Chicago Construction News staff writer
Steel is rising once more at Chicago’s historic South Works site, signaling the city’s industrial past is giving way to a high-tech future.
Last week, the first beam for Phase 1 of PsiQuantum at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) was lifted in a milestone ceremony. Clayco representatives Mary Person and Sean Moran joined 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico to mark the event.
“For generations, this ground helped forge the industrial backbone that shaped the city,” noted a post on Clayco’s LinkedIn. “Now, it’s becoming the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, a place where bold ideas will scale into world-changing innovation. The steel taking shape will support the facility for PsiQuantum, the anchor tenant of the campus and a global leader in quantum computing. Once completed, the first building for PsiQuantum will feature approximately 500 tons of structural steel, with more steel planned for the full IQMP.”
Developed by Related Midwest and CRG and designed by LJC, the project is being built by Clayco, BOWA Construction, and ALL Construction Group. The steel is being fabricated locally by Affordable Welding Iron Works, just two blocks from the site, bringing Chicago craftsmanship directly into the next generation of technology.PsiQuantum recently announced a far-reaching partnership with the State of Illinois, Cook County, and the City of Chicago to build the first U.S.-based utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer at the former U.S. Steel South Works property.
Under the agreement, PsiQuantum will anchor IQMP, catalyzing the state’s highly developed quantum ecosystem, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Chicago, the Chicago Quantum Exchange, Argonne and Fermi national labs, DARPA, and other federal research agencies.The Illinois 2025 state budget commits $500 million to the park’s development, including $200 million for a Cryogenic Plant to support PsiQuantum and other users.
PsiQuantum’s Quantum Computer Operations Center will span over 300,000 square feet, with additional acreage for future expansion. Incentives totaling more than $500 million over 30 years will enable rapid build-out and commissioning of the facility.
“This project represents the evolution of South Works from its industrial roots to a global innovation center,” said Alderman Chico. “It’s exciting to see Chicago continue to lead in technology and manufacturing simultaneously.”
Construction on Phase 1 continues as Quantum Shore Chicago prepares to welcome additional tenants, positioning South Works as a transformative engine for both local jobs and global innovation.
