The University of Illinois System on Feb. 27 closed on its purchase of an office building at 250 S. Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago to serve as the permanent headquarters of the Discovery Partners Institute led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The purchase is a significant milestone in DPI’s continued growth and mission to drive economic development and position Illinois as a global center for emerging technologies.
The new 244,954-square-foot West Loop headquarters will serve as a hub where researchers, industry partners, entrepreneurs and students collaborate to accelerate innovation in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced semiconductor systems and next-generation computing. The headquarters will work in tandem with a quantum-focused facility being developed at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on Chicago’s far South Side to support the state’s strategic investment in technologies that are reshaping the global economy.
The University of Illinois System purchased the building from South Wacker Real Estate Holding Inc. for $23.75 million.
Under Gov. JB Pritzker, the state of Illinois has invested $500 million in DPI and the Illinois Innovation Network to accelerate research, develop talent and build a statewide innovation ecosystem.
“The Discovery Partners Institute’s new headquarters is a clear message to innovators everywhere: Illinois is investing in our students, our workforce and the industries of tomorrow,” Gov. Pritzker said. “This announcement is a result of a powerful public and private partnership bringing together academic talent and state investments to create jobs, drive economic growth and cement Illinois’ position as a global hub for the future of cutting-edge technology. This represents more than just a new building — it marks an exciting and transformative new chapter for the Discovery Partners Institute, the students and leaders at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the future of our entire state.”
DPI Executive Director and CEO Gene E. Robinson said the new home cements a deep connection between DPI, Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“Our new headquarters positions DPI at the center of Chicago’s rapidly evolving innovation ecosystem,” Robinson said. “This building will be a catalytic space where researchers, students and industry leaders collaborate to solve real-world challenges and accelerate economic growth. By bringing AI, quantum technologies and advanced computing into a single accessible hub, we will engage leading faculty from the Urbana campus to help Illinois companies transform their operations and strengthen the state’s competitive edge.”
The building fulfills a commitment to establish a permanent home and headquarters in a strategically located downtown location. It will allow greater connection of the academic expertise of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with the industries that anchor Chicago’s economy. From finance and health care to manufacturing, logistics and energy, companies across the region will benefit from easier access to world-class research, workforce development programs and applied innovation initiatives.
University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen emphasized the significance of the location for statewide economic impact and the partnerships behind DPI. Under Gov. JB Pritzker, the state of Illinois has invested $500 million in DPI and the Illinois Innovation Network to accelerate research, develop talent and build a statewide innovation ecosystem.
“Partnerships were foundational to DPI’s creation and this new downtown home ensures that DPI remains deeply integrated as a partner with Chicago’s business community and the economic engine it provides for all of Illinois,” Killeen said. “This new space gives us the flexibility to expand high-impact programs, connect companies with the University of Illinois System’s extraordinary talent and research capabilities, and generate new opportunities for workers, startups and established industries. It reinforces our commitment to driving inclusive growth for the entire state.”
The new building will provide more space than the current leased location at 200 S. Wacker Drive and will enable DPI to expand programming that connects students and faculty from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign directly with Chicago-based companies, other academic and civic partners.
Charles Isbell Jr., chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, noted that the location will also deepen DPI’s role as a conduit between academia and industry.
“DPI’s new headquarters creates a gateway for students and faculty to engage directly with Chicago’s vibrant innovation community that brings people together across disciplines to do amazing things,” Isbell said. “This location will foster the kind of daily interaction that accelerates discovery, supports workforce development, fuels prosperity across the state and ensures that our tech-driven future remains human-centered.”
As DPI enters its new chapter under the leadership of The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Rashid Bashir, dean of The Grainger College of Engineering and vice chancellor for Chicago Strategic Partnerships, highlighted how the building will strengthen Chicago-campus partnerships.
“Having DPI headquartered in the heart of Chicago provides an unparalleled platform for collaboration and innovation,” he said. “This building will allow us to scale programs that bring cutting-edge technologies out of the lab and into the marketplace. Thanks to the support of Gov. Pritzker, DPI will strengthen ties and build new partnerships between university researchers and the corporate sector within the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago, enabling breakthroughs that translate directly into economic development, job creation and new industry partnerships — thus creating a tech hub devoted to bettering our future.”
DPI is poised to play a central role in preparing Illinois for a rapidly evolving technological landscape. This will expand Illinois’ leadership in AI and support the evolution of quantum computing and microelectronics, both of which are expected to define national competitiveness and create new pathways for workforce development and industry transformation in the coming decades.
