Berlin’s Molkenmarkt project stalls amid soaring costs and delays

A zoning plan was approved in 2016, yet not a single apartment stands today. With costs spiraling and patience wearing thin, Berlin’s most troubled project demands answers.

, and Administrator

2025 December 1 . 5:01 PM

1 min read

At the bottom of the image there is a road with cars and a bus. Behind them there are buildings... — At the bottom of the image there is a road with cars and a bus. Behind them there are buildings with walls, windows, dish and roofs. And also there are posters and banners to the walls. There is a pole with streetlight.

Berlin’s Molkenmarkt project stalls amid soaring costs and delays

Berlin’s Molkenmarkt development has become one of the city’s most delayed and costly construction projects. Despite a zoning plan finalised in 2016, no apartments have been built, and expenses have already reached €5 million. Critics continue to question the project’s management and rising costs under Petra Kahlfeldt’s leadership.

The project has faced persistent criticism for its slow progress and ballooning budget. The Court of Auditors recently condemned it as overly complex, excessively expensive, and unnecessarily drawn out. Meanwhile, the advocacy group Offene Mitte Berlin has pushed for faster, more cost-effective solutions.

The Molkenmarkt project continues to face scrutiny over its extended timeline and escalating expenses. As calls for efficiency grow louder, the city must now address how to deliver results without further financial overruns. The outcome will determine whether the long-awaited development can finally move forward.