Quantum Computing
Quantum computing uses the principles of quantum mechanics to solve complex problems potentially much faster than traditional computers can. It is a fast-growing industry that Illinois stands poised to be a global leader in, ensuring the benefits for industries, customers and local economies are felt right here in the state.
Quantum computing has the potential to tackle many of the biggest challenges in health care, energy, transportation, financial services, agriculture and national security. This technology will be a tool that engineers and scientists will leverage to help get life-saving drugs to patients faster, develop new approaches to green energy, design new efficient and cost-effective materials and more.
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (“IQMP”) is a first-of-its-kind campus for quantum scale-up and other related quantum and advanced microelectronics research and development. It is located at the former U.S. Steel South Works site (“the site”) on Chicago’s far South Side.
The IQMP is designed to support the full ecosystem of companies, researchers, suppliers, end users and other partners working to facilitate the development and commercialization of quantum technologies, including the country’s first fault-tolerant quantum computer. As a hub of research and investment, it will establish Illinois as a global destination for this cutting-edge technology and generate positive economic development for the state.
In its first phase of development, the campus will include a facility for anchor tenant PsiQuantum, a shared cryogenic cooling facility and a Quantum Research Center. Following this initial phase, it is anticipated that other tenants will join the campus, in addition to PsiQuantum expanding.
Site selection was a deliberate and strategic process. Ultimately, the site was chosen due to advantages in land availability, power availability, logistics and transit infrastructure. The site also has proximity to academic, research and laboratory partners, as well as access to a diverse workforce to fill the various types of roles needed at the park.
The IQMP represents an unprecedented opportunity to be at the forefront of a technology revolution. The park will spur economic growth in the coming years and will create hundreds of construction and permanent jobs, attract new partners and suppliers, and lead to additional amenities coming to the local community, while enhancing lakefront access and creating additional greenspace.
IQMP Team and Tenants
PsiQuantum is a quantum computing company focused on building and deploying the first useful, error-corrected quantum computer to allow critical industries to move past the limits of conventional computers. The company has close ties with US government agencies including partnerships with DARPA, AFRL and US Department of Energy. Its co-founders are some of the most well-respected minds in quantum computing and their team is now over 330 people in size.
PsiQuantum is building the first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in the United States. Their footprint will largely be connected to the PsiQuantum Quantum Computing Operations Center, which will hold the majority of their system and will appear similar to the layout of research buildings on a university campus.
The development partnership between Related Midwest and CRG will finance, build and retain ownership of the facility, entering into a long-term lease with PsiQuantum. PsiQuantum will own and operate the quantum computing system that they will build within the IQMP. A University of Illinois University-Related Organization will manage the broader IQMP campus.
A University-Related Organization (URO) is closely affiliated with a university, but operates as a separate legal entity. They are typically created to support a university's mission by handling activities that may be outside the scope of its regular operations. The URO, which is responsible for managing and operating the IQMP, was modeled after the URO operating the University of Illinois Research Park.
The URO is led by a Board of Managers with representatives from:
- Academic institutions including Chicago State University and City Colleges
- State government
- Nonprofit organizations
- Private sector companies
Workforce and the Community
The IQMP will require a wide range of jobs, including system operators, cryogenic plant technicians, site managers, logistics workers, supply chain shipping and receiving, human resources, security personnel, project and program managers and others. Meanwhile, scientists and engineers will research and develop technologies, develop and prototype equipment, and create industrial and commercial applications for quantum computing.
IQMP partners are talking with the City Colleges of Chicago, the University of Illinois System, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, Chicago State University and other postsecondary institutions about creating this talent pipeline of all skill levels to feed to employers on-campus.
Yes. Related Midwest is helping fund a partnership between United Way of Metro Chicago, Claretian Associates, and LISC to create a Quality of Life Plan for South Chicago. That process will engage residents and stakeholders in mapping out a vision for neighborhood development and growth. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity also expects to partner with the City Colleges of Chicago in their development of training programs for future quantum campus jobs.
