CHICAGO | Economic & Business Development

[Randomguy34]

Not specifically Chicago, but very related to our discussion of ACS estimates the past couple of years. NYC's Planning Department doesn't trust the ACS 2023 estimates, especially since it doesn't count the almost 200k migrants who've arrived in the city. They told the NYTimes that they're will work with the Census to correct their estimates. I recommend everyone reads the NYC Planning's report, they list some explanations of why ACS is wildly off: https://www.nyc.gov/site/planning/pl...estimates.page

Chicago should also ask the Census to correct the 2023 estimates. I mentioned in the General Discussions thread that the city undercounts the number of migrants in the city, since they only tally people on buses sent by Texas. So this number also doesn't count the over 30k Ukrainians who've arrived in the past two years. I'd rather we not end up in the same scenario as NYC where there are drastically two different estimates, and the media primarily reports the significantly lower one.

[sentinel]

I have to say, seeing all the Boeing-related news as of late and how their toxic C-suite culture has messed up flagship products so profoundly, I'm kinda glad they're not based out of or associated with Chicago anymore.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by sentinel

I have to say, seeing all the Boeing-related news as of late and how their toxic C-suite culture has messed up flagship products so profoundly, I'm kinda glad they're not based out of or associated with Chicago anymore.

I have to admit - I agree. And I don't want to see anyone fail but things are surfacing now showing the CEO and C-suite was more concerned with greasing the hands of the government to short cut safety and quality things and move a small operational HQ instead of you know - making sure everything was of the utmost quality.

I'm surprised the CEO stepping down isn't effective immediately or within a month rather than end of the year. The guy should just retire and stop fucking with important industries. He's a disgrace.

[Kngkyle]

An interesting one...

South Works site, Lockport refinery eyed for potential quantum computer factory

Two massive industrial sites that symbolize Chicago’s manufacturing decline — a former steel mill on the South Side and a former refinery in the southwest suburbs — could get new life in the race to build cutting-edge technology.

PsiQuantum is considering the former U.S. Steel South Works site and the former Texaco refinery in Lockport for a facility to build and operate quantum computers, which could result in more than 1,000 jobs, sources familiar with the project tell Crain’s. A final decision could come in the next six weeks.

...

But sources familiar with the property said a new developer is entering the mix: Related Midwest, which is believed to be closing in on an option to buy the entire 440-acre site in connection with the quantum project.

...

That translates into a project of massive scale: two facilities totaling 500,000 square feet that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, sitting on a site of more than 60 acres, a source familiar with the plan says. The facilities will require enormous amounts of power and water, which is why the company is looking at a former steel plant and refinery.

...

It's unclear whether Related Midwest would pursue a larger development at South Works if it is selected by PsiQuantum.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...icle1-headline

[twister244]

Wow - Interesting indeed.... Is the desire to manufacture here driven by the proximity to water resources? Or is this because of Pritzker's efforts on the quantum front?

Either way, this is great news.

EDIT:

Yeah, this is definitely all tied into Pritzker's push to make Chicago a hub of Q research/investment/etc..... Probably not a coincidence this news is coming out just as Pritzker is touting "The Bloch Tech Hub". From what I have dug up, it was one of the 31 recognized tech hubs through the fed's EDA Phase 1. What remains to be seen is how much money, if any, "The Bloch" gets from Phase 2.

https://www.eda.gov/funding/funding-...rogram-phase-2

For each Tech Hubs selected for Implementation Grants, EDA expects to fund approximately 3-8 tightly aligned projects – totaling between $40 million and $70 million each – that aim to collectively address the region’s key inhibitors of global competitiveness.

So, just to summarize:
- Pritzker is pushing for $500 million in state funding for Quantum investments
- We are in the application stage of Phase 2, which, if awarded, could be several more millions in investments
- We have a Quantum company based out of CA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PsiQuantum) is considering building out a computer factory on the far South Side.

It's days like this I am glad we have Pritzker as the adult in the room...... Definitely put a pin on this news. If Pritzker can land victories on all of these fronts, it will bring major economic investment to the region in the long run.

[Kngkyle]

Open-water swim in Chicago River to be held in September, the first in more than 100 years

After 12 years of planning, organizers say an open-water swim in the Chicago River is set to be held in September, after receiving approval from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Swimmers may be hesitant to immediately jump into the river’s murky waters, as some raise concerns about bacteria from untreated sewage. On rainy days, runoff water pollution can occur, and swimmers can bump into boat traffic.

“We wouldn’t want to encourage people to swim in the river willy-nilly because you want to make sure you’re safe,” said Margaret Frisbie of Friends of the Chicago River, a nonprofit focused on the river's health.

That’s why organizers set plans to ensure water quality and safety, leading up to the open-water swim — the first one in the Chicago River in more than 100 years. They will track water quality every 15 minutes, using data from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the nonprofit water innovation hub Current.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago...ming-education

I'd love to see using the river in this way expanded beyond a charity event. An annual event to go tubing down the river for example would be quite a sight to behold and probably garner as much global publicity as dying the river green. I was in Madrid during St. Patrick's Day weekend this year and they were showing the Chicago River being dyed green on the local news, for example.

[Tom In Chicago]

^Fucking gross. . . The Chicago River is barely clean enough to walk alongside much less get in on a small boat. . .

. . .

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Fucking gross. . . The Chicago River is barely clean enough to walk alongside much less get in on a small boat. . .

. . .

If Chicagoans can down Malort on a daily basis, I think they can handle a little swimming in the River..... I find your lack of faith disturbing.

[Klippenstein]

There's a big difference between the North and South branches and the main branch from what I understand because of the fresh water from Lake Michigan.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Fucking gross. . . The Chicago River is barely clean enough to walk alongside much less get in on a small boat. . .

. . .

It's mostly fresh Lake Water in the main branch, the nasty stuff is all down past Chinatown where things get really industrial.

It's probably cleaner than my place on the river up in Wisconsin where there's tons of fame runoff with fertilizer and animal shit being washed into it.

[Tom In Chicago]

^I'm down by the river a lot during the warm weather months. . . is it a LOT better than it was 20 years ago? Oh yeah. . . but it's still fucking gross. . .

. . .

[sentinel]

Friendly reminder to please stay on-topic before posts start getting removed.