Plan Commission approves Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park

The Chicago Plan Commission has approved plans for the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP), a new quantum innovation campus that marks the first phase of a broader 400-acre master plan at 8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Related Midwest and CRG will collaborate on the development of the IQMP.

8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive is located on the former U.S. Steel South Works site along the Lake Michigan shoreline, one of the largest contiguous infill waterfront properties in the country.

The development team has developed urban design guidelines for the sprawling property. For regional and neighborhood connectivity, the project will improve connections to Lake Michigan, Steelworkers Park, Park 566, and the Calumet River. The two parks will be connected around the North Slip with native landscaping and public pedestrian pathways. A new public access pathway will be added along the south boundary of the site from 89th St to provide access to the Calumet River.

Urban design guidelines include creating meaningful, landscaped setbacks along the adjacent residential neighborhood to help create a natural buffer from the development. To implement cultural interpretation, the design guidelines call for interpretive signage, public art, and preservation of historic structures.

Set to occupy the portion of the site south of E. 87th St and east of S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, the IQMP will be a 128-acre phased development designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative. Anchored by PsiQuantum, the IQMP will become a state-of-the-art location for quantum, microelectronics and affiliated industries and suppliers, workforce development facilities, and cryogenic facilities essential for research and development in next-generation microelectronics and quantum technologies.

The first phase of the project will include an 88,000 square foot building with office and technical space that will be built by-right on the property. The design uses Corten steel on the exterior to harken back to the site’s industrial heritage while including bird-friendly glass and textured precast concrete. The team expects to break ground on the building in Q1 2025 and have its core and shell completed by December 2025.

Phase 2 of the campus will include approximately 260,000 square feet of office and tech space that will become home to the project’s quantum computer. The design extends the architectural language from Phase 1 and is positioned to create a campus experience with attention given to design the spaces between buildings. Phase 2 is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

To allow for the development, the team is seeking to rezone the site to a unified C3-5 before instituting a Planned Development designation. With Chicago Plan Commission approval secured, the proposal can seek final approvals from the Committee on Zoning and City Council.