	28,877
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	103,748,337	103,557,065
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	103,748,337	103,557,065
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable allowance	$ 19	$ 44
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	148,019	149,275
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated depreciation	$ 19,944	$ 18,074
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	2,725,703	2,738,703
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	28,859	28,877
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	28,859	28,877
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	1,060,652	1,058,870
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	102,278,876	102,089,386

Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Rental and other revenues	$ 187,475	$ 179,417	$ 543,908	$ 538,647
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	64,135	61,153	185,244	180,248
Depreciation and amortization	60,850	57,661	189,514	171,923
Impairments of real estate assets	5,318	0	5,849	0
General and administrative	11,717	9,551	33,658	30,869
Total operating expenses	142,020	128,365	414,265	383,040
Interest expense	20,527	17,437	59,622	53,705
Other income/(loss)	174	818	(3,271)	1,735
Gains on disposition of property	3,515	3	10,218	16,975
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	940	573	2,369	1,641
Net income	29,557	35,009	79,337	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(737)	(902)	(1,974)	(3,171)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)	(623)	(1,866)	(1,869)
Net income available for common stockholders	$ 27,901	$ 33,160	$ 74,578	$ 116,295
Earnings per Common Share – basic:
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.12
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	103,727	103,471	103,674	103,408
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.12
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	106,471	106,333	106,425	106,256
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues	$ 187,475	$ 179,417	$ 543,908	$ 538,647
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	64,135	61,153	185,244	180,248
Depreciation and amortization	60,850	57,661	189,514	171,923
Impairments of real estate assets	5,318	0	5,849	0
General and administrative	11,717	9,551	33,658	30,869
Total operating expenses	142,020	128,365	414,265	383,040
Interest expense	20,527	17,437	59,622	53,705
Other income/(loss)	174	818	(3,271)	1,735
Gains on disposition of property	3,515	3	10,218	16,975
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	940	573	2,369	1,641
Net income	29,557	35,009	79,337	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622)	(623)	(1,866)	(1,869)
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 28,638	$ 34,062	$ 76,552	$ 119,466
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.13
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)	106,046	105,866	105,998	105,808
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.13
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	106,062	105,924	106,016	105,847

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Comprehensive income:
Net income	$ 29,557	$ 35,009	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Other comprehensive income/(loss):
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(6,732)	2,187	(9,282)	10,926
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(283)	(654)	(1,158)	(1,275)
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)	(7,015)	1,533	(10,440)	9,651
Total comprehensive income	22,542	36,542	68,897	131,904
Less-comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,034)	(1,226)	(2,893)	(4,089)
Comprehensive income attributable to common stockholders/Comprehensive income attributable to common unitholders	21,508	35,316	66,004	127,815
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Comprehensive income:
Net income	29,557	35,009	79,337	122,253
Other comprehensive income/(loss):
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(6,732)	2,187	(9,282)	10,926
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(283)	(654)	(1,158)	(1,275)
Total other comprehensive income/(loss)	(7,015)	1,533	(10,440)	9,651
Total comprehensive income	22,542	36,542	68,897	131,904
Less-comprehensive (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Comprehensive income attributable to common stockholders/Comprehensive income attributable to common unitholders	$ 22,245	$ 36,218	$ 67,978	$ 130,986

Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partners' Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partners' Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member]
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			103,266,875
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 2,237,234	$ 2,208,342	$ 1,033	$ 28,892	$ 21,830	$ 2,161,258	$ 2,929,399	$ 7,838	$ 7,838	$ 17,416	$ 17,416	$ (747,344)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		1,476			15	1,461
Distributions on Common Units		(146,763)			(1,467)	(145,296)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,869)			(19)	(1,850)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			22,815
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	1,476		$ 0				1,476
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			26,196
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,231						1,231
Dividends on Common Stock	(143,435)											(143,435)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,869)											(1,869)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	9,607						9,607
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(950)	(950)								(950)	(950)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			172,440
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)			(5)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,609	6,609	$ 2		66	6,543	6,607
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		10,995			110	10,885
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,171)											(3,171)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(9)	(909)				918	918	(918)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	122,253	122,253			1,223	121,030						122,253
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	9,651	9,651						9,651	9,651
Total comprehensive income	131,904	131,904
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018			103,488,326
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	2,238,631	2,209,744	$ 1,035	28,887	21,749	2,153,122	2,948,320	17,489	17,489	17,384	17,384	(774,484)
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018			103,459,115
Balance at Jun. 30, 2018	2,240,193	2,211,306	$ 1,035	28,887	21,778	2,156,105	2,936,636	15,956	15,956	17,467	17,467	(759,788)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		1,061			11	1,050
Distributions on Common Units		(48,963)			(489)	(48,474)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(623)			(7)	(616)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			26,211
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	1,061		$ 0				1,061
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			3,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	147						147
Dividends on Common Stock	(47,856)											(47,856)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(623)											(623)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	9,335						9,335
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(407)	(407)								(407)	(407)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	1,141	1,141	$ 0		11	1,130	1,141
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		9,687			97	9,590
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(902)											(902)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(3)	(321)				324	324	(324)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	35,009	35,009			351	34,658						35,009
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	1,533	1,533						1,533	1,533
Total comprehensive income	36,542	36,542
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018			103,488,326
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 2,238,631	2,209,744	$ 1,035	28,887	21,749	2,153,122	2,948,320	17,489	17,489	17,384	17,384	(774,484)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	103,557,065		103,557,065
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 2,264,296	2,235,419	$ 1,036	28,877	22,078	2,185,852	2,976,197	9,913	9,913	17,576	17,576	(769,303)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		(243)			(2)	(241)
Distributions on Common Units		(150,973)			(1,510)	(149,463)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,866)			(19)	(1,847)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			(11,715)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	(243)		$ 0				(243)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			13,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	572						572
Dividends on Common Stock	(147,662)											(147,662)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,866)											(1,866)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(19,025)						(19,025)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,227)	(1,227)								(1,227)	(1,227)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	4,987								4,987	4,987
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			190,934
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)			(18)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(947)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,180	6,180	$ 1		62	6,118	6,179
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(17,116)			(172)	(16,944)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,974)											(1,974)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(9)	(910)				919	919	(919)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	79,337	79,337			793	78,544						79,337
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(10,440)	(10,440)						(10,440)	(10,440)
Total comprehensive income	$ 68,897	68,897
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019	103,748,337		103,748,337
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 2,172,917	2,144,058	$ 1,037	28,859	21,221	2,101,109	2,963,680	(527)	(527)	22,255	22,255	(842,387)
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			103,704,603
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	2,210,532	2,181,673	$ 1,037	28,859	21,528	2,131,256	2,972,798	6,488	6,488	22,401	22,401	(821,051)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		488			5	483
Distributions on Common Units		(50,339)			(504)	(49,835)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(622)			(7)	(615)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			11,990
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	488		$ 0				488
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			5,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	219						219
Dividends on Common Stock	(49,237)											(49,237)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)											(622)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(10,493)						(10,493)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(443)	(443)								(443)	(443)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			26,744
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	668	668	$ 0		7	661	668
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(9,909)			(100)	(9,809)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(737)											(737)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(3)	(294)				297	297	(297)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	29,557	29,557			295	29,262						29,557
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(7,015)	(7,015)						(7,015)	(7,015)
Total comprehensive income	$ 22,542	22,542
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019	103,748,337		103,748,337
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 2,172,917	$ 2,144,058	$ 1,037	$ 28,859	$ 21,221	$ 2,101,109	$ 2,963,680	$ (527)	$ (527)	$ 22,255	$ 22,255	$ (842,387)

Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital (Parentheticals) - $ / shares	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Dividends on Common Stock (per share)	$ 0.475	$ 0.4625	$ 1.425	$ 1.3875
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends on Preferred Stock (per share)/Distributions on Preferred Units (per unit)	21.5625	21.5625	64.6875	64.6875
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Distributions on Common Units (per unit)	0.475	0.4625	1.425	1.3875
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] \| Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends on Preferred Stock (per share)/Distributions on Preferred Units (per unit)	$ 21.5625	$ 21.5625	$ 64.6875	$ 64.6875

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	189,514	171,923
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	197	(1,488)
Share-based compensation expense	6,180	6,609
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	8,711	791
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(151)	(336)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,194	2,126
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(1,158)	(1,275)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,193	1,071
Impairments of real estate assets	5,849	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	640	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(10,218)	(16,975)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,369)	(1,641)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	730	1,943
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(11,749)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(3,611)	4,778
Prepaid expenses and other assets	458	(1,487)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(20,955)	(17,945)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	37,382	15,395
Net cash provided by operating activities	286,261	292,958
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(19,365)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(77,854)	(130,241)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(105,879)	(89,875)
Investments in building improvements	(36,383)	(52,151)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	45,250	35,441
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	221	1,137
Payments of earnest money deposits	(50,000)	0
Changes in other investing activities	(6,279)	(4,671)
Net cash used in investing activities	(250,260)	(290,904)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(147,662)	(143,435)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)	(5)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,866)	(1,869)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,894)	(3,895)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,227)	(950)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	1,541	3,242
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	0	(95)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,784)	(1,671)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	278,600	336,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(460,600)	(397,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	747,990	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(326,400)	(211,345)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(7,800)	(2,948)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	76,880	(78,108)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	112,881	(76,054)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	123,024	12,279
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	116,724	5,324
Restricted cash at end of the period	6,300	6,955
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	55,608	56,771
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(9,282)	10,926
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	572	1,231
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(7,407)	(10,396)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	59,428	63,820
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	34,203	26,660
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	1,791	2,733
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	19,025	(9,607)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	35,349	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	79,337	122,253
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	189,514	171,923
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	197	(1,488)
Share-based compensation expense	6,180	6,609
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	8,711	791
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(151)	(336)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,194	2,126
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(1,158)	(1,275)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,193	1,071
Impairments of real estate assets	5,849	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	640	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(10,218)	(16,975)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,369)	(1,641)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	730	1,943
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(11,749)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(3,611)	4,778
Prepaid expenses and other assets	458	(1,487)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(20,955)	(17,945)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	37,382	15,395
Net cash provided by operating activities	286,261	292,958
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(19,365)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(77,854)	(130,241)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(105,879)	(89,875)
Investments in building improvements	(36,383)	(52,151)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	45,250	35,441
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	221	1,137
Payments of earnest money deposits	(50,000)	0
Changes in other investing activities	(6,279)	(4,671)
Net cash used in investing activities	(250,260)	(290,904)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(150,973)	(146,763)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(18)	(5)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,866)	(1,869)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,227)	(950)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	1,541	3,242
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	0	(95)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,784)	(1,671)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	278,600	336,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(460,600)	(397,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	747,990	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(326,400)	(211,345)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(8,383)	(3,515)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	76,880	(78,108)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	112,881	(76,054)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	123,024	12,279
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	116,724	5,324
Restricted cash at end of the period	6,300	6,955
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	55,608	56,771
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(9,282)	10,926
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(7,407)	(10,396)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	59,428	63,820
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	34,203	26,660
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	1,791	2,733
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	16,533	(11,562)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	$ 35,349	$ 0

