Lawrence East opened in 1985, along with the rest of Line 3. All bus routes that operated along Lawrence Avenue East at the time were rerouted to serve the station on March 23, 1985, one day after the opening.^[2]

The station was renovated between 2011 and 2012 to include automated sliding doors, allowing the southbound platform and the bus platform to be accessible.

In February 2021, the TTC recommended the closure of Line 3 in 2023 and its replacement by bus service until the completion of the Scarborough extension of Line 2 Bloor–Danforth.^[3] However, the rail portion of this station permanently closed following a derailment on July 24, 2023.^[4] A new Lawrence East station is planned to be built along the planned Line 2 extension on the southwest corner of Lawrence Avenue East and McCowan Road and is scheduled to open circa 2030.^[5][6]

The small station was built on two levels. The Line 3 platforms, bus platforms, and only entrance were located on ground level. The entrance was an automatic sliding door facing north with a sidewalk connecting to Lawrence Avenue East to the west side, and an underpass underneath both the Line 3 and GO rails towards the commuter parking lot, Access Road, and Prudential Drive. Below ground level in the interior of the station was an underpass connecting the entrance to the northbound platforms through the means of stairs and escalators.^[7]

This station was a "half accessible" station, as all services within the station, except for the northbound platform, were accessible. The TTC suggested that people in need of accessible service onto the northbound platform take Line 3 southbound to Kennedy station and double back to Lawrence East. An accessible fare gate was also available inside the station at the main fare booth.^[7]

The station had a bus terminal located underneath the elevated portion of Lawrence Avenue East, in the Midland Avenue and Kennedy Road corridor. At the time of its closure, 5 TTC bus routes (3 daytime routes and 2 Blue Night routes) served or passed near the station, including routes running along Kennedy Road.^[7] After the Line 3 closure, the 954 Lawrence East Express bus continued to turn back at Lawrence East station until October 9, 2023, when it was rerouted to terminate at Kennedy station.^[8]

A commuter parking lot for up to 90 vehicles is located just east of the station, also underneath the elevated section of Lawrence Avenue East.^[7] Parking is managed by the Toronto Parking Authority.

Line 3 continued to travel on ground level, straight north after Lawrence East station, running parallel to the nearby railway tracks. South of the station, the line continued to travel on ground level but became elevated shortly before reaching Kennedy station, where it made a 90-degree turn.

The TTC plans to replace the Line 3 right-of-way with a busway between Kennedy and Ellesmere stations. According to a 2022 TTC report, the adjacent station's bus facilities would be retained along with a pedestrian underpass for the local community to use. Buses would serve customers at new stops on the south side of the former station.^[9]: 23

The provincial transit agency Metrolinx plans to build a new subway station on Lawrence Avenue East, approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the Line 3 station. The underground station will be parallel to McCowan Road along a planned extension of Line 2 Bloor–Danforth. It will be on a north–south alignment to the west of the Scarborough General Hospital and the new bus terminal will be located on McCowan Road west of Lawrence Avenue East. The new station and bus terminal are expected to open in 2030.^[10][5]

•   Media related to Lawrence East station at Wikimedia Commons
• Official station page