Berlin's 13-storey Pankow high-rise to transform Greifswalder Straße by 2027
Berlin Pushes for More High-Rises as New Projects Emerge Beyond Traditional Development Zones
A previously overlooked plan is now gaining attention in Pankow: a 13-story building is set to rise along Greifswalder Straße.
Berlin continues its vertical expansion, with a noticeable increase in planned high-rise projects. Currently, 58 developments are in the pipeline, while the Senate's records list a total of 95 projects across the city. Now, a new high-rise appears to be in the works on Greifswalder Straße.
The initiative stems from a written inquiry by Green Party lawmaker Julian Schwarze, submitted on January 20, 2026. In response, the Senate Department for Urban Development, Construction, and Housing published a detailed table revealing not only the total number of projects but also their spatial distribution across Berlin.
New High-Rise at Greifswalder Straße 86: Usage and Scale
The overview also highlights a previously undisclosed project: a 43.4-meter-tall, 13-story building planned for Greifswalder Straße 86 in Pankow, with a gross floor area of approximately 10,600 square meters.
The design envisions mixed-use development. While the ground floor will house retail space, the upper floors will feature residential units. The site is located just north of Greifswalder Straße S-Bahn station, ensuring excellent accessibility.
Current Site Between Greifswalder Straße and Storkower Straße: A Changing Local Hub
The plot at the intersection of Greifswalder Straße and Storkower Straße currently hosts a small shopping center, consisting of two single-story commercial buildings with adjacent parking. The site is home to several discount stores and an Edeka supermarket.
However, the area is slated for major transformation. Existing structures will either be expanded upward or replaced entirely, with plans calling for significantly denser development.
Urban Planning Context and Comparative Projects in Berlin: Infill Development as a Guiding Principle
The site sits on the southern edge of the Mühlenviertel, a neighborhood dominated by high-rise residential slabs from the GDR era. Given this context, increased building density makes sense—a structure of comparable height would blend into the existing landscape while making more efficient use of available space.
Similar trends are emerging elsewhere in the city. In Neukölln's Maybachufer area, a single-story supermarket is being replaced by a residential building with integrated retail. Here, too, the new construction is designed to harmonize with surrounding structures. This approach illustrates how inner-city plots are being reimagined for more intensive use.
Current Planning Status in Pankow: Coordination and Legal Frameworks Under Discussion
According to the Tagesspiegel, preliminary talks with the investor are already underway, focusing primarily on the legal and regulatory conditions essential for moving the project forward.
While the development remains in its early stages, it signals a potential shift: such projects may increasingly appear beyond Berlin's traditional high-rise clusters.
