Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park

The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) is a planned, 128-acre quantum computing technology campus, located at the southern end of the Quantum Shore Chicago site on the south side of Chicago. IQMP will be a global center for quantum-enabled research and technology development which will be managed and operated by a University-Related Organization (URO) LLC established by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. The site will connect government, universities, national labs, and industry to facilitate the development of quantum technologies. In the first phase of development, the campus will include the PsiQuantum facility, a shared cryogenic cooling facility, and a Quantum Research Center. The IQMP is in the initial phase of a broader development plan being implemented by Related Midwest and CRG.

PsiQuantum, a quantum computing technology company, will be the first tenant at the site. Quantum computing uses subatomic particles for storing and processing data rather than the electric signals used in conventional computing. This allows for faster processing of much more complex data than standard computers.

Site Remediation

The Illinois EPA Site Remediation Program (SRP) is a voluntary cleanup program, overseeing the assessment and remediation of environmentally contaminated properties by Remediation Applicants (RA). Upon enrollment in the SRP, a remedial applicant is generally required to perform the following:

Conduct a Site Investigation
Develop Cleanup Objectives
Develop a Remedial Action Plan
Perform Remedial Action and Document the Cleanup

Illinois EPA is authorized to issue a No Further Remediation letter once an RA demonstrates that site investigation and remediation has been completed in accordance with the state cleanup standards set out in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 742.

Past Remediation

U.S. Steel South Works (U.S. Steel) was an integrated steelmaking facility that formerly operated at a 567-acre site on the south-side of Chicago. The facility opened in 1882 as the North Chicago Railway Mill Company and the mill went through several name changes before becoming the U.S. Steel South Works. In 1992, U.S. Steel permanently ceased operations at this location.

In the 1990s, U.S. Steel conducted a large-scale remediation of the South Works property. The remediation was performed in three phases to evaluate soil and groundwater to ensure that conditions at the site were suitable for redevelopment. The site was evaluated for reuse as residential property. In 1997, Illinois EPA issued a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter for the majority of the South Works property for residential reuse, meaning the site could be used in the future for residential development. An NFR letter is a document from Illinois EPA that demonstrates that site investigation and remediation has been completed and meets state cleanup standards. The 1997 NFR letter did not cover the North and South Vessel Slips and the 3.76-acre Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company parcel contiguous with 86th and Burley Ave.

At the request of USEPA, Illinois EPA investigated sediment contamination in the North vessel slip and South vessel slip and issued separate NFR letters for each slip in 2008. Another NFR letter was issued for the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company parcel in 2010.

The North and South Slips are not a part of the IQMP development and will continue to be owned by US Steel. After the appearance of a sheen in the North Slip in 2019, the sediment in the North slip is again under investigation. US Steel has enrolled in the SRP program to evaluate remediation of the North Slip.

Current Status

The developers of Quantum Shore, Related Midwest (Related) and CRG, completed an updated, site-wide environmental investigation in March of 2025. The purpose of the investigation was to examine current site conditions as part of the developers’ efforts to meet current environmental standards and obtain a new No Further Remediation (NFR) letter to ensure the site remains protective of human health and the environment. The developers took ownership of the property in September of 2025 and all 440 acres of the proposed development were enrolled into Illinois EPA’s Site Remediation Program (SRP) on October 15, 2025.

The developers have submitted an Investigation Report, a Remedial Objectives Report, and a Remedial Action Plan to the SRP for review and approval. All three documents, along with their respective figures, tables, and appendices, are available for viewing at the links provided below.

In addition to the Investigation Report, Remedial Objectives Report, and Remedial Action Plan, the developers will also need to submit a Remedial Action Completion Report for review and approval before the site is eligible for a NFR letter. The Illinois EPA anticipates the submission of multiple Remedial Action Completion Reports, each covering a small portion of the site, due to the expectation that any remediation necessary will be completed in phases as individual parcels within the site are developed. The first phase of development will be construction of the IQMP on the southernmost 128 acres of the site.