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business Highwoods Properties, Inc. (the “Company”) is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that provides leasing, management, development, construction and other customer-related services for its properties and for third parties. The Company conducts its activities through Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”). At September 30, 2019, we owned or had an interest in 31.2 million rentable square feet of in-service properties, 1.2 million rentable square feet of office properties under development and approximately 275 acres of development land. The Company is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. At September 30, 2019, the Company owned all of the Preferred Units and 103.3 million, or 97.4%, of the Common Units in the Operating Partnership. Limited partners owned the remaining 2.7 million Common Units. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company redeemed 13,000 Common Units for a like number of shares of Common Stock. Basis of Presentation Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include the Operating Partnership, wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Company has the controlling interest. The Operating Partnership's Consolidated Financial Statements include wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Operating Partnership has the controlling interest. We consolidate joint venture investments, such as interests in partnerships and limited liability companies, when we control the major operating and financial policies of the investment through majority ownership, in our capacity as a general partner or managing member or through some other contractual right. In addition, we consolidate those entities deemed to be variable interest entities in which we are determined to be the primary beneficiary. At September 30, 2019, we have involvement with, and are the primary beneficiary in, an entity that we concluded to be a variable interest entity (see Note 3). All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying unaudited consolidated financial information, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. We have condensed or omitted certain notes and other information from the interim Consolidated Financial Statements presented in this Quarterly Report as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain amounts within the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were removed and/or combined to conform to the current year presentation. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Real Estate and Related Assets Real estate and related assets are recorded at cost and stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Renovations, replacements and other expenditures that improve or extend the life of assets are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Expenditures for ordinary maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of 40 years for buildings and depreciable land infrastructure costs, 15 years for building improvements and five to seven years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Tenant improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over initial fixed terms of the respective leases, which generally are from three to 10 years. Depreciation expense for real estate assets was $51.3 million and $48.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and $159.7 million and $142.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Leases See Note 2 for policies and related disclosures with respect to our leases as both a lessee and lessor. Insurance We are primarily self-insured for health care claims for participating employees. We have stop-loss coverage to limit our exposure to significant claims on a per claim and annual aggregate basis. We determine our liabilities for claims, including incurred but not reported losses, based on all relevant information, including actuarial estimates of claim liabilities. At September 30, 2019, a reserve of $0.5 million was recorded to cover estimated reported and unreported claims. Other Events During the third quarter of 2019, we announced a series of planned investment activities. First, we have agreed to acquire Bank of America Tower at Legacy Union in Charlotte’s uptown CBD submarket for a total investment of $436 million. Bank of America Tower at Legacy Union is a trophy, LEED gold-registered office building encompassing 841,000 square feet with structured parking that delivers this year. The acquisition is scheduled to close in November 2019. We have posted earnest money deposits totaling $50 million that are non-refundable except in limited circumstances. Second, we have a two-phased plan to exit the Greensboro and Memphis markets. The first phase consists of selling a select portfolio of assets in Greensboro and Memphis by mid-2020 with a total sales price that approximates the $436 million total investment for Bank of America Tower at Legacy Union and closing the division offices. We can provide no assurances, however, that we will dispose of any of these assets on favorable terms, or at all, because the dispositions are subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive and binding purchase and sale agreements and would then be subject to the buyers’ completion of satisfactory due diligence and other customary closing conditions. The second phase is the planned sale of the remaining assets in both markets. There is no pre-determined timetable for the second phase. As a result of the announced plan to exit the Greensboro and Memphis markets and close our division offices, we recorded $0.7 million of severance costs in the third quarter of 2019 and expect to record an additional $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. During the first quarter of 2019, Laser Spine Institute, which leased a 176,000 square foot building with structured parking in Tampa’s Westshore submarket, suddenly ceased operations. As a result of this sudden closure, we incurred $5.6 million of credit losses on operating lease receivables and $2.3 million of write-offs of lease incentives (in rental and other revenues), $4.1 million of write-offs of notes receivable (in other income/(loss)) and $11.6 million of write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs (in depreciation and amortization). Recently Issued Accounting Standards The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update (“ASU”) that eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and generally requires the entire change in the fair value of a hedging instrument to be presented in the same income statement line as the hedged item when the hedged item affects earnings. We adopted the ASU as of January 1, 2019 with no material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements. The FASB issued an ASU that changes certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The ASU is required to be adopted in 2020 and applied prospectively. We do not expect such adoption to have a material effect on our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Leases

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

Leases

On January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842 “Leases” (“ASC 842”), which supersedes Accounting Standards Codification Topic 840 “Leases” (“ASC 840”). Information in this Note 2 with respect to our leases and lease related costs as both lessee and lessor and lease related receivables as lessor is presented under ASC 842 as of September 30, 2019 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and under ASC 840 as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018.

We adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective approach whereby the cumulative effect of adoption was recognized on the adoption date and prior periods were not restated. There was no net cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019 as a result of this adoption. ASC 842 sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors. We operate as both a lessor and a lessee. As a lessor, we are required under ASC 842 to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to ASC 840's guidance for operating leases and other leases such as sales-type leases and direct financing leases. In addition, ASC 842 requires lessors to capitalize and amortize only incremental direct leasing costs. As a lessee, we are required under the new standard to apply a dual approach, classifying leases, such as ground leases, as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase. This classification determines whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. ASC 842 also requires lessees to record a right of use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than a year regardless of their classification. We have also elected the practical expedient not to recognize right of use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of a year or less.

On adoption of the standard, we elected the package of practical expedients provided for in ASC 842, including:


•	No reassessment of whether any expired or existing contracts were or contained leases;


•	No reassessment of the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and


•	No reassessment of initial direct costs for any existing leases.

The package of practical expedients was made as a single election and was consistently applied to all existing leases as of January 1, 2019. We also elected the practical expedient provided to lessors in a subsequent amendment to ASC 842 that removed the requirement to separate lease and nonlease components, provided certain conditions were met.

Information as Lessor Under ASC 842

To generate positive cash flow, as a lessor, we lease our office properties to lessees in exchange for fixed monthly payments that cover rent, property taxes, insurance and certain cost recoveries, primarily common area maintenance (“CAM”). Office properties owned by us that are under lease are located in Atlanta, Greensboro, Memphis, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa and are leased to a wide variety of lessees across many industries. Our leases were determined to be operating leases and generally range from three to 10 years. Payments from customers for CAM are considered nonlease components that are separated from lease components and are generally accounted for in accordance with the revenue recognition standard. However, we qualified for and elected the practical expedient related to combining the components because the lease component is classified as an operating lease and the timing and pattern of transfer of CAM income, which is not the predominant component, is the same as the lease component. As such, consideration for CAM is accounted for as part of the overall consideration in the lease. Payments from customers for property taxes and insurance are considered noncomponents of the lease and therefore no consideration is allocated to them because they do not transfer a good or service to the customer. Fixed contractual payments from our leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the respective leases. This means that, with respect to a particular lease, actual amounts billed in accordance with the lease during any given period may be higher or lower than the amount of rental revenue recognized for the period. Straight-line rental revenue is commenced when the customer assumes control of the leased premises. Accrued straight-line rents receivable represents the amount by which straight-line rental revenue exceeds rents currently billed in accordance with lease agreements.

Some of our leases are subject to annual changes in the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”). Although increases in the CPI are not estimated as part of our measurement of straight-line rental revenue, to the extent that actual CPI is greater or less than the CPI at lease commencement, the amount of straight-line rent recognized in a given year is affected accordingly.

Some of our leases have termination options and/or extension options. Termination options allow the customer to terminate the lease prior to the end of the lease term under certain circumstances. Termination options generally become effective half way or further into the original lease term and require advance notification from the customer and payment of a termination fee that reimburses us for a portion of the remaining rent under the original lease term and the undepreciated lease inception costs such as commissions, tenant improvements and lease incentives. Termination fee income is recognized on a straight-line basis from the date of the executed termination agreement through lease expiration when the amount of the fee is determinable and collectability of the fee is reasonably assured. Our extension options generally require a re-negotiation with the customer at market rates.

Initial direct costs, primarily commissions, related to the leasing of our office properties are included in deferred leasing costs and are stated at amortized cost. Such expenditures are part of the investment necessary to execute leases and, therefore, are classified as investment activities in the statement of cash flows. All leasing commissions paid to third parties and our in-house personnel for new leases or lease renewals are capitalized. Capitalized leasing costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the initial fixed terms of the respective leases. All other costs to negotiate or arrange a lease are expensed as incurred.

Lease incentive costs, which are payments made to or on behalf of a customer as an incentive to sign a lease, are capitalized in deferred leasing costs and amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective lease terms as a reduction of rental revenues.

Lease related receivables, which include accounts receivable and accrued straight-line rents receivable, are reduced for credit losses. Such amounts are recognized as a reduction to rental and other revenues. We regularly evaluate the collectability of our lease related receivables. Our evaluation of collectability primarily consists of reviewing past due account balances and considering such factors as the credit quality of our customer, historical trends of the customer and changes in customer payment terms. Additionally, with respect to customers in bankruptcy, we estimate the probable recovery through bankruptcy claims and reduce the related receivable balance for amounts deemed uncollectible. If our assumptions regarding the collectability of lease related receivables prove incorrect, we could experience credit losses in excess of what was recognized in rental and other revenues.

We recognized rental and other revenues related to operating lease payments of $184.2 million and $534.2 million, respectively, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, of which variable lease payments were $17.3 million and $49.2 million, respectively. The following table sets forth the undiscounted cash flows for future minimum base rents to be received from customers for leases in effect at September 30, 2019 for the properties that we wholly own:



October 1 through December 31, 2019	$	156,920
2020	619,066
2021	577,843
2022	544,683
2023	483,709
2024	422,362
Thereafter	1,820,576
	$	4,625,159

Information as Lessor Under ASC 840

Minimum contractual rents from leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the respective leases. This means that, with respect to a particular lease, actual amounts billed in accordance with the lease during any given period may be higher or lower than the amount of rental revenue recognized for the period. Straight-line rental revenue is commenced when the customer assumes control of the leased premises. Accrued straight-line rents receivable represents the amount by which straight-line rental revenue exceeds rents currently billed in accordance with lease agreements. Contingent rental revenue, such as percentage rent, is accrued when the contingency is removed. Termination fee income is recognized at the later of when the customer has vacated the space or the lease has expired and a fully executed lease termination agreement has been delivered, the amount of the fee is determinable and collectability of the fee is reasonably assured.

