Chicago’s abandoned steel mill reborn as America’s quantum computing hub by 2027

The words of Bob Dylan, a native of the Upper Midwest, echo through time: “the times they are a-changin’.” Nowhere is that transformation more evident than in Chicago, where the city is shedding its Rust Belt identity to emerge as a leader in the twenty-first century’s quantum computing revolution.

The centerpiece of this metamorphosis is the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), a 128-acre campus being built on the site of the former U.S. Steel South Works—a foundry that once employed tens of thousands before its closure in 1992. The decommissioned steel mill, which operated for decades, is being repurposed into a cutting-edge hub for quantum technology development, with completion slated for 2027.

From steel to silicon: The rebirth of U.S. Steel South Works

Matt Herman, senior vice president and project principal for WSP, the engineering and professional services firm leading the project’s development, underscores the significance of the site’s physical and symbolic transformation. “U.S. Steel ran their facilities there for decades, and it’s well-documented the decline in the number of employees that the steel mill had,” he says, citing the impacts of automation and globalization. “And at the end of the day, the steel mill was cleared, demolished, and sold off. But the foundation remained.”

That foundation—both literal and figurative—now serves as the bedrock for a new industry. The remnants of the steel mill’s infrastructure, combined with the talent and expertise of the surrounding community, are being repurposed to fuel the rise of quantum computing in the region.

Chicago Quantum Exchange: Building an integrated quantum ecosystem

The IQMP is just one component of a broader initiative to establish Chicago and the Midwest as a global leader in quantum technology. This effort is being spearheaded by the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), a consortium of universities, national laboratories, and global corporations.

Kate Waimey Timmerman, CEO of the CQE, explains the organization’s mission: “The CQE is a consortium of universities, Department of Energy National Labs, and companies that are global in nature, with concentric circles leading to the Midwest and Chicago.”

The CQE’s origins and expansion

Founded in 2017, the CQE began with a core of national laboratories and universities, including:

• The University of Chicago
• Argonne National Laboratory
• Fermilab
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Northwestern University
• Purdue University

Since its inception, the CQE has expanded to include over 50 corporate partners, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to emerging quantum startups. The organization’s overarching goal is to create an integrated discovery-to-deployment ecosystem, where basic research is translated into real-world applications.

From research to real-world impact

Timmerman highlights the diverse applications of quantum technology under development, including:

• Quantum sensors for aviation
• New drug discoveries
• Advanced materials
• Quantum computing innovations

“The overarching goal is to build an integrated discovery through deployment ecosystem,” she says. “Through collective effort, the member institutions engage in basic research, which can then be applied and turned into products and technologies.”

Why Chicago? The Midwest’s quantum advantage

The Midwest’s emergence as a quantum hub is no accident. The region boasts several key advantages:

• World-class research universities producing quantum talent
• Access to federal laboratories, including Argonne and Fermilab
• A legacy of industrial infrastructure, now being repurposed for cutting-edge technology
• A skilled workforce with deep ties to the region’s industrial past

“The Midwest has always had these phenomenal resources,” Timmerman notes, emphasizing the region’s potential to drive the next wave of technological innovation.