The University of Illinois has scrapped plans to build a large research center near downtown Chicago, choosing instead a lakefront site nearly 10 miles south.
Discovery Partners Institute was scheduled to begin development on The 78, a vacant riverfront lot southwest of the Loop where developer Related Midwest plans to build a new neighborhood.
University leaders announced that the majority of DPI’s research and laboratory space will now be located at the former U.S. Steel South Works plant, the site of the new Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. With hundreds of millions of dollars in federal, state and local funding, the park hired California-based technology company PsiQuantum as its anchor tenant in July.
A University of Illinois-led organization manages the Quantum Campus, and locating DPI there will give researchers, faculty and students easy access to cutting-edge technology and facilities, University of Illinois System Chancellor said. said Tim Killeen.
“Quantum computing has the potential to solve problems that today’s digital computers cannot reach,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense that[DPI and IQMP]don’t work seamlessly together. Now we have an opportunity to take advantage of that.”
This sudden move is a surprising blow to The 78. In 2022, DPI unveiled its design for a futuristic, eight-story, glass-and-steel domed headquarters, with initial construction beginning this year. Associated Midwest expected DPI to become the crown jewel of The 78 and draw other users to its 62-acre property between Roosevelt Road and Chinatown.
Company officials remain optimistic about The 78’s potential and will continue efforts to attract new stadiums for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Fire to the site, along with other potential uses such as housing. said. Associated Midwest is also the co-developer of Quantum Park, which is part of a broader 400-acre master plan known as 8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
“While we were disappointed to learn of DPI’s decision to withdraw from The 78, its departure opens up opportunities for new partnerships and site configurations, including the current DPI parcel, that were not possible under previous plans. ” said a company spokesperson. “Given its proximity to downtown, its proximity to the river, and its flexibility to accommodate a wide range of uses, The 78 can accommodate large institutions looking to plant their flag in the heart of Chicago. It is unparalleled in that respect.”
Chicago’s new stadium will likely require state funding, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker and many lawmakers seem reluctant to spend the money. Pritzker said he would put $500 million into funding for DPI and other centers of excellence, which will form the core of a growing ecosystem of research hubs, high-tech facilities and startups, and the backbone of new industries.
Killeen said DPI could expand its operations if it scrapped plans to build a luxury headquarters downtown. The institute is in the early stages of designing a new research center.
On September 6, 2024, a baseball field was opened at No. 78. 78 is a vacant riverfront lot southwest of the Loop that developer Related Midwest hopes to create a new neighborhood on. (E. Jason Wambs Guns/Chicago Tribune)
“While it doesn’t have to be an iconic architectural treasure, DPI will have a significant presence in Quantum Park,” he said. “This is an expansion of our vision, not a dilution.”
The institute plans to maintain its current West Loop headquarters for the time being, Killeen added. But it could also start looking for a new location downtown called DPI North to house offices and many classrooms.
“We’re going to continue to grow and expand our commitment to downtown Chicago,” he said.
DPI’s new location was first reported by Crain’s Chicago Business.
