<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> Highwoods/Forsyth </LEGEND> <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 12-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1997 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1997 <CASH> 18,157,000 18,157,000 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 27,053,000 27,053,000 <ALLOWANCES> 555,000 555,000 <INVENTORY> 0 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 62,230,000 62,230,000 <PP&E> 2,688,257,000 2,688,251,000 <DEPRECIATION> 87,046,000 87,046,000 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,707,240,000 2,707,240,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 52,152,000 52,152,000 <BONDS> 978,558,000 978,558,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 288,155,000 288,155,000 <COMMON> 0 0 <OTHER-SE> 1,388,375,000 1,388,375,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,707,240,000 2,707,240,000 <SALES> 89,687,000 266,933,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 91,214,000 273,165,000 <CGS> 27,748,000 76,743,000 <TOTAL-COSTS> 44,093,000 124,003,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 3,522,000 10,216,000 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 12,623,000 47,394,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> 30,976,000 91,552,000 <INCOME-TAX> 0 0 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 30,976,000 91,552,000 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 1,411,000 6,945,000 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 23,420,000 71,490,000 <EPS-PRIMARY> .41 1.54 <EPS-DILUTED> .41 1.53