Community members interested in sharing questions, comments or ideas for the IQMP, or signing up for future updates, can do so by filling out our Contact Form here. Please note that the IQMP is in the early stages of development. As the project continues, further updates on news, community meetings and opportunities to share your feedback, provide support and get engaged will become available.
Environmental Impact
PsiQuantum, the IQMP’s anchor tenant, will use 100% carbon free electricity to power their facility and have essentially zero emissions. There will be backup electrical generators onsite in the event of a power loss to maintain essential services, but during normal operations there will be zero emissions at the site. Should any component of the site’s operations require a permit from the Illinois EPA, those permits will be subject to the same protectiveness standards as any other comparable operation located elsewhere in the state.
One unique aspect of the IQMP will be the cryogenic cooling facility. This cryoplant is like a large refrigerator that will use electricity and produce heat as a byproduct, just like any home refrigerator, but one that does not use traditional refrigerant. Instead, it will use helium, the same safe gas used for balloons, and nitrogen, which is already present in the air we breathe.
Related Midwest, which has extensive previous experience with industrial sites, will be responsible for environmental remediation as part of their construction and design process for the IQMP. Significant remediation of the site was conducted under prior ownership, and normal construction and remediation practices will overcome any additional needs.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency hosts a website here with additional information about the regulatory processes impacting the project and relevant site reports.
Steelworkers Park and Park 566 will remain accessible, and the project team looks forward to improving access to green space on the campus as part of a commitment to promoting green and open space adjacent to the IQMP.
The IQMP plans to draw water for cooling from the city of Chicago municipal water system, not directly from Lake Michigan. Additionally, the cryogenic cooling facilities at the park will rely on helium and nitrogen — both inert, non-toxic and safe gases — and no chemical pollutants. This is similar to equipment that already operates at national labs, universities, hospitals and other institutions across the country and here in Illinois.
Environmental Testing and Site Conditions
Comprehensive testing was completed over the past 12 months, including soil and groundwater samples from 186 soil borings (with two samples analyzed at each soil boring), 44 test pits and 27 groundwater monitoring wells evenly spread across the 440-acre site — so conditions were checked every few acres, both at the surface and deeper below ground. Two prior investigations conducted in 2007 and 2017, which included the analysis of 168 soil samples, 24 groundwater samples and 41 soil gas samples, were also utilized in the overall site evaluation.
Quantum Shore’s environmental testing was led by Pioneer Engineering & Environmental Services, LLC, a full-service environmental consulting and geotechnical engineering firm. Since 1989, it has investigated over 35,000 sites — industrial, commercial, retail and residential — across the U.S. As the No. 1 firm of its kind in Illinois, Pioneer has obtained more than 800 No Further Remediation (NFR) letters through the voluntary Site Remediation Program (SRP) and Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program.
Findings from the most recent and prior environmental analyses all pointed to the same conclusion: the soil and groundwater conditions on the site are what experts typically see on industrial properties like this one. Specifically, testing confirmed weathered petroleum hydrocarbons, metals and isolated detections of other substances in soil and groundwater. The site’s environmental conditions, which are in the moderate range for an industrial site, are fully manageable and have remained stable over time according to multiple rounds of testing spanning several decades.
The documentation submitted this year pertained to tanks that were removed from the site in 1997, but the required paperwork was never formalized with the IEPA. The tanks in question, which were located on the northwest side of the site, no longer pose an environmental risk and the area will be addressed with the same proposed engineered barriers as the rest of the site. Other tanks have not been located throughout extensive testing of the full 440-acre site.
A brownfield is land that used to be home to a factory, warehouse or other industrial business — like the former U.S. Steel South Works site here in South Chicago. When those businesses closed, they sometimes left behind small amounts of materials in the soil from past operations. Cleaning up, or remediating, a brownfield allows the land to be reused safely — for housing, businesses, parks, or in this case, the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP).
