Quantum Shore developers expect to spend millions on remediation at old South Works site

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PulseNova

Quantum Shore developers face millions of dollars in remediation costs for South Works site.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has received remediation plans from Related Midwest and CRG, the developers behind the forthcoming quantum computing campus at the former U.S. Steel South Works plant. According to a spokesperson for Related Midwest, their plan is currently under review by the Illinois EPA.

However, neighborhood organizations are still pushing for more assurances that they will benefit from the site's transformation into a technology hub. Neighbors have warned that toxins and heavy metals like arsenic remain at the site, despite previous cleanup efforts in 1997 and 2010. The state agency issued "no further remediation" letters for the land after these efforts.

Despite this, Related Midwest has worked with Pioneer Engineering and Environmental Services to complete soil and groundwater testing, which found petroleum levels exceeding today's cleanup standards in five areas within 1,200 feet of nearby homes. To address this, the developer plans to install an engineered barrier around the site to protect air quality and minimize respiratory health risks.

The estimated cost of the barrier is $25 million, while the remainder of the development area is expected to cost over $100 million. Community organizations, such as Friends of the Parks, are calling for a commitment from Related Midwest to remediate the land and make it safe for the community.

Friends of the Parks wants the establishment of a fund to benefit residents, along with a framework plan for the Southeast lakefront. Their Southeast Side Parks Benefits and Commitments plan also demands full remediation of the land, ongoing environmental monitoring, and a guarantee that public spaces remain open, accessible, and free from surveillance.

The community benefits agreement has been a long-standing demand for many organizations in the area, who believe that the massive development should come with concrete commitments to address environmental concerns and provide equitable benefits to the local community.
 
omg this is so sus 🤯 i mean whats up with these quantum computing folks thinking they can just swoop in and turn a toxic site into some fancy tech hub? 🤖 like what about the people living nearby? haven't they been dealing with all these environmental issues for years already? 😩 the $25 million barrier is cool and all, but it's gotta be more than that... how bout the whole development area gets torn down and rebuilt from scratch, with some serious community benefits attached? 🤝 like a fund to help residents who have been affected by the pollution, and a promise to keep public spaces safe and free. 💕
 
Ugh, I'm so worried about this Quantum Shore thingy 🤯... I mean, can't they just make sure everything is clean before building? They're planning a huge tech hub and still got toxins in the soil 😩. Like, what if people get sick from breathing bad air or drinking dirty water? Related Midwest should be all like "sorry, neighbors" 💔. And $25 million to put up an engineering barrier? That's a drop in the bucket compared to the total cost 🤑. Can't they just prioritize the community for once? We need something more than promises from developers... like real commitments to make sure our environment is safe 🌿.
 
🤔 The whole thing feels like a big mess. First, you gotta clean up the site, which they did back in 97 and 2010, but apparently, it wasn't enough. Now they're talking about spending millions more to make it safe, which is still a lot of money. Meanwhile, the community is worried about toxins and heavy metals lingering around. It's not just about the financials; it's about people's health and well-being.

I think Related Midwest needs to step up their game and offer more than just some pie-in-the-sky promises. They need to commit to making this development work for everyone, not just themselves. A fund for residents is a good start, but what else can they do to make sure the community benefits from all this? 🤑
 
omg i cant even 🤯 these devs are talkin bout remediation costs of millions but theres still ppl livin next 2 the site? like what about us?! 🙄 they did some soil testing and found high levels of petroleum in a few spots but now they wanna build an engineered barrier for $25 mil lol its gonna cost way more than that. i get its not their fault but come on devs do somethin 4 this community! 🤝 related midwest needs 2 step up their game n make sure these ppl r protected. we need a fund 4 the residents n a plan 4 the lakeside park n public spaces 2 b safe n free. its not too much 2 ask i guess 😊
 
🤯 I gotta say, 25 million bucks for a barrier sounds like a drop in the bucket compared to what Related Midwest is bringing to the table - $100 million+ is crazy talk! 💸 But seriously, can't we just get a concrete plan from them on how they're gonna make this site safe for the community? 🤔 I mean, they've done some soil and groundwater testing, but that's not the same as making it good enough for humans to live next door. And $25 million is a pretty small price to pay if it means people can breathe easy without all the toxins lingering around. 💨 What's the holdup here? Can't they just commit to something concrete instead of waiting for the EPA to give them the green light? 🤷‍♀️
 
I'm low-key worried about this whole thing 🤔. I mean, $25 million sounds like peanuts compared to the $100 million+ they're gonna make off this project. Like, where's that extra cash gonna go? Not towards making the site safe for the community, that's for sure 😒. They should be willing to put in some real money to fix the problems with the soil and groundwater. I'm all for innovation and growth, but not if it means kicking the can down the road or leaving a toxic mess behind. The community deserves better than that 💪.
 
omg i'm so sorry to be commenting on this thread ages after it's died lol... but i just feel like related midwest is being super shady about this whole thing they're pushing for this huge tech campus without even addressing the toxic waste left behind by the steel plant in 97 & 2010? like, can't they just admit that the site needs more work done before they start building? and what's up with the community benefits agreement? it seems like a pretty basic ask to ensure that public spaces stay open & accessible, especially considering how much money is being invested into this development 🤑💸
 
I think it's great that Related Midwest is taking responsibility for the site's remediation costs. Like, who wouldn't want a $25 million barrier around toxic soil? 🤔 It's like a free upgrade for their property value! And $100 million isn't too steep considering what they're gonna get in return: a sick quantum computing campus and some (allegedly) community benefits.

