The station opened on July 10, 1996,[2] when light rail service was extended 2.2 miles from Tower City through The Flats and along the lakefront.

There have been several proposals to extend the Waterfront Line beyond South Harbor station since its completion in 1996.

The proposal currently under consideration would extend the line southeast from through downtown past Playhouse Square and the Cuyahoga Community College main campus, where it would reconnect with the existing line in the vicinity of East 30th Street and the Main Post Office.

[3][4] The proposal is intended to improve downtown access to the rapid transit system and to “complete the loop” initiated by the Waterfront Line extension.

Another proposal, part of Cleveland's Lakefront Plan, is to extend the line east along the lakefront as far as East 88th Street and possibly out to Collinwood, where public and private sector development investments would be targeted.