The lakefront advocacy group Friends of the Parks (FOTP) is voicing strong opposition to a proposed quantum computing campus on Chicago’s Far South Side, ahead of an upcoming rezoning meeting.
In an email, FOTP is urging its supporters to vote against rezoning the 440-acre former US Steel South Works Site, a vacant area located along the lakefront. The organization expressed concerns over the speed at which the project is advancing, citing limited community involvement and public scrutiny.
“This project is moving at quantum speed with minimal community engagement or public scrutiny,” said the group’s interim executive director in a written statement. “While Chicago residents and small businesses are facing property tax increases, the Quantum Campus has already been granted a significant tax reduction from 25% to 10% and permit fee waivers.” The statement further emphasized the need for careful review of any development involving the city’s lakefront and ecologically sensitive areas.
FOTP has a history of opposing major developments along the lakefront. In 2016, the group successfully blocked plans for George Lucas’ museum near the lake, and it has also opposed stadium proposals for the Museum Campus, including plans by the Chicago Bears for a new stadium.
The quantum computing campus is part of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), which Governor J.B. Pritzker announced in July, naming PsiQuantum, a California-based company, as the first tenant. The state is investing $500 million into the project, which is expected to generate significant economic benefits and create thousands of jobs.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson and his Chief Operating Officer were asked about the fast pace of the project, with some expressing concerns about the speed of its development.
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