Passengers using the stairs or escalator are welcomed by a couple of lion statues, called "foo dogs," meant to protect against evil spirits at the entrance.

[5] The original station (designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill) had undergone updates since its opening in 1969.

After the truck collision, however, CTA officials planned to fully rebuild the station house, with construction beginning in fall 2009.

[6] On April 15, 2011, the main entrance on the north side of Cermak Road reopened and was upgraded with an elevator making it accessible to people with disabilities.

[9] A free shuttle bus carried passengers from Cermak-Chinatown to Roosevelt to allow connections to the rerouted Red Line trains on the South Side Elevated.