Those neighborhood orgs are being super uptight, though. I mean, come on, you can't put a price on air quality and environmental health risks... or can you? 🤑 It's all about finding that sweet spot between profit and public good. And if they're really concerned about the toxins, maybe Related Midwest should just start by buying out the neighbors or something.
 
I don't usually comment but it's kinda messed up that these developers are only now thinking about doing something about the toxins at the site after they've already been planning this huge project. I mean, $100 million is a lot of money, but what about the people who have to live nearby? They're the ones who will be breathing in all the bad air and dealing with the health risks from those heavy metals.

I don't get why they can't just make sure the whole site is safe before they start building. It's not like it's gonna break the bank or something. And what's up with these "no further remediation" letters? That just seems like a cop-out to me. Can't we just have some guarantees that the community will be taken care of here? I mean, it's not like they're asking for much...
 
😒 $25 million just seems like pennies compared to what's at stake here... I mean, we're talking about a whole community's health and well-being being put on hold while the developers rake in the dough 💸. Can't we get this right? 🤔 The fact that they only did soil and groundwater testing around homes is wild... shouldn't have been an issue if the state thought everything was good to go back in 1997 or 2010 🙄
 
ugh I don't know how much more of this I can take 🤯... I mean, $25 million for a barrier? It's like they're just trying to greenwash their own project here 🌿. And what about the rest of the development costs? How are we supposed to trust that they'll just magically make everything okay for the community without some kind of guarantee? 🤔

And let's be real, the fact that they got a "no further remediation" letter back in 2010 is wild 🚨. Like, how can you just declare it safe and then later find out there's still bad stuff there? It's just not adding up 📊.

I'm all for progress and innovation, but we need to make sure that the people who are gonna be most affected by this project are actually being taken care of 💸. This community benefits agreement is like, totally necessary 🙏... can't Related Midwest just cough up some cash and promise to do better? 😒
 
🤔 The whole thing just smells like a sweetheart deal, you know? Millions of bucks in remediation costs and they're still finding toxins everywhere... 5 areas within 1,200 feet of homes... that's like playing Russian roulette with people's health 😷. I mean, I get it, tech campuses are the future and all, but can't we prioritize the people living nearby? 🤷‍♀️ $25 million barrier sounds nice, but what about the long-term effects on the community? And don't even get me started on the surveillance thing... like, who thought that was a good idea? 🙄 A fund for residents seems like a must, and I'm all for it. It's the least they can do after putting their profits above people's well-being 💸.
 
🤔 Come on guys, you're still bringing up old news about the South Works site? Like, I get it, toxins are bad, but $25 million for a barrier isn't gonna hurt anyone... 🤑 And what's with all these demands for community benefits? Can't Related Midwest just make some decent public spaces and be done with it? 🏞️ It's not like they're taking over the whole city or something. Just chill, folks, you'll get your lakefront park and whatever else you want when (if) the project gets done. 😒
 
Wow 🤯! $25 million sounds like a lot of cash just to cover air quality issues, but I guess that's better than nothing 😅. What's really interesting is how long it took for Related Midwest to acknowledge there might be more work to do on the site. The community has been pushing for this kind of transparency and commitment for ages 🙌. Can't wait to see how it all plays out! 💸
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this quantum computing campus thingy... 🤔 I mean, I get why Illinois is getting into it, but it's got me worried about the South Works site. They've been saying everything is fine since 1997 and 2010, but the soil testing says otherwise. $25 million for a barrier doesn't sound like a lot considering the cleanup costs are gonna add up to over $100 million... 🤑 I hope Related Midwest comes through with their commitments, especially that fund thing. It's not just about money, it's about ensuring the community has some say in what happens there and that it won't become another gentrification nightmare... 😬
 
OMG what's going on at this site 🤯... they're talking about a $100 million price tag on top of the $25 million barrier fee 💸, can you believe it? The community is still worried about toxins and heavy metals lingering around, even after previous cleanups 🙅‍♂️. I get why developers want to move forward with their plans, but shouldn't they be prioritizing making sure people's health isn't put at risk? 🤔... the whole thing just feels like a huge mess 🤯
 
Ugh, I'm getting so tired of these giant developers thinking they can just swoop in and make some fancy tech hub without even taking care of the mess they're leaving behind 🤯. Like, Related Midwest is literally paying a quarter billion dollars for this place and they still can't figure out how to get rid of all the toxic stuff? It's not like it's going to magically disappear overnight 💔.

And what really gets my goat is that they're expecting everyone else to foot the bill while they reap all the benefits. I mean, sure, a new tech hub sounds great and all, but at what cost? The community deserves so much better than just a pat on the back and a few token promises 🙄.

I think it's totally reasonable for these neighborhood orgs to be pushing for more concrete commitments from Related Midwest. Like, a fund for residents, ongoing environmental monitoring... that kinda thing. It's not too much to ask when you're talking about a place as contaminated as this 💪.
 
😔🌪️ I was thinking that this is kinda weird how they're building a super expensive quantum computing campus right on top of an old toxic site 🤯, and now we gotta shell out millions more for remediation 💸... shouldn't they've done this a looong time ago? 🙄
 
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