Primus Immobilien AG Breaks Ground on 200+ Rental Apartments at Cecilienplatz in Berlin's Hellersdorf-Süd

BERLIN, Aug. 19, 2026 — Primus Immobilien AG has begun demolition work at Cecilienplatz 10 and 12 in Berlin's Hellersdorf-Süd district, clearing the site of the long-vacant former Cecilienpassage shopping arcade to make way for a mixed-use residential development of more than 200 rental apartments. The project, which will be developed under the company's "arrive" residential brand, is scheduled to enter construction in 2027 and reach completion in 2029.

Sebastian Fischer, CEO and Shareholder of Primus Immobilien AG, presented the project and its next development steps at the demolition launch alongside Heike Wessoly, District Councillor for Urban Development, and representatives of the press.

Project Details: Retail, Community Space, and Shared Amenities

The development site spans approximately 5,000 square meters and is planned to support roughly 13,000 square meters of gross floor area, accommodating more than 200 apartments along with commercial space. The ground floor will house a grocery store and complementary retail offerings. A community hub, designed as a meeting place open to both future and existing residents of the surrounding neighborhood, is also part of the program. Additional amenities include a fitness room, landscaped outdoor areas, and a shared rooftop terrace.

The site at Cecilienplatz is located near U-Bahnhof Kaulsdorf-Nord in Hellersdorf-Süd, in the eastern part of Berlin.

"Cecilienplatz has been marked for years by the vacancy of the former shopping arcade and is also regarded by the district as a case of urban blight," said Sebastian Fischer. "With the start of demolition, we are now taking the first visible step toward developing a new residential neighborhood. The fact that we are reaching this milestone so soon after acquiring the site underscores the rapid progress of the project and our close cooperation with the district."

Wessoly echoed that assessment. "Cecilienplatz has long been a trouble spot for the district," she said. "That's why I'm very pleased that a new chapter is beginning today. With the start of demolition, we are laying the groundwork for an urban upgrade that will benefit the entire neighborhood. The planned local supply offerings and community hub in particular are important building blocks for developing Cecilienplatz further as a place worth living in."

Primus Expands 'Arrive' Brand Across Berlin

The Cecilienplatz project, branded "arrive hellersdorf," represents the eighth location under Primus Immobilien AG's "arrive" residential platform. The company is concurrently developing rental housing projects in Pankow, Westend, Kreuzberg, and Prenzlauer Berg. Specific projects in the pipeline include 305 apartments in Westend, 359 apartments in Kreuzberg, and 291 apartments in Pankow. The topping-out ceremony for "arrive pankow" has already taken place.

Primus Immobilien AG's total pipeline currently comprises more than 2,800 rental apartments, of which approximately 1,000 are already under construction.

Berlin Housing Market Context

The Cecilienplatz development comes against the backdrop of a persistently tight Berlin rental housing market. The market-active vacancy rate in Berlin's multi-family housing stock stood at just 0.3% in the most recent data from the Berlin Housing Market Report. Asking rents for new lettings in Berlin averaged €18.66 per square meter in the first half of 2026, a 4.3% decline year over year, while new-build asking rents averaged €21.92 per square meter over the same period.

The Cecilienplatz scheme is structured as a redevelopment of an obsolete retail site, with its mixed-use program — combining rental housing, neighborhood retail, and community amenities — reflecting a format increasingly common in Berlin's constrained development pipeline.

Sources

Primus Immobilien AG — Cecilienplatz Demolition Begins: Primus Starts New Project