Remediation Plan and Strategy
Related Midwest, developer of Quantum Shore Chicago, submitted its environmental report to the Illinois EPA and enrolled the entire 440-acre property in the Site Remediation Program (SRP).
To meet the highest ecological and regulatory standards, the remediation strategy for Quantum Shore Chicago goes beyond the protections offered by past No Further Remediation letters and encompasses multiple measures designed to minimize disruption to the surrounding area and ensure the site is safe from contamination:
- Installation of a horizontal engineered barrier composed of asphalt, concrete or clean soil over geotextile fabric to cover the entire site, preventing potential future exposure to underlying soils. This was not required by the prior NFR letter and adds an increased level of protection for future site occupants and the surrounding community.
- Construction of an underground vertical engineered barrier wall around the IQMP site perimeter that will act as a barrier and filter to physically contain and treat contaminants, preventing migration to surface waters, including Lake Michigan and the Calumet River.
- Excavation and off-site disposal of two small areas with contaminants, selected because this approach is both effective and feasible, and because the impacted areas are located closest to adjacent residential areas.
- Recording of updated NFR letters on the property deed.
The use of engineered barriers was selected over the excavation and removal of contaminants for several reasons:
- This environmentally friendly solution effectively contains contaminants and prevents them from posing risks in the future.
- Containment limits soil disturbance, which in turn significantly reduces dust emissions, helping protect air quality, minimize respiratory health risks and improve safety on and around the site.
- The method is consistent with successful strategies used across Illinois and the Chicago region and has a proven track record of success.
Protecting water quality is of critical importance. The remediation plan includes construction of a sealed, underground barrier wall around the site perimeter, acting as both a physical barrier as well as a filter to prevent any movement of materials from the soil or groundwater into nearby waterways like Lake Michigan and the Calumet River. This method has been proven effective at other remediated industrial locations throughout Illinois. It’s also important to note that Chicago’s drinking water does not come from groundwater beneath the site — it comes from Lake Michigan, and it is treated and monitored by the City of Chicago’s Department of Water Management to meet rigorous state and federal safety standards.
Construction and Implementation
Remediation work is expected to begin this fall, pending IEPA’s approval of the plan. It will be conducted in phases, beginning with the IQMP site.
No. In fact, the construction is an integral part of the remediation plan because the engineered barriers will be constructed as the development progresses.
The installation of engineered barriers is an environmentally friendly solution that effectively contains contaminants and prevents them from posing risks in the future. Additionally, this measure limits soil disturbance, which in turn significantly reduces dust emissions, helping protect air quality, minimize respiratory health risks and improve safety on and around the site. Construction will also be carefully managed to minimize disruption. Dust monitors have been installed around the site with alarms to track air quality, and mitigation measures will be in place to control dust, noise and vibration for the surrounding community.
Monitoring and Long-Term Stewardship
Related Midwest has enrolled the entire site in the IEPA’s Site Remediation Program (SRP) to ensure full compliance with all environmental laws and regulations. In partnership with IEPA officials, it will conduct any further remediation that’s required as it proceeds with subsequent phases of the Quantum Shore Master Plan. From a practical standpoint, the surface engineered barriers will be visible and can be inspected to ensure they are maintained and functioning as designed. A 30-year monitoring plan is proposed for the vertical engineered barrier to ensure it is functioning as designed.
As a result of their extensive experience in this area, Related Midwest has an excellent track record with the IEPA and, as needed, have coordinated with other agencies including the USEPA to successfully and responsibly execute complex projects. This is not a self-regulated effort — it’s a process with strict regulatory review, testing and verification to ensure the highest level of safety for residents and workers alike.
The IEPA Report was submitted as part of the Illinois Remediation Program (IRP). It is publicly available on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) website, epa.illinois.gov, so that any interested parties can access it freely. Community members can stay informed throughout the remediation process by visiting the Illinois EPA website, which will post public notices about the project. Residents can also reach out to their local Alderperson’s office, which will help share timely information and updates with constituents as the work progresses.