Cost recovery income is determined on a calendar year and a lease-by-lease basis. The most common types of cost recovery income in our leases are CAM and real estate taxes, for which a customer typically pays its pro-rata share of operating and administrative expenses and real estate taxes in excess of the costs incurred during a contractually specified base year. The computation of cost recovery income is complex and involves numerous judgments, including the interpretation of lease provisions. Leases are not uniform in dealing with such cost recovery income and there are many variations in the computation. Many customers make monthly fixed payments of CAM, real estate taxes and other cost reimbursement items. We accrue income related to these payments each month. We make quarterly accrual adjustments, positive or negative, to cost recovery income to adjust the recorded

amounts to our best estimate of the final annual amounts to be billed and collected. After the end of the calendar year, we compute each customer's final cost recovery income and, after considering amounts paid by the customer during the year, issue a bill or credit for the appropriate amount to the customer. The differences between the amounts billed less previously received payments and the accrual adjustment are recorded as increases or decreases to cost recovery income when the final bills are prepared, which occurs during the first half of the subsequent year.

Accounts receivable, accrued straight-line rents receivable and mortgages and notes receivable are reduced by an allowance for amounts that may become uncollectible in the future. We regularly evaluate the adequacy of our allowance for doubtful accounts. The evaluation primarily consists of reviewing past due account balances and considering such factors as the credit quality of our customer, historical trends of the customer and changes in customer payment terms. Additionally, with respect to customers in bankruptcy, we estimate the probable recovery through bankruptcy claims and adjust the allowance for amounts deemed uncollectible. If our assumptions regarding the collectability of receivables prove incorrect, we could experience losses in excess of our allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance and its related receivable are written-off when we have concluded there is a low probability of collection and we have discontinued collection efforts.

Lease incentive costs, which are payments made to or on behalf of a customer as an incentive to sign a lease, are capitalized in deferred leasing costs and amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective lease terms as a reduction of rental revenues.

Our real estate assets are leased to customers under operating leases. The minimum rental amounts under the leases are generally subject to scheduled fixed increases. Generally, the leases also provide that we receive cost recovery income from customers for increases in certain costs above the costs incurred during a contractually specified base year.

The following table sets forth our scheduled future minimum base rents to be received from customers for leases in effect at December 31, 2018 for the properties that we wholly own:



2019	$	618,014
2020	581,399
2021	524,381
2022	488,157
2023	428,461
Thereafter	2,068,891
	$	4,709,303

Information as Lessee Under ASC 842

We have 20 properties subject to operating ground leases in Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh and Tampa with a weighted average remaining term of 52 years. Rental payments on these leases are adjusted periodically based on either the CPI or on a pre-determined schedule. The monthly payments on a pre-determined schedule are recognized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the respective leases. Changes in the CPI are not estimated as part of our measurement of straight-line rental expense. Upon initial adoption of ASC 842, we recognized a lease liability of $35.3 million (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities) and a related right of use asset of $29.7 million (in prepaid expenses and other assets) on our Consolidated Balance Sheets equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments required under each ground lease. The difference between the recorded lease liability and right of use asset represents the accrued straight-line rent liability previously recognized under ASC 840. We used a discount rate of approximately 4.5%, which was derived from our assessment of the credit quality of the Company and adjusted to reflect secured borrowing, estimated yield curves and long-term spread adjustments over appropriate tenors. Some of our ground leases contain extension options; however, these did not impact our calculation of the right of use asset and liability as they extend beyond the useful life of the properties subject to the operating ground leases. We recognized $0.6 million and $1.8 million of ground lease expense during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively. Cash payments related to these leases were $0.5 million and $1.7 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

The following table sets forth the undiscounted cash flows of our scheduled obligations for future minimum payments on operating ground leases at September 30, 2019 and a reconciliation of those cash flows to the operating lease liability at September 30, 2019:



October 1 through December 31, 2019	$	517
2020	2,086
2021	2,127
2022	2,169
2023	2,167
2024	2,123
Thereafter	83,697
	94,886
Discount	(59,869		)
Lease liability	$	35,017

Information as Lessee Under ASC 840

Certain of our properties are subject to operating ground leases. Rental payments on these leases are adjusted periodically based on either the CPI or on a pre-determined schedule. Total rental property expense recorded for operating ground leases was $2.5 million, $2.5 million and $2.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

The following table sets forth our scheduled obligations for future minimum payments on operating ground leases at December 31, 2018:



2019	$	2,184
2020	2,223
2021	2,263
2022	2,305
2023	2,308
Thereafter	86,577
	$	97,860

Consolidated Variable Interest Entity

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

Consolidated Variable Interest Entity

During the second quarter of 2019, we and The Bromley Companies formed a joint venture (the "Midtown One joint venture”) to construct Midtown One, a 150,000 square foot, multi-customer office building located in the mixed-use Midtown Tampa project in Tampa’s Westshore submarket. Midtown One has an anticipated total investment of $71.3 million. Construction of Midtown One began in the third quarter of 2019 with a scheduled completion date in the second quarter of 2021. At closing, we agreed to contribute cash of $20.0 million ($13.6 million of which was funded and/or placed in escrow as of September 30, 2019) in exchange for an 80.0% interest in the Midtown One joint venture and The Bromley Companies contributed land valued at $5.0 million in exchange for the remaining 20.0% interest. We also committed to provide a $46.3 million interest-only secured construction loan to the Midtown One joint venture that is scheduled to mature on the second anniversary of completion. The loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 250 basis points. As of September 30, 2019, no amounts under the loan have been funded.

We determined that we have a variable interest in the Midtown One joint venture primarily because the entity was designed to pass along interest rate risk, equity price risk and operation risk to us as both a debt and an equity holder and The Bromley Companies as an equity holder. The Midtown One joint venture was further determined to be a variable interest entity as it requires additional subordinated financial support in the form of a loan because the initial equity investment provided by us and The Bromley Companies is not sufficient to finance its planned investments and operations. We, as majority owner and managing member and through our control rights as set forth in the joint venture's governance documents, were determined to be the primary beneficiary as we have both the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the entity (primarily lease rates, property operations and capital expenditures) and significant economic exposure through our equity investment and loan commitment. As such, the Midtown One joint venture was consolidated as of September 30, 2019 and for the period May 29, 2019 through September 30, 2019 and all intercompany transactions and accounts were eliminated. The following table sets forth the assets and liabilities of the Midtown One joint venture included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets:



	September 30, 2019
Development in-process	$	19,602
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	$	798

The assets of the Midtown One joint venture can be used only to settle obligations of the joint venture and its creditors have no recourse to our wholly owned assets.

Real Estate Assets	9 Months Ended
Real Estate Assets	Sep. 30, 2019
Real Estate [Abstract]
Real Estate Assets	Real Estate Assets Acquisitions During the third quarter of 2019, we acquired development land in Raleigh for a purchase price, including capitalized acquisition costs, of $6.6 million. Dispositions During the third quarter of 2019, we sold a building and land parcels for an aggregate sale price of $14.3 million and recorded aggregate gains on disposition of property of $3.5 million. During the second quarter of 2019, we sold two buildings and land for an aggregate sale price of $32.5 million and recorded aggregate gains on disposition of property of $6.7 million. Impairments During the third quarter of 2019, we recorded aggregate impairments of real estate assets of $5.3 million as a result of shortened hold periods from classifying all of our assets in Greensboro and Memphis as non-core. During the second quarter of 2019, we recorded an impairment of real estate assets of $0.5 million, which resulted from a change in market-based inputs and our assumptions about the use of the assets.

Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities

The following table sets forth total intangible assets and acquisition-related below market lease liabilities, net of accumulated amortization:



	September 30, 2019			December 31, 2018
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs (including lease incentives and above market lease and in-place lease acquisition-related intangible assets)	$	344,067		$	344,548
Less accumulated amortization	(148,019		)	(149,275		)
	$	196,048		$	195,273
Liabilities (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities):
Acquisition-related below market lease liabilities	$	53,861		$	57,955
Less accumulated amortization	(33,285		)	(32,307		)
	$	20,576		$	25,648

The following table sets forth amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Amortization of deferred leasing costs and acquisition-related intangible assets (in depreciation and amortization)	$	9,003		$	8,969		$	28,077		$	27,671
Amortization of lease incentives (in rental and other revenues)	$	540		$	452		$	3,848		$	1,357
Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (in rental and other revenues)	$	305		$	415		$	1,005		$	1,292
Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (in rental property and other expenses)	$	140		$	140		$	416		$	416
Amortization of acquisition-related below market lease liabilities (in rental and other revenues)	$	(1,656	)	$	(1,535	)	$	(5,072	)	$	(4,553	)

The following table sets forth scheduled future amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities:



	Amortization of Deferred Leasing Costs and Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Depreciation and Amortization)		Amortization of Lease Incentives (in Rental and Other Revenues)		Amortization of Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental and Other Revenues)		Amortization of Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental Property and Other Expenses)		Amortization of Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities (in Rental and Other Revenues)
October 1 through December 31, 2019	$	9,538	$	428	$	258	$	137	$	(1,349	)
2020	34,968		1,584		954		514		(5,107		)
2021	30,100		1,338		631		—		(4,152		)
2022	25,689		1,104		462		—		(3,086		)
2023	22,180		1,025		308		—		(2,707		)
Thereafter	58,995		4,735		1,100		—		(4,175		)
	$	181,470	$	10,214	$	3,713	$	651	$	(20,576	)
Weighted average remaining amortization periods as of September 30, 2019 (in years)	7.3		9.3		6.5		1.2		5.2

Mortgages and Notes Payable

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Mortgages and Notes Payable

The following table sets forth our mortgages and notes payable:



	September 30, 2019			December 31, 2018
Secured indebtedness	$	95,779		$	97,179
Unsecured indebtedness	2,239,999			1,997,816
Less-unamortized debt issuance costs	(13,552		)	(9,164		)
Total mortgages and notes payable, net	$	2,322,226		$	2,085,831

At September 30, 2019, our secured mortgage loan was collateralized by real estate assets with an undepreciated book value of $146.3 million.

