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CHICAGO (WLS) — A lakefront in the far south has been selected as the future home of a new quantum computing campus.
It will be on what was long unoccupied in the former U. S. Steel South Works, next to 87th Street and South DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Company officials chose the closed Far South Side site, rather than a former Texaco refinery in the southwestern suburbs of Lockport.
“PsiQuantum’s investment in the city of Chicago is a revolutionary step into the future, making our city the proud home of the United States’ first large-scale quantum computer,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “This monumental task will revolutionize the fields of medicine and blank energy, creating countless jobs and boosting economic growth. Together, we are ushering in a new era of innovation, justice and sustainability for the South Side, cementing Chicago’s position as a global hub for technological advancement. “
A rendering of what the Silicon Valley tech startup’s PsiQuantum facility will look like has been released.
RELATED: New $140 Million Illinois Federal Investment for Quantum Computing Research
Officials say the multimillion-dollar facility will span about 300,000 square feet and employ up to 150 more people over five years.
PsiQuantum has announced plans to anchor the Illinois New Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), which runs within the state’s quantum ecosystem, which includes the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the University of Chicago, the Chicago Quantum Exchange, Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories and DARPA, the U. S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency. and others.
The Illinois state budget for fiscal year 2025 committed $500 million to the advancement of Quantum Park, PsiQuantum reported.
The city of Chicago invested $5 million in its economic and housing bonds.
Gov. J. B. Pritzker and Johnson spoke about Thursday afternoon.
“Given the infinite prospects of quantum computing technology, we have interaction in partnerships, research and quantum infrastructure across our country. In Illinois, we are leading the pace with this quantum park, the first of its kind, to unite stakeholders, experts, and generations of long-term quantum leaders. I am grateful that PsiQuantum will be our anchor tenant as we launch this exciting collaboration to create long-term jobs, and PsiQuantum’s choice for Chicago solidifies our standing as a global center for quantum computing. quantum computing,” Pritzker said in a statement.
So far, the generation has focused heavily on progression.
The local government says the cost of the quantum campus is estimated at $9 billion, but that it could generate only about $20 billion over the next 10 years.
“This is the long term we are entering today and we are all incredibly proud of it,” said the rector of the University of Urbana-Champaign.
Supporters have not distinguished themselves on the possible environmental effects the campus may have and have not said whether the existing one is contaminated.
But local network activist A. Anne Holcomb has her thoughts and is convinced by the promises made to the network and its residents.
“We need protection for the community; We need environmental protection. We need jobs. We need vocational training,” Holcomb said.
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