It marks the dividing point between the line's grade-separated portion and its at-grade portion, with trains running on a grade-separated right-of-way west of this station to Tower City and running at-grade in the medians of Van Aken Boulevard (Blue) and Shaker Boulevard (Green) east of this station.

Development of Moreland Circle into Shaker Square began in 1927, when construction started on the planned suburban shopping center.

However, Shaker Square merchants opposed the plan and proposed an alternative smaller station, which was eventually built and opened in October 1952.

The result was two brick and glass pavilions designed in a Georgian style to match the existing architecture of the Shaker Square buildings that surround them.

[3]: 120 A proposal to rent the coffee shop space for a McDonald's restaurant in 1996 met stiff opposition and was eventually abandoned.