Our $600.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility is scheduled to mature in January 2022 and includes an accordion feature that allows for an additional $400.0 million of borrowing capacity subject to additional lender commitments. Assuming no defaults have occurred, we have an option to extend the maturity for two additional six-month periods. The interest rate at our current credit ratings is LIBOR plus 100 basis points and the annual facility fee is 20 basis points. There were no amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility at both September 30, 2019 and October 15, 2019. At both September 30, 2019 and October 15, 2019, we had $0.1 million of outstanding letters of credit, which reduces the availability on our revolving credit facility. As a result, the unused capacity of our revolving credit facility at both September 30, 2019 and October 15, 2019 was $599.9 million.

During the third quarter of 2019, the Operating Partnership issued $400.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.050% notes due February 2030, less original issuance discount of $1.0 million. These notes were priced to yield 3.079%. Underwriting fees and other expenses were incurred that aggregated $3.4 million; these costs were deferred and will be amortized over the term of the notes.

During the third quarter of 2019, we prepaid without penalty $100.0 million of our $200.0 million unsecured bank term loan that is scheduled to mature in January 2022. The interest rate on the term loan at our current credit ratings is LIBOR plus 110 basis points. We recorded $0.3 million of loss on debt extinguishment related to this prepayment.

During the first quarter of 2019, we prepaid without penalty our $225.0 million, seven-year unsecured bank term loan, which was scheduled to mature in June 2020. The interest rate on the term loan was LIBOR plus 110 basis points. We recorded $0.4 million of loss on debt extinguishment related to this prepayment.

During the first quarter of 2019, the Operating Partnership issued $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.20% notes due April 2029, less original issuance discount of $1.0 million. These notes were priced to yield 4.234%. Underwriting fees and other expenses were incurred that aggregated $3.1 million; these costs were deferred and will be amortized over the term of the notes.

We are currently in compliance with financial covenants with respect to our consolidated debt.

We have considered our short-term liquidity needs and the adequacy of our estimated cash flows from operating activities and other available financing sources to meet these needs. We intend to meet these short-term liquidity requirements through a combination of the following:


•	available cash and cash equivalents;


•	cash flows from operating activities;


•	issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership;


•	issuance of secured debt;


•	bank term loans;


•	borrowings under our revolving credit facility;


•	issuance of equity securities by the Company or the Operating Partnership; and

•

the disposition of non-core assets.

Derivative Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Financial Instruments

During the third quarter of 2019, we entered into $150.0 million notional amount of forward-starting swaps that effectively locked the underlying 10-year treasury rate at 1.87% with respect to a planned issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership. Upon the subsequent issuance of the $400.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.050% notes due February 2030 during the third quarter of 2019, we terminated the forward-starting swaps and paid cash upon settlement. The unrealized loss of $6.6 million in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on the debt.

During 2018, we entered into an aggregate of $225.0 million notional amount of forward-starting swaps that effectively locked the underlying 10-year treasury rate at a weighted average of 2.86% with respect to a planned issuance of debt securities by the Operating Partnership. Upon issuance of the $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.20% notes due April 2029 during the first quarter of 2019, we terminated the forward-starting swaps and paid cash upon settlement. The unrealized loss of $5.1 million in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on the debt.

The counterparties under our swaps are major financial institutions. The swap agreements contain a provision whereby if we default on certain of our indebtedness and which default results in repayment of such indebtedness being, or becoming capable of being, accelerated by the lender, then we could also be declared in default on our swaps.

Our interest rate swaps have been designated as and are being accounted for as cash flow hedges with changes in fair value recorded in other comprehensive income/(loss) each reporting period. We have no collateral requirements related to our interest rate swaps.

Amounts reported in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) related to derivatives will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on our debt. During the period from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020, we estimate that $0.3 million will be reclassified as a net decrease to interest expense.

The following table sets forth the gross fair value of our derivatives:



	September 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Derivatives:
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in prepaid expenses and other assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	—	$	1,146
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities:
Interest rate swaps	$	284	$	3,581

The following table sets forth the effect of our cash flow hedges on accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) and interest expense:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges:
Amount of unrealized gains/(losses) recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) on derivatives:
Interest rate swaps	$	(6,732	)	$	2,187		$	(9,282	)	$	10,926
Amount of gains reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) into interest expense:
Interest rate swaps	$	(283	)	$	(654	)	$	(1,158	)	$	(1,275	)

Noncontrolling Interests

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]

Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates

At September 30, 2019, our noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates relate to our joint venture partners' 50.0% interest in office properties in Richmond and 20.0% interest in an office development property in Tampa. Our joint venture partners are unrelated third parties.

Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership

The following table sets forth the Company's noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Beginning noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$	112,778		$	142,323		$	105,960		$	144,009
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	10,493			(9,335		)	19,025			(9,607		)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	(219		)	(147		)	(572		)	(1,231		)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	737			902			1,974			3,171
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,296		)	(1,296		)	(3,894		)	(3,895		)
Total noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$	122,493		$	132,447		$	122,493		$	132,447

The following table sets forth net income available for common stockholders and transfers from the Company's noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership:



	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Net income available for common stockholders	$	27,901	$	33,160	$	74,578	$	116,295
Increase in additional paid in capital from conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	219		147		572		1,231
Change from net income available for common stockholders and transfers from noncontrolling interests	$	28,120	$	33,307	$	75,150	$	117,526

Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The following summarizes the levels of inputs that we use to measure fair value.

Level 1. Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Our Level 1 asset is our investment in marketable securities that we use to pay benefits under our non-qualified deferred compensation plan. Our Level 1 liability is our non-qualified deferred compensation obligation. The Company's Level 1 noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership relate to the ownership of Common Units by various individuals and entities other than the Company.

Level 2. Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the related assets or liabilities.

Our Level 2 assets include the fair value of our mortgages and notes receivable and certain interest rate swaps. Our Level 2 liabilities include the fair value of our mortgages and notes payable and remaining interest rate swaps.

The fair value of mortgages and notes receivable and mortgages and notes payable is estimated by the income approach utilizing contractual cash flows and market-based interest rates to approximate the price that would be paid in an orderly transaction between market participants. The fair value of interest rate swaps is determined using the market standard methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash receipts and the discounted expected variable cash payments. The variable cash payments of interest rate swaps are based on the expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observed market interest rate curves. In addition, credit valuation adjustments are considered in the fair values to account for potential nonperformance risk, but were concluded to not be significant inputs to the calculation for the periods presented.

Level 3. Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

Our Level 3 assets include any real estate assets recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis as a result of our quarterly impairment analysis, which are valued using unobservable local and national industry market data such as comparable sales, appraisals, brokers' opinions of value and/or the terms of definitive sales contracts. Significant increases or decreases in any valuation inputs in isolation would result in a significantly lower or higher fair value measurement.

The following table sets forth our assets and liabilities and the Company's noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership that are measured or disclosed at fair value within the fair value hierarchy.



			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	Total		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Fair Value at September 30, 2019:
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value (1)	$	1,542	$	—	$	1,542	$	—
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,170		2,170		—		—
Impaired real estate assets	7,580		—		—		7,580
Total Assets	$	11,292	$	2,170	$	1,542	$	7,580
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$	122,493	$	122,493	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value (1)	$	2,391,434	$	—	$	2,391,434	$	—
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	284		—		284		—
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,170		2,170		—		—
Total Liabilities	$	2,393,888	$	2,170	$	2,391,718	$	—



Fair Value at December 31, 2018:
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value (1)	$	5,599	$	—	$	5,599	$	—
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,146		—		1,146		—
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,849		1,849		—		—
Impaired real estate assets	10,252		—		—		10,252
Total Assets	$	18,846	$	1,849	$	6,745	$	10,252
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$	105,960	$	105,960	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value (1)	$	2,056,248	$	—	$	2,056,248	$	—
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,581		—		3,581		—
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,849		1,849		—		—
Total Liabilities	$	2,061,678	$	1,849	$	2,059,829	$	—

__________

(1) Amounts recorded at historical cost on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

The Level 3 impaired real estate assets measured at a fair value of $7.6 million in the third quarter of 2019 include an office building and land held for development. The aggregate impairments resulted from a change in our assumptions about the use of the assets and were calculated using brokers’ opinions of value and comparable sales as observable inputs were not available.

The Level 3 impaired real estate assets measured at fair values of $0.7 million and $10.3 million in the second quarter of 2019 and fourth quarter of 2018, respectively, include land held for development. The impairments resulted from a change in our assumptions about the use of the assets and were calculated using the terms of definitive sales contracts as observable inputs were not available.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

+ References + Details

Share-Based Payments	9 Months Ended
Share-Based Payments	Sep. 30, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Share-Based Payments	Share-Based Payments During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company granted 103,590 shares of time-based restricted stock and 87,344 shares of total return-based restricted stock with weighted average grant date fair values per share of $45.98 and $39.42, respectively. We recorded share-based compensation expense of $0.7 million and $1.1 million during the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and $6.2 million and $6.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. At September 30, 2019, there was $6.2 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation costs, which will be recognized over a weighted average remaining contractual term of 2.3 years.

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)

The following table sets forth the components of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss):



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Cash flow hedges:
Beginning balance	$	6,488		$	15,956		$	9,913		$	7,838
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(6,732		)	2,187			(9,282		)	10,926
Amortization of cash flow hedges (1)	(283		)	(654		)	(1,158		)	(1,275		)
Total accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	$	(527	)	$	17,489		$	(527	)	$	17,489

__________

(1) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) into interest expense.

Earnings Per Share and Per Unit

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Earnings Per Share and Per Unit

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share of the Company:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(737		)	(902		)	(1,974		)	(3,171		)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common stockholders	$	27,901		$	33,160		$	74,578		$	116,295
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share – weighted average shares	103,727			103,471			103,674			103,408
Net income available for common stockholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.12
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$	28,638		$	34,062		$	76,552		$	119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share – weighted average shares	103,727			103,471			103,674			103,408
Add:
Stock options using the treasury method	16			58			18			39
Noncontrolling interests Common Units	2,728			2,804			2,733			2,809
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Share – adjusted weighted average shares and assumed conversions (1)	106,471			106,333			106,425			106,256
Net income available for common stockholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.12

__________


(1)	Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per unit of the Operating Partnership:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common unitholders	$	28,638		$	34,062		$	76,552		$	119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit – weighted average units	106,046			105,866			105,998			105,808
Net income available for common unitholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.13
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common unitholders	$	28,638		$	34,062		$	76,552		$	119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit – weighted average units	106,046			105,866			105,998			105,808
Add:
Stock options using the treasury method	16			58			18			39
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Unit – adjusted weighted average units and assumed conversions (1)	106,062			105,924			106,016			105,847
Net income available for common unitholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.13

__________

(1)

Includes all unvested restricted stock where distributions on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

Segment Information

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Information

The following tables summarize the rental and other revenues and net operating income, the primary industry property-level performance metric used by our chief operating decision maker and which is defined as rental and other revenues less rental property and other expenses, for each of our reportable segments.



