Governor J. B. Pritzker discusses Illinois’ new quantum and microelectronics park to be developed at the former U. S. Steel South Works.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Gov. J. B. Pritzker’s purpose to make Illinois “the Silicon Valley of quantum development” took a step forward Thursday with the announcement of the structure of the 128-acre Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in the former U. S. Steel South Works.
The campus will be anchored by PsiQuantum, a Palo Alto, California-based company, which announced Thursday morning its plans to build the country’s first commercial quantum computer at the site.
The site is estimated to have an economic impact of $20 billion over the next decade and create thousands of jobs in quantum computing and similar fields. It will also breathe new life into the former South Works facility, which remains empty. since its closure 30 years ago.
“It’s an act of faith, in many ways,” Pritzker said. “The General Assembly understood that we had a wonderful opportunity, but they also knew that such an investment can be simply revolutionary. And that anything so timely and vital to do now. They really. . . They took charge.
Pritzker’s 2025 budget included $500 million in public investment to fund quantum research. Of this amount, $300 million will be committed to the South Works campus structure.
The City of Chicago allocated $5 million from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $1. 5 billion housing and economic progression bonds.
Cook County will contribute another $5 million to create the park, said Cook County Board of Commissioners Chairman Toni Preckwinkle. It is also working with the city on a new asset tax relief program. Through this program, the Quantum Campus could simply be qualified for tax incentives for MICRO Class 8 assets, reducing the assessment grades from the 25% standard for commercial housing to 10% for 30 years with no renewal period.
“This is a combined effort that has led all of us to not only the prospect of this project, but also to devote our time and investment to that belief,” Pritzker said. “It’s a stark testament to how much we can accomplish for Illinois, for the country and for the world when we all move in the same direction. “
Midwest President Curt Bailey said the rest of the 400-acre campus (for the 128-acre park) will likely focus on innovation and technology.
He expects to be related to 3 or 4 full buildings after the PsiQuantum facility and says interest in the park is already booming.
“There’s been a lot of people, most of them have already talked to the state,” Bailey said.
The Illinois quantum
The first is expected to be completed in 2027.
The PsiQuantum facility will be jointly developed by real estate company CRG and Associated Midwest. Lamar Johnson Collaborative will design the park’s first, which will span 30 acres, and Clayco will be the general contractor.
The old South Works site has been in trouble for a long time. Since the closure of the metal plant, several proposals have been submitted for the redevelopment of the assets, adding a new Solo Cup Co. plant. and thousands of houses. But environmental considerations about the site have contributed to the abandonment of redevelopment projects over the years.
Preckwinkle the Quantum Park is a “real, tangible transformative plan” and marks a historic moment for Chicago’s South End.
“Today’s historic announcement reflects a significant commitment across state and local governments to a neighborhood, a network of color, that has long been marginalized, and a genuine investment for a long time,” he said.
Johnson said he is “here to revitalize” and plans to link citizens to the thousands of new jobs that will be created on campus.
The campus also brings together “the brightest” in Illinois, said Jeremy O’Brien, CEO and co-founder of PsiQuantum.
Jeremy O’Brien, CEO of PsiQuantum
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
“This quantum computer will replace the way the world lives, paints and heals. And that device will be built here in Chicago,” O’Brien said. “Today we are on the cusp of a new era, one that promises cleaner skies. and seas, a faster progression of potentially life-saving drugs and progress we can begin to imagine. We look forward to the difficult work ahead of us and look forward to doing so with all of you here.
The park will be controlled through the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Harley Johnson, associate dean for research and founding professor at Grainger, will be the project’s first director.
The University of Chicago, the Chicago Quantum Exchange, Argonne National Laboratory, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and the U. S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency have all participated in the study. UU. se are among the teams that will gain advantages from the quantum campus.
Brian DeMarco, a professor of physics at Grainger Engineering and director of the Illinois Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology, will lead the management of the DARPA quantum testing ground and a first-of-its-kind cryogenic facility, Array.
Pritzker announced last week that DARPA would implement a program for quantum computing prototypes.
While city, county and state leaders have touted the campus as a “powerful testament” to what their combined efforts can accomplish, some neighbors have voiced considerations about the project.
Johnson’s said the site has obtained environmental clearance for development, but the city “will work intensively with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to meet any unforeseen remediation needs and meet existing regulatory standards. “
But some citizens are calling for an environmental impact assessment and an imaginable agreement on the benefits of the network. Among the voices pushing for such an agreement is the Southeast Alliance, an interfaith coalition of churches, schools, businesses, and networked organizations.
The alliance said in a news release that it was “concerned that the facility’s cooling systems could release hot water into Lake Michigan, promoting the spread of algae and destructive toxins. “”. And this could have a negative effect on the city’s aquatic life and drinking water.
“With this investment, we don’t need our communities to be left behind. We built the metal backbone of Chicago, we need to be included in its future,” Sam Corona, ESA network organizer and longtime resident, said in a statement. in southeast Chicago. .
When asked if a network benefits agreement would be negotiated, Pritzker said he had “never heard that before” and that all components would do their part to ensure the park’s success.
“I can tell you that many network profits have already been invested in this task because of the commitment made here,” he said. “The jobs, the cleanliness of the building itself, the investment dollars. . . I think they provide wonderful opportunities for the surrounding network. “
Rendering of the PsiQuantum facility at the former South Works site, which will house the country’s first large-scale quantum computer.
Psyche-Quantum
This story has been updated to note that the correct option for the asset tax relief scheme is Class 8 MICRO, which would cover a 30-year period.
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