Quantum Hub looks to move forward at South Works
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A rendering of what South Works could look like as a quantum hub. Renderings: Courtesy of Lamar Johnson Collaborative
The city and state are pressing forward on turning the former U.S. Steel location on the Southeast Side into a quantum computer hub, despite environmental objections.
Why it matters: Gov. JB Pritzker and other state leaders are pushing Illinois to be the epicenter of quantum technology, leading to jobs, economic growth and new manufacturing opportunities.
The big picture: The cutting-edge particle can do everything from speed up broadband, eliminate hacking, and create new medicines and treatments in the quest to cure cancer.
Context: In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce designated Illinois a quantum technology hub, which, among other things, brings federal funding to universities that have stepped up to be leaders in developing this technology.
Flashback: The 500-acre South Works, the former site of a U.S. Steel factory that closed in 1992, has long been dormant as many different projects weren't able to get off the ground, including golf courses, housing developments and even rumored sports stadiums.
- The former steel site that starts at 79th and Lake Michigan on Chicago's Southeast side is a huge part of Chicago's bygone manufacturing history.
State of play: PsiQuantum, a Silicon Valley-based company is building what it says is the world's first "useful" quantum computer at the old South Works location. The massive computer will serve as the anchor of the new quantum hub.
What they're saying: "We've spent our entire life trying to realize a quantum computer," PsiQuantum's co-founder Pete Shadbolt tells Axios.
- "It started out in a research lab as a pipe dream, but now we are staring at this land on the South Side of Chicago and realizing we are about to build it. It's an amazing feeling."
The intrigue: PsiQuantum was lured here with $500 million in build-out funds from the state, plus millions more in tax incentives. Shadbolt says being surrounded by lawmakers, developers and engineers who believe in building this helps immensely.
- "Silicon Valley was the best place in the world for us to develop the chips and the algorithms to run on the system," Shadbolt says. "But as far as building a machine itself, Illinois is a dream. To be part of the area's incredible history of large-scale engineering is remarkable."
Yes, but: This is not a done deal. Conservationists, alongside Friends of the Park, are pushing back at the governor's plans for South Works, citing environmental concerns and disrupting wildlife.
- They are asking the Chicago Plan Commission to delay approving the innovation hub at a meeting today.
What's next: The Chicago Plan Commission is scheduled to meet today to approve the plan. PsiQuantum is hoping to break ground at South Works in early 2025.