	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Rental and Other Revenues:
Office:
Atlanta	$	39,120	$	35,375	$	113,115	$	105,635
Greensboro	5,524		5,349		16,611		16,753
Memphis	9,967		10,121		29,669		30,228
Nashville	34,748		29,927		99,256		91,319
Orlando	12,854		13,352		39,781		40,103
Pittsburgh	15,154		14,982		45,463		45,587
Raleigh	30,688		30,432		90,458		89,518
Richmond	12,576		11,262		37,203		33,204
Tampa	23,563		25,460		62,631		76,726
Total Office Segment	184,194		176,260		534,187		529,073
Other	3,281		3,157		9,721		9,574
Total Rental and Other Revenues	$	187,475	$	179,417	$	543,908	$	538,647



Net Operating Income:
Office:
Atlanta	$	24,372		$	21,443		$	72,614		$	65,721
Greensboro	3,500			3,372			10,715			10,817
Memphis	6,104			6,471			18,336			19,289
Nashville	25,191			21,896			71,717			66,306
Orlando	7,889			8,195			24,452			24,551
Pittsburgh	9,150			8,969			27,179			27,189
Raleigh	22,066			22,018			65,363			65,384
Richmond	8,337			7,376			25,499			22,616
Tampa	14,339			16,188			35,715			49,448
Total Office Segment	120,948			115,928			351,590			351,321
Other	2,392			2,336			7,074			7,078
Total Net Operating Income	123,340			118,264			358,664			358,399
Reconciliation to net income:
Depreciation and amortization	(60,850		)	(57,661		)	(189,514		)	(171,923		)
Impairments of real estate assets	(5,318		)	—			(5,849		)	—
General and administrative expenses	(11,717		)	(9,551		)	(33,658		)	(30,869		)
Interest expense	(20,527		)	(17,437		)	(59,622		)	(53,705		)
Other income/(loss)	174			818			(3,271		)	1,735
Gains on disposition of property	3,515			3			10,218			16,975
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	940			573			2,369			1,641
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253

Subsequent Events	9 Months Ended
Subsequent Events	Sep. 30, 2019
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events	Subsequent Events On October 17, 2019, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.475 per share of Common Stock, which is payable on December 3, 2019 to stockholders of record as of November 11, 2019.

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include the Operating Partnership, wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Company has the controlling interest. The Operating Partnership's Consolidated Financial Statements include wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which the Operating Partnership has the controlling interest. We consolidate joint venture investments, such as interests in partnerships and limited liability companies, when we control the major operating and financial policies of the investment through majority ownership, in our capacity as a general partner or managing member or through some other contractual right. In addition, we consolidate those entities deemed to be variable interest entities in which we are determined to be the primary beneficiary. At September 30, 2019, we have involvement with, and are the primary beneficiary in, an entity that we concluded to be a variable interest entity (see Note 3). All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying unaudited consolidated financial information, in the opinion of management, contain all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. We have condensed or omitted certain notes and other information from the interim Consolidated Financial Statements presented in this Quarterly Report as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Certain amounts within the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were removed and/or combined to conform to the current year presentation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Real Estate and Related Assets

Real estate and related assets are recorded at cost and stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Renovations, replacements and other expenditures that improve or extend the life of assets are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Expenditures for ordinary maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of 40 years for buildings and depreciable land infrastructure costs, 15 years for building improvements and five to seven years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Tenant improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over initial fixed terms of the respective leases, which generally are from three to 10 years

Insurance

We are primarily self-insured for health care claims for participating employees. We have stop-loss coverage to limit our exposure to significant claims on a per claim and annual aggregate basis. We determine our liabilities for claims, including incurred but not reported losses, based on all relevant information, including actuarial estimates of claim liabilities.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update (“ASU”) that eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and generally requires the entire change in the fair value of a hedging instrument to be presented in the same income statement line as the hedged item when the hedged item affects earnings. We adopted the ASU as of January 1, 2019 with no material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

The FASB issued an ASU that changes certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The ASU is required to be adopted in 2020 and applied prospectively. We do not expect such adoption to have a material effect on our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

On January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842 “Leases” (“ASC 842”), which supersedes Accounting Standards Codification Topic 840 “Leases” (“ASC 840”). Information in this Note 2 with respect to our leases and lease related costs as both lessee and lessor and lease related receivables as lessor is presented under ASC 842 as of September 30, 2019 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and under ASC 840 as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018.

We adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective approach whereby the cumulative effect of adoption was recognized on the adoption date and prior periods were not restated. There was no net cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019 as a result of this adoption. ASC 842 sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors. We operate as both a lessor and a lessee. As a lessor, we are required under ASC 842 to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to ASC 840's guidance for operating leases and other leases such as sales-type leases and direct financing leases. In addition, ASC 842 requires lessors to capitalize and amortize only incremental direct leasing costs. As a lessee, we are required under the new standard to apply a dual approach, classifying leases, such as ground leases, as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase. This classification determines whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. ASC 842 also requires lessees to record a right of use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than a year regardless of their classification. We have also elected the practical expedient not to recognize right of use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of a year or less.

On adoption of the standard, we elected the package of practical expedients provided for in ASC 842, including:


•	No reassessment of whether any expired or existing contracts were or contained leases;


•	No reassessment of the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and


•	No reassessment of initial direct costs for any existing leases.

The package of practical expedients was made as a single election and was consistently applied to all existing leases as of January 1, 2019. We also elected the practical expedient provided to lessors in a subsequent amendment to ASC 842 that removed the requirement to separate lease and nonlease components, provided certain conditions were met.

Leases Leases (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update (“ASU”) that eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and generally requires the entire change in the fair value of a hedging instrument to be presented in the same income statement line as the hedged item when the hedged item affects earnings. We adopted the ASU as of January 1, 2019 with no material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

The FASB issued an ASU that changes certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The ASU is required to be adopted in 2020 and applied prospectively. We do not expect such adoption to have a material effect on our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

On January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842 “Leases” (“ASC 842”), which supersedes Accounting Standards Codification Topic 840 “Leases” (“ASC 840”). Information in this Note 2 with respect to our leases and lease related costs as both lessee and lessor and lease related receivables as lessor is presented under ASC 842 as of September 30, 2019 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and under ASC 840 as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018.

We adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective approach whereby the cumulative effect of adoption was recognized on the adoption date and prior periods were not restated. There was no net cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019 as a result of this adoption. ASC 842 sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors. We operate as both a lessor and a lessee. As a lessor, we are required under ASC 842 to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to ASC 840's guidance for operating leases and other leases such as sales-type leases and direct financing leases. In addition, ASC 842 requires lessors to capitalize and amortize only incremental direct leasing costs. As a lessee, we are required under the new standard to apply a dual approach, classifying leases, such as ground leases, as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase. This classification determines whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. ASC 842 also requires lessees to record a right of use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than a year regardless of their classification. We have also elected the practical expedient not to recognize right of use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of a year or less.

On adoption of the standard, we elected the package of practical expedients provided for in ASC 842, including:


•	No reassessment of whether any expired or existing contracts were or contained leases;


•	No reassessment of the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and


•	No reassessment of initial direct costs for any existing leases.

The package of practical expedients was made as a single election and was consistently applied to all existing leases as of January 1, 2019. We also elected the practical expedient provided to lessors in a subsequent amendment to ASC 842 that removed the requirement to separate lease and nonlease components, provided certain conditions were met.

Leases (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

Lessor, Operating Leases, ASC 842 Disclosure

The following table sets forth the undiscounted cash flows for future minimum base rents to be received from customers for leases in effect at September 30, 2019 for the properties that we wholly own:



October 1 through December 31, 2019	$	156,920
2020	619,066
2021	577,843
2022	544,683
2023	483,709
2024	422,362
Thereafter	1,820,576
	$	4,625,159

Lessor, Operating Leases, ASC 840 Disclosure

The following table sets forth our scheduled future minimum base rents to be received from customers for leases in effect at December 31, 2018 for the properties that we wholly own:



2019	$	618,014
2020	581,399
2021	524,381
2022	488,157
2023	428,461
Thereafter	2,068,891
	$	4,709,303

Lessee, Operating Leases, ASC 842 Disclosure

The following table sets forth the undiscounted cash flows of our scheduled obligations for future minimum payments on operating ground leases at September 30, 2019 and a reconciliation of those cash flows to the operating lease liability at September 30, 2019:



October 1 through December 31, 2019	$	517
2020	2,086
2021	2,127
2022	2,169
2023	2,167
2024	2,123
Thereafter	83,697
	94,886
Discount	(59,869		)
Lease liability	$	35,017

Lessee, Operating Leases, ASC 840 Disclosure

The following table sets forth our scheduled obligations for future minimum payments on operating ground leases at December 31, 2018:



2019	$	2,184
2020	2,223
2021	2,263
2022	2,305
2023	2,308
Thereafter	86,577
	$	97,860

Consolidated Variable Interest Entity (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

Schedule of Variable Interest Entities

The following table sets forth the assets and liabilities of the Midtown One joint venture included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets:



	September 30, 2019
Development in-process	$	19,602
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	$	798

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest (as defined) held by the entity requires the variable interest entity (VIE) (as defined) to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the VIE, individually or in aggregate (as applicable); the nature of restrictions, if any, on the consolidated VIE's assets and on the settlement of its liabilities reported by an entity in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets and liabilities; the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with involvement in the VIE; how involvement with the VIE affects the entity's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; the lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of the consolidated VIE have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary (if applicable); the terms of arrangements, giving consideration to both explicit arrangements and implicit variable interests, if any, that could require the entity to provide financial support to the VIE, including events or circumstances that could expose the entity to a loss; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance are shared (as defined); the carrying amounts and classification of assets and liabilities of the VIE included in the statement of financial position; the entity's maximum exposure to loss, if any, as a result of its involvement with the VIE, including how the maximum exposure is determined and significant sources of the entity's exposure to the VIE; a comparison of the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities and the entity's maximum exposure to loss; information about any liquidity arrangements, guarantees, and (or) other commitments by third parties that may affect the fair value or risk of the entity's variable interest in the VIE; whether or not the entity has provided financial support or other support (explicitly or implicitly) to the VIE that it was not previously contractually required to provide or whether the entity intends to provide that support, including the type and amount of the support and the primary reasons for providing the support; and supplemental information the entity determines necessary to provide.

