University of Illinois scraps plans to build $300 million technology hub near downtown Chicago

The University of Illinois’ $300 million technology and research hub, Discovery Partners Institute, will not be built on a property just south of downtown Chicago.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the site, known as "the 78," is now being touted as a possible location for new stadiums for the Chicago White Sox baseball team and the Chicago Fire soccer team.

The university's technology hub, which already was under construction at The 78, will instead have a presence at the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park, site of the former U.S. Steel South Works plant on the city's South Side. Both The 78 and the quantum computing facility are being developed by Related Midwest.

Quantum computing’s potential has exploded since the Discovery Partners Institute was announced in 2017. It could lead to the manufacturing of new medical drugs and make sensitive data almost impermeable to hacking, among other possibilities touted by experts.

The institute, also referred to as DPI, was exploring more-cost effective options for its headquarters. That ultimately wasn’t at The 78, said Adrienne Nazon, the University of Ilinois System’s vice president of external relations and communications.

DPI plans to keep a downtown headquarters, which will be DPI North. Its presence at the state quantum park — described as “a quantum-focused facility established in partnership with globally recognized companies” — will become DPI South.

There was some early construction and land preparation already underway at The 78 when U of I decided to pull the plug. The school system invested about $25 million in design and pre-planning for its hub at The 78, according to Nazon. More money will be spent to unwind operations there.

Related Midwest remains “committed to developing The 78, which continues to have transformational potential for our city,” a spokesperson said.

“Given its proximity to downtown, adjacency to the river and flexibility to accommodate a wide range of uses, The 78 stands alone in its ability to house large institutions that want to plant their flag in the heart of Chicago. We are actively exploring the co-location of dual stadiums for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Fire, two organizations whose presence at The 78 would align with our vision of creating Chicago’s next great neighborhood.”