CHICAGO (WLS) — A lakefront site on the Far South Side has been selected as the future home of a new quantum computing campus.
It will be built on the former U.S. Steel Southworks plant site, near 87th Street and South Dusable Lake Shore Drive, which has been vacant for many years.
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Company officials chose the shuttered site on the Far South Side over a former Texaco refinery in southwest suburban Lockport.
“PsyQuantum’s investment in Chicago marks a groundbreaking leap into the future, making the city the proud home of America’s first utility-scale quantum computer,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “This monumental project will revolutionize the healthcare and clean energy sectors, create countless jobs and spur economic growth. Together, we are ushering in a new era of innovation, equity and sustainability on Chicago’s South Side, solidifying Chicago’s position as a global hub for technological advancement.”
Silicon Valley tech startup PsiQuantum has released renderings showing what its facility will look like.
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The multibillion-dollar facility will be about 300,000 square feet and is expected to employ up to 150 people within five years, officials said.
PsiQuantum said it plans to operate within the state’s quantum ecosystem, which includes the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the University of Chicago, the Chicago Quantum Exchange, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and is based in the newly established Illinois Quantum Microelectronics Park (IQMP).
According to PsyQuantum, Illinois’ fiscal year 2025 budget includes $500 million dedicated to the development of Quantum Park.
The City of Chicago contributed $5 million from its Housing and Economic Development Bonds.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Johnson spoke about the situation Thursday afternoon.
Officials spoke about a quantum computing facility planned for Chicago.
“Given the limitless possibilities that quantum computing technology holds, it is crucial that we engage in quantum partnerships, research and infrastructure across the country. In Illinois, we are leading an effort to bring together stakeholders, experts and the next generation of quantum leaders with our first-of-its-kind quantum park. We are pleased to have PsiQuantum as our anchor tenant as we launch this exciting collaboration to create the jobs of the future, and PsiQuantum’s choice of Chicago solidifies our position as a global hub for quantum computing,” Pritzker said in a statement.
So far, the technology has been largely in the development stage.
Local officials say the Quantum Campus is estimated to cost $9 billion but could generate about $20 billion in revenue over the next decade.
“This is the future we are embracing today and one that we should all be very proud of,” said the chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Proponents were vague about the environmental impact the campus might have, and would not say whether the current site is contaminated.
But local community activist A. Ann Holcomb has concerns and isn’t convinced by the promises being made to the neighborhood and its residents.
“We want community benefits. We want environmental protection. We want jobs. We want job training,” Holcomb said.
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