+ References + Details

Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Total Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities

The following table sets forth total intangible assets and acquisition-related below market lease liabilities, net of accumulated amortization:



	September 30, 2019			December 31, 2018
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs (including lease incentives and above market lease and in-place lease acquisition-related intangible assets)	$	344,067		$	344,548
Less accumulated amortization	(148,019		)	(149,275		)
	$	196,048		$	195,273
Liabilities (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities):
Acquisition-related below market lease liabilities	$	53,861		$	57,955
Less accumulated amortization	(33,285		)	(32,307		)
	$	20,576		$	25,648

Amortization of Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities

The following table sets forth amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Amortization of deferred leasing costs and acquisition-related intangible assets (in depreciation and amortization)	$	9,003		$	8,969		$	28,077		$	27,671
Amortization of lease incentives (in rental and other revenues)	$	540		$	452		$	3,848		$	1,357
Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (in rental and other revenues)	$	305		$	415		$	1,005		$	1,292
Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (in rental property and other expenses)	$	140		$	140		$	416		$	416
Amortization of acquisition-related below market lease liabilities (in rental and other revenues)	$	(1,656	)	$	(1,535	)	$	(5,072	)	$	(4,553	)

Scheduled Future Amortization of Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities

The following table sets forth scheduled future amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities:



	Amortization of Deferred Leasing Costs and Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Depreciation and Amortization)		Amortization of Lease Incentives (in Rental and Other Revenues)		Amortization of Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental and Other Revenues)		Amortization of Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental Property and Other Expenses)		Amortization of Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities (in Rental and Other Revenues)
October 1 through December 31, 2019	$	9,538	$	428	$	258	$	137	$	(1,349	)
2020	34,968		1,584		954		514		(5,107		)
2021	30,100		1,338		631		—		(4,152		)
2022	25,689		1,104		462		—		(3,086		)
2023	22,180		1,025		308		—		(2,707		)
Thereafter	58,995		4,735		1,100		—		(4,175		)
	$	181,470	$	10,214	$	3,713	$	651	$	(20,576	)
Weighted average remaining amortization periods as of September 30, 2019 (in years)	7.3		9.3		6.5		1.2		5.2

Mortgages and Notes Payable (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Consolidated Mortgages and Notes Payable

The following table sets forth our mortgages and notes payable:



	September 30, 2019			December 31, 2018
Secured indebtedness	$	95,779		$	97,179
Unsecured indebtedness	2,239,999			1,997,816
Less-unamortized debt issuance costs	(13,552		)	(9,164		)
Total mortgages and notes payable, net	$	2,322,226		$	2,085,831

Derivative Financial Instruments (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Derivative Instruments, Fair Value

The following table sets forth the gross fair value of our derivatives:



	September 30, 2019		December 31, 2018
Derivatives:
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in prepaid expenses and other assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	—	$	1,146
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities:
Interest rate swaps	$	284	$	3,581

Schedule of Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) in Statement of Financial Performance

The following table sets forth the effect of our cash flow hedges on accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) and interest expense:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Derivatives Designated as Cash Flow Hedges:
Amount of unrealized gains/(losses) recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) on derivatives:
Interest rate swaps	$	(6,732	)	$	2,187		$	(9,282	)	$	10,926
Amount of gains reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) into interest expense:
Interest rate swaps	$	(283	)	$	(654	)	$	(1,158	)	$	(1,275	)

Noncontrolling Interests (Tables) - Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]

Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership

The following table sets forth the Company's noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Beginning noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$	112,778		$	142,323		$	105,960		$	144,009
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	10,493			(9,335		)	19,025			(9,607		)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	(219		)	(147		)	(572		)	(1,231		)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	737			902			1,974			3,171
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,296		)	(1,296		)	(3,894		)	(3,895		)
Total noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$	122,493		$	132,447		$	122,493		$	132,447

Net Income Available for Common Stockholders and Transfers From Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership

The following table sets forth net income available for common stockholders and transfers from the Company's noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership:



	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Net income available for common stockholders	$	27,901	$	33,160	$	74,578	$	116,295
Increase in additional paid in capital from conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	219		147		572		1,231
Change from net income available for common stockholders and transfers from noncontrolling interests	$	28,120	$	33,307	$	75,150	$	117,526

Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements of Assets, Liabilities and Noncontrolling Interests

The following table sets forth our assets and liabilities and the Company's noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership that are measured or disclosed at fair value within the fair value hierarchy.



			Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	Total		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets or Liabilities		Significant Observable Inputs		Significant Unobservable Inputs
Fair Value at September 30, 2019:
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value (1)	$	1,542	$	—	$	1,542	$	—
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,170		2,170		—		—
Impaired real estate assets	7,580		—		—		7,580
Total Assets	$	11,292	$	2,170	$	1,542	$	7,580
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$	122,493	$	122,493	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value (1)	$	2,391,434	$	—	$	2,391,434	$	—
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	284		—		284		—
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,170		2,170		—		—
Total Liabilities	$	2,393,888	$	2,170	$	2,391,718	$	—



Fair Value at December 31, 2018:
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value (1)	$	5,599	$	—	$	5,599	$	—
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,146		—		1,146		—
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	1,849		1,849		—		—
Impaired real estate assets	10,252		—		—		10,252
Total Assets	$	18,846	$	1,849	$	6,745	$	10,252
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$	105,960	$	105,960	$	—	$	—
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value (1)	$	2,056,248	$	—	$	2,056,248	$	—
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	3,581		—		3,581		—
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	1,849		1,849		—		—
Total Liabilities	$	2,061,678	$	1,849	$	2,059,829	$	—

__________

(1) Amounts recorded at historical cost on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of financial instruments measured at fair value, including those classified in shareholders' equity measured on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. Disclosures include, but are not limited to, fair value measurements recorded and the reasons for the measurements, level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements are categorized and transfers between levels 1 and 2. Nonrecurring fair value measurements are those that are required or permitted in the statement of financial position in particular circumstances.

+ References + Details

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss)

The following table sets forth the components of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss):



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Cash flow hedges:
Beginning balance	$	6,488		$	15,956		$	9,913		$	7,838
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(6,732		)	2,187			(9,282		)	10,926
Amortization of cash flow hedges (1)	(283		)	(654		)	(1,158		)	(1,275		)
Total accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	$	(527	)	$	17,489		$	(527	)	$	17,489

__________

(1) Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) into interest expense.

Earnings Per Share and Per Unit (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Earnings Per Share and Per Unit Basic and Diluted [Line Items]

Earnings Per Share

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share of the Company:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(737		)	(902		)	(1,974		)	(3,171		)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common stockholders	$	27,901		$	33,160		$	74,578		$	116,295
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share – weighted average shares	103,727			103,471			103,674			103,408
Net income available for common stockholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.12
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$	28,638		$	34,062		$	76,552		$	119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share – weighted average shares	103,727			103,471			103,674			103,408
Add:
Stock options using the treasury method	16			58			18			39
Noncontrolling interests Common Units	2,728			2,804			2,733			2,809
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Share – adjusted weighted average shares and assumed conversions (1)	106,471			106,333			106,425			106,256
Net income available for common stockholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.12

__________

(1)

Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]

Earnings Per Share and Per Unit Basic and Diluted [Line Items]

Earnings Per Unit

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per unit of the Operating Partnership:



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common unitholders	$	28,638		$	34,062		$	76,552		$	119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit – weighted average units	106,046			105,866			105,998			105,808
Net income available for common unitholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.13
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Numerator:
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297		)	(324		)	(919		)	(918		)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622		)	(623		)	(1,866		)	(1,869		)
Net income available for common unitholders	$	28,638		$	34,062		$	76,552		$	119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit – weighted average units	106,046			105,866			105,998			105,808
Add:
Stock options using the treasury method	16			58			18			39
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Unit – adjusted weighted average units and assumed conversions (1)	106,062			105,924			106,016			105,847
Net income available for common unitholders	$	0.27		$	0.32		$	0.72		$	1.13

__________

(1)

Includes all unvested restricted stock where distributions on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

Segment Information (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Reconciliation of Revenue from Segments to Consolidated

The following tables summarize the rental and other revenues and net operating income, the primary industry property-level performance metric used by our chief operating decision maker and which is defined as rental and other revenues less rental property and other expenses, for each of our reportable segments.



	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Rental and Other Revenues:
Office:
Atlanta	$	39,120	$	35,375	$	113,115	$	105,635
Greensboro	5,524		5,349		16,611		16,753
Memphis	9,967		10,121		29,669		30,228
Nashville	34,748		29,927		99,256		91,319
Orlando	12,854		13,352		39,781		40,103
Pittsburgh	15,154		14,982		45,463		45,587
Raleigh	30,688		30,432		90,458		89,518
Richmond	12,576		11,262		37,203		33,204
Tampa	23,563		25,460		62,631		76,726
Total Office Segment	184,194		176,260		534,187		529,073
Other	3,281		3,157		9,721		9,574
Total Rental and Other Revenues	$	187,475	$	179,417	$	543,908	$	538,647

Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated



Net Operating Income:
Office:
Atlanta	$	24,372		$	21,443		$	72,614		$	65,721
Greensboro	3,500			3,372			10,715			10,817
Memphis	6,104			6,471			18,336			19,289
Nashville	25,191			21,896			71,717			66,306
Orlando	7,889			8,195			24,452			24,551
Pittsburgh	9,150			8,969			27,179			27,189
Raleigh	22,066			22,018			65,363			65,384
Richmond	8,337			7,376			25,499			22,616
Tampa	14,339			16,188			35,715			49,448
Total Office Segment	120,948			115,928			351,590			351,321
Other	2,392			2,336			7,074			7,078
Total Net Operating Income	123,340			118,264			358,664			358,399
Reconciliation to net income:
Depreciation and amortization	(60,850		)	(57,661		)	(189,514		)	(171,923		)
Impairments of real estate assets	(5,318		)	—			(5,849		)	—
General and administrative expenses	(11,717		)	(9,551		)	(33,658		)	(30,869		)
Interest expense	(20,527		)	(17,437		)	(59,622		)	(53,705		)
Other income/(loss)	174			818			(3,271		)	1,735
Gains on disposition of property	3,515			3			10,218			16,975
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	940			573			2,369			1,641
Net income	$	29,557		$	35,009		$	79,337		$	122,253

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) a ft² phase shares	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) ft²	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) a ft² phase shares	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) \| ft²		31,200,000			31,200,000
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate office properties under development (in sq feet) \| ft²		1,200,000			1,200,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres) \| a		275			275
Real estate assets, depreciation expense		$ 51,300		$ 48,100	$ 159,700	$ 142,400
Self insurance liability		500			500
Credit losses on operating lease receivables					8,711	791
Write-offs of lease incentives					197	(1,488)
Write-offs of notes receivable					4,087	0
Write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		$ 60,850		57,661	$ 189,514	171,923
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) \| shares		103,300,000			103,300,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths)		97.40%			97.40%
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) \| shares					13,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) \| shares		2,700,000			2,700,000
Credit losses on operating lease receivables					$ 8,711	791
Write-offs of lease incentives					197	(1,488)
Write-offs of notes receivable					4,087	0
Write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		$ 60,850		$ 57,661	$ 189,514	$ 171,923
Building [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					40 years
Building Improvements [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					15 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					5 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					7 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					3 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life					10 years
Submarket Acquisition [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) \| ft²		841,000			841,000
Total investment cost of acquisition		$ 436,000
Earnest money deposit		$ 50,000			$ 50,000
Division Exit [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Number of plan phases (in ones) \| phase		2			2
Purchase price of real estate		$ 436,000
Expected severance costs		$ 700
LSI Ceased Operations [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties (in sq feet) \| ft²			176,000
Credit losses on operating lease receivables			$ 5,600
Write-offs of lease incentives			2,300
Write-offs of notes receivable			4,100
Write-offs of tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs			$ 11,600
Forecast [Member] \| Division Exit [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Expected severance costs	$ 1,500

Leases ASC 842 (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Leases ASC 842 (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) propertyUnit
Lessor Disclosure [Abstract]
Rental and other revenues related to operating lease payments	$ 184,200	$ 534,200
Variable lease income	17,300	49,200
Operating leases, scheduled future minimum payments receivable [Abstract]
October 1 to December 31, 2019	156,920	156,920
2020	619,066	619,066
2021	577,843	577,843
2022	544,683	544,683
2023	483,709	483,709
2024	422,362	422,362
Thereafter	1,820,576	1,820,576
Operating leases, total future minimum payments receivable due	$ 4,625,159	$ 4,625,159
Lessee Disclosure [Abstract]
Number of properties subject to ground leases \| propertyUnit		20
Weighted average remaining term of ground leases (in years)	52 years	52 years
Operating lease liability upon initial adoption	$ 35,300	$ 35,300
Right of use asset upon initial adoption	$ 29,700	$ 29,700
Operating lease discount rate (in hundredths)	4.50%	4.50%
Operating ground lease expense	$ 600	$ 1,800
Operating ground lease payments	500	1,700
Operating ground lease liabilities, scheduled future minimum payments [Abstract]
October 1 to December 31, 2019	517	517
2020	2,086	2,086
2021	2,127	2,127
2022	2,169	2,169
2023	2,167	2,167
2024	2,123	2,123
Thereafter	83,697	83,697
Operating ground lease liability, total future minimum payments	94,886	94,886
Operating lease liability discount	(59,869)	(59,869)
Operating lease liability	$ 35,017	$ 35,017
Minimum [Member]
Lessor Disclosure [Abstract]
Operating leases, term of leases	3 years	3 years
Maximum [Member]
Lessor Disclosure [Abstract]
Operating leases, term of leases	10 years	10 years

Leases ASC 840 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Leases ASC 840 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Operating leases, scheduled future minimum payments receivable [Abstract]
2019	$ 618,014
2020	581,399
2021	524,381
2022	488,157
2023	428,461
Thereafter	2,068,891
Operating leases, total future minimum payments receivable due	4,709,303
Leases, Operating [Abstract]
Total rental property expense recorded for operating ground leases	2,500	$ 2,500	$ 2,900
Operating ground leases, scheduled future minimum payments [Abstract]
2019	2,184
2020	2,223
2021	2,263
2022	2,305
2023	2,308
Thereafter	86,577
Operating ground leases, total future minimum payments due	$ 97,860

Consolidated Variable Interest Entity (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) ft²	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) ft²	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Consolidated Variable Interest Entity [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of office property under development (in sq feet) \| ft²		1,200,000
Assets and liabilities of consolidated variable interest entity [Abstract]
Development in-process		$ 133,189	$ 165,537
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		272,989	$ 218,922
Consolidated Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Consolidated Variable Interest Entity [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of office property under development (in sq feet) \| ft²	150,000
Total anticipated development costs	$ 71,300
Contribution of cash to acquire interest in consolidated joint venture	$ 20,000
Contributions funded to acquire interest in consolidated joint venture		13,600
Interest in consolidated joint venture (in hundredths)	80.00%
Partner's contribution of property to acquire interest in consolidated joint venture	$ 5,000
Partner's interest in consolidated joint venture (in hundredths)	20.00%
Advance to consolidated affiliate	$ 46,300
Assets and liabilities of consolidated variable interest entity [Abstract]
Development in-process		19,602
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		$ 798
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Consolidated Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Consolidated Variable Interest Entity [Abstract]
Variable interest rate basis	LIBOR plus 250 basis points
Interest rate, basis spread (in hundredths)	2.50%

Real Estate Assets (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
Real Estate Assets (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) propertyUnit	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Dispositions [Abstract]
Gains on disposition of property	$ 3,515		$ 3	$ 10,218	$ 16,975
Impairments [Abstract]
Impairments of real estate assets	5,318		$ 0	$ 5,849	$ 0
Raleigh NC Land Acquisition (7/2019) [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Acquisition purchase price	6,600
2019 Dispositions [Member]
Dispositions [Abstract]
Number of buildings sold \| propertyUnit		2
Purchase price of real estate	14,300	$ 32,500
Gains on disposition of property	3,500	6,700
2019 Impairments [Member]
Impairments [Abstract]
Impairments of real estate assets	$ 5,300	$ 500

Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs (including lease incentives and above market lease and in-place lease acquisition-related intangible assets)	$ 344,067		$ 344,067		$ 344,548
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	(148,019)		(148,019)		(149,275)
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	196,048		196,048		195,273
Liabilities (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities):
Acquisition-related below market lease liabilities, gross	53,861		53,861		57,955
Acquisition-related below market lease liabilities, accumulated amortization	(33,285)		(33,285)		(32,307)
Acquisition-related below market lease liabilities, net	20,576		20,576		$ 25,648
Deferred Leasing Costs and Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Depreciation and Amortization) [Member]
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	181,470		181,470
Amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets	9,003	$ 8,969	28,077	$ 27,671
Lease Incentives (in Rental and Other Revenues) [Member]
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	10,214		10,214
Amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets	540	452	3,848	1,357
Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental and Other Revenues) [Member]
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	3,713		3,713
Amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets	305	415	1,005	1,292
Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental Property and Other Expenses) [Member]
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	651		651
Amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets	140	140	416	416
Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities (in Rental and Other Revenues) [Member]
Liabilities (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities):
Acquisition-related below market lease liabilities, net	20,576		20,576
Amortization of intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Amortization of acquisition-related below market lease liabilities	$ (1,656)	$ (1,535)	$ (5,072)	$ (4,553)

Intangible Assets and Below Market Lease Liabilities - Scheduled Future Amortization (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Scheduled future amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	$ 196,048	$ 195,273
Scheduled future amortization of below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Total scheduled future amortization of acquisition-related below market lease liabilities	(20,576)	$ (25,648)
Deferred Leasing Costs and Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Depreciation and Amortization) [Member]
Scheduled future amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
October 1 through December 31, 2019	9,538
2020	34,968
2021	30,100
2022	25,689
2023	22,180
Thereafter	58,995
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	$ 181,470
Weighted average remaining amortization periods for intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets, average useful life (in years)	7 years 3 months 18 days
Lease Incentives (in Rental and Other Revenues) [Member]
Scheduled future amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
October 1 through December 31, 2019	$ 428
2020	1,584
2021	1,338
2022	1,104
2023	1,025
Thereafter	4,735
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	$ 10,214
Weighted average remaining amortization periods for intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets, average useful life (in years)	9 years 3 months 18 days
Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental and Other Revenues) [Member]
Scheduled future amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
October 1 through December 31, 2019	$ 258
2020	954
2021	631
2022	462
2023	308
Thereafter	1,100
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	$ 3,713
Weighted average remaining amortization periods for intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets, average useful life (in years)	6 years 6 months
Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets (in Rental Property and Other Expenses) [Member]
Scheduled future amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
October 1 through December 31, 2019	$ 137
2020	514
2021	0
2022	0
2023	0
Thereafter	0
Deferred leasing costs, net/Total scheduled future amortization of intangible assets	$ 651
Weighted average remaining amortization periods for intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Finite-lived intangible assets, average useful life (in years)	1 year 2 months 12 days
Acquisition-Related Below Market Lease Liabilities (in Rental and Other Revenues) [Member]
Scheduled future amortization of below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
October 1 through December 31, 2019	$ (1,349)
2020	(5,107)
2021	(4,152)
2022	(3,086)
2023	(2,707)
Thereafter	(4,175)
Total scheduled future amortization of acquisition-related below market lease liabilities	$ (20,576)
Weighted average remaining amortization periods for intangible assets and below market lease liabilities [Abstract]
Finite-lived below market lease liabilities, average useful life (in years)	5 years 2 months 12 days

Mortgages and Notes Payable (Details)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Mortgages and Notes Payable (Details)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) extension	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 15, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages and notes payable	$ 2,322,226,000		$ 2,322,226,000			$ 2,085,831,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(13,552,000)		(13,552,000)			(9,164,000)
Loss on debt extinguishment			(640,000)	$ 0
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility	600,000,000.0		$ 600,000,000.0
Maturity date on revolving credit facility			Jan. 01, 2022
Additional borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility	400,000,000.0		$ 400,000,000.0
Number of additional extensions \| extension			2
Term of optional extension			6 months
Annual facility fee (in hundredths)			0.20%
Outstanding letters of credit on revolving credit facility	100,000		$ 100,000
Amount outstanding on revolving credit facility	0		0
Unused borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility	599,900,000		599,900,000
3.05% (3.079% effective rate) Notes due 2030 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal debt amount	$ 400,000,000.0		$ 400,000,000.0
Scheduled maturity date	Feb. 15, 2030
Interest rate (in hundredths)	3.05%		3.05%
Original issue discount	$ 1,000,000.0		$ 1,000,000.0
Effective interest rate (in hundredths)	3.079%		3.079%
Debt issuance costs incurred	$ 3,400,000		$ 3,400,000
Variable Rate Term Loan (amended) due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal debt amount	200,000,000.0		200,000,000.0
Early repayment of debt	$ 100,000,000.0
Scheduled maturity date	Jan. 28, 2022
Loss on debt extinguishment	$ (300,000)
Variable Rate Term Loan due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal debt amount		$ 225,000,000.0
Term of debt instrument		7 years
Scheduled maturity date		Jun. 08, 2020
Loss on debt extinguishment		$ (400,000)
4.20% (4.234% effective rate) Notes due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal debt amount		$ 350,000,000.0
Scheduled maturity date		Apr. 15, 2029
Interest rate (in hundredths)		4.20%
Original issue discount		$ 1,000,000.0
Effective interest rate (in hundredths)		4.234%
Debt issuance costs incurred		$ 3,100,000
Secured indebtedness [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages and notes payable	95,779,000		95,779,000			97,179,000
Aggregate undepreciated book value of secured real estate assets	146,300,000		146,300,000
Unsecured indebtedness [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgages and notes payable	$ 2,239,999,000		$ 2,239,999,000			$ 1,997,816,000
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Facility interest rate basis			LIBOR plus 100 basis points
Interest rate, basis spread (in hundredths)			1.00%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Variable Rate Term Loan (amended) due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread (in hundredths)	1.10%
Variable interest rate basis	LIBOR plus 110 basis points
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Variable Rate Term Loan due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate, basis spread (in hundredths)		1.10%
Variable interest rate basis		LIBOR plus 110 basis points
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding letters of credit on revolving credit facility					$ 100,000
Amount outstanding on revolving credit facility					0
Unused borrowing capacity on revolving credit facility					$ 599,900,000

Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Derivative [Line Items]
Unrealized loss on forward starting swaps/Interest rate swaps	$ (6,732,000)		$ 2,187,000	$ (9,282,000)	$ 10,926,000
Expected net decrease to interest expense	(300,000)			(300,000)
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in prepaid expenses and other assets:
Interest rate swaps	0			0		$ 1,146,000
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities:
Interest rate swaps	284,000			284,000		3,581,000
Amount of unrealized gains/(losses) recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) on derivatives:
Unrealized loss on forward starting swaps/Interest rate swaps	(6,732,000)		2,187,000	(9,282,000)	10,926,000
Amount of gains reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) into interest expense:
Interest rate swaps	(283,000)		$ (654,000)	(1,158,000)	$ (1,275,000)
4.20% (4.234% effective rate) Notes due 2029 [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Principal debt amount		$ 350,000,000.0
Interest rate (in hundredths)		4.20%
Scheduled maturity date		Apr. 15, 2029
3.050% (3.079% effective rate) Notes due 2030 [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Principal debt amount	$ 400,000,000.0			$ 400,000,000.0
Interest rate (in hundredths)	3.05%			3.05%
Scheduled maturity date	Feb. 15, 2030
Forward Starting Swaps [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 150,000,000.0			$ 150,000,000.0		$ 225,000,000.0
Underlying treasury rate term (in periods)	10 years					10 years
Underlying treasury rate locked by forward-starting swaps (in hundredths)	1.87%			1.87%		2.86%
Unrealized loss on forward starting swaps/Interest rate swaps	$ (6,600,000)	$ (5,100,000)
Amount of unrealized gains/(losses) recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) on derivatives:
Unrealized loss on forward starting swaps/Interest rate swaps	$ (6,600,000)	$ (5,100,000)

Noncontrolling Interests (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Noncontrolling Interests (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership [Roll Forward]
Beginning noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership			$ 105,960
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	$ 10,493	$ (9,335)	19,025	$ (9,607)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	(219)	(147)	(572)	(1,231)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	737	902	1,974	3,171
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership			(3,894)	(3,895)
Total noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	122,493		122,493
Net Income Available for Common Stockholders and Transfers From Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership [Abstract]
Net income available for common stockholders	27,901	33,160	74,578	116,295
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership [Roll Forward]
Beginning noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	112,778	142,323	105,960	144,009
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	10,493	(9,335)	19,025	(9,607)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	(219)	(147)	(572)	(1,231)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	737	902	1,974	3,171
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,296)	(1,296)	(3,894)	(3,895)
Total noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	122,493	132,447	122,493	132,447
Net Income Available for Common Stockholders and Transfers From Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership [Abstract]
Net income available for common stockholders	27,901	33,160	74,578	116,295
Increase in additional paid in capital from conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	219	147	572	1,231
Change from net income available for common stockholders and transfers from noncontrolling interests	$ 28,120	$ 33,307	$ 75,150	$ 117,526
Richmond Joint Venture [Member]
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Abstract]
Consolidated joint venture, partner's interest (in hundredths)	50.00%		50.00%
Tampa Joint Venture [Member]
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Abstract]
Consolidated joint venture, partner's interest (in hundredths)	20.00%		20.00%

Disclosure About Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	$ 1,542		$ 5,599
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)			1,146
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,170		1,849
Impaired real estate assets	7,580		10,252
Total Assets	11,292		18,846
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	2,391,434		2,056,248
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	284		3,581
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,170		1,849
Total Liabilities	2,393,888		2,061,678
Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)			0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	2,170		1,849
Impaired real estate assets	0		0
Total Assets	2,170		1,849
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	2,170		1,849
Total Liabilities	2,170		1,849
Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	1,542		5,599
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)			1,146
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets	0		0
Total Assets	1,542		6,745
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	2,391,434		2,056,248
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	284		3,581
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Total Liabilities	2,391,718		2,059,829
Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Mortgages and notes receivable, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in prepaid expenses and other assets)			0
Marketable securities of non-qualified deferred compensation plan (in prepaid expenses and other assets)	0		0
Impaired real estate assets	7,580	$ 700	10,252
Total Assets	7,580		10,252
Liabilities:
Mortgages and notes payable, net, at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swaps (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Non-qualified deferred compensation obligation (in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities)	0		0
Total Liabilities	0		0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	122,493		105,960
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	122,493		105,960
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	0		0
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership	$ 0		$ 0

Share-Based Payments (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 700	$ 1,100	$ 6,180	$ 6,609
Total unrecognized stock-based compensation costs	$ 6,200		$ 6,200
Weighted average remaining contractual term for recognition of unrecognized stock-based compensation costs (in years)			2 years 3 months 18 days
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Time-Based Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Restricted stock shares granted (in shares)			103,590
Weighted average grant date fair value of each restricted stock share granted (in dollars per share)			$ 45.98
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] \| Total Return-Based Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Restricted stock shares granted (in shares)			87,344
Weighted average grant date fair value of each restricted stock share granted (in dollars per share)			$ 39.42

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) Calculation [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 6,488	$ 15,956	$ 9,913	$ 7,838
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(6,732)	2,187	(9,282)	10,926
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(283)	(654)	(1,158)	(1,275)
Total accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	$ (527)	$ 17,489	$ (527)	$ 17,489

Earnings Per Share and Per Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Earnings per Common Share and Per Unit - basic: [Abstract]
Net income	$ 29,557	$ 35,009	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership from continuing operations	(737)	(902)	(1,974)	(3,171)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)	(623)	(1,866)	(1,869)
Net income available for common stockholders	$ 27,901	$ 33,160	$ 74,578	$ 116,295
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share - weighted average shares (in shares)	103,727	103,471	103,674	103,408
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.12
Earnings per Common Share and Per Unit - diluted: [Abstract]
Net income	$ 29,557	$ 35,009	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)	(623)	(1,866)	(1,869)
Net income available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	$ 28,638	$ 34,062	$ 76,552	$ 119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share - weighted average shares (in shares)	103,727	103,471	103,674	103,408
Stock options using the treasury method (in shares)	16	58	18	39
Noncontrolling interests Common Units (in shares)	2,728	2,804	2,733	2,809
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Share - adjusted weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares)	106,471	106,333	106,425	106,256
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.12
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Earnings per Common Share and Per Unit - basic: [Abstract]
Net income	$ 29,557	$ 35,009	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622)	(623)	(1,866)	(1,869)
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 28,638	$ 34,062	$ 76,552	$ 119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit - weighted average units (in shares)	106,046	105,866	105,998	105,808
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.13
Earnings per Common Share and Per Unit - diluted: [Abstract]
Net income	$ 29,557	$ 35,009	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(297)	(324)	(919)	(918)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(622)	(623)	(1,866)	(1,869)
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 28,638	$ 34,062	$ 76,552	$ 119,466
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit - weighted average units (in shares)	106,046	105,866	105,998	105,808
Stock options using the treasury method (in shares)	16	58	18	39
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Unit - adjusted weighted average units and assumed conversions (in shares)	106,062	105,924	106,016	105,847
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 0.72	$ 1.13

Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	$ 187,475	$ 179,417	$ 543,908	$ 538,647
Total Net Operating Income	123,340	118,264	358,664	358,399
Reconciliation to net income:
Depreciation and amortization	(60,850)	(57,661)	(189,514)	(171,923)
Impairments of real estate assets	(5,318)	0	(5,849)	0
General and administrative expenses	(11,717)	(9,551)	(33,658)	(30,869)
Interest expense	(20,527)	(17,437)	(59,622)	(53,705)
Other income/(loss)	174	818	(3,271)	1,735
Gains on disposition of property	3,515	3	10,218	16,975
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	940	573	2,369	1,641
Net income	29,557	35,009	79,337	122,253
Total Office Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	184,194	176,260	534,187	529,073
Total Net Operating Income	120,948	115,928	351,590	351,321
Office Atlanta, GA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	39,120	35,375	113,115	105,635
Total Net Operating Income	24,372	21,443	72,614	65,721
Office Greensboro, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	5,524	5,349	16,611	16,753
Total Net Operating Income	3,500	3,372	10,715	10,817
Office Memphis, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	9,967	10,121	29,669	30,228
Total Net Operating Income	6,104	6,471	18,336	19,289
Office Nashville, TN [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	34,748	29,927	99,256	91,319
Total Net Operating Income	25,191	21,896	71,717	66,306
Office Orlando, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	12,854	13,352	39,781	40,103
Total Net Operating Income	7,889	8,195	24,452	24,551
Office Pittsburgh, PA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	15,154	14,982	45,463	45,587
Total Net Operating Income	9,150	8,969	27,179	27,189
Office Raleigh, NC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	30,688	30,432	90,458	89,518
Total Net Operating Income	22,066	22,018	65,363	65,384
Office Richmond, VA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	12,576	11,262	37,203	33,204
Total Net Operating Income	8,337	7,376	25,499	22,616
Office Tampa, FL [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	23,563	25,460	62,631	76,726
Total Net Operating Income	14,339	16,188	35,715	49,448
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Rental and Other Revenues	3,281	3,157	9,721	9,574
Total Net Operating Income	$ 2,392	$ 2,336	$ 7,074	$ 7,078

Subsequent Events (Details) - Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] - $ / shares		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 17, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Dividends declared per Common Share (in dollars per share0		$ 0.475	$ 0.4625	$ 1.425	$ 1.3875
Dividend Declared [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Dividends declared per Common Share (in dollars per share0	$ 0.475