Yawkey Station will be renamed as the Lansdowne Station, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced on Thursday.
Lansdowne was chosen to be the new name of the station because it fits the MBTA’s naming policy, which prioritizes using the names of local streets, neighborhoods, or squares, according to the MBTA’s statement. The station and MBTA signs are being updated now, and the change is set to go into effect on April 8—prior to the first Red Sox home game so as to avoid confusion for people traveling to the game on the T.
“While we are disappointed by this decision, the Yawkey Foundations will carry on the mission of Tom and Jean Yawkey, a legacy of giving that has provided more than $500 million to organizations in Boston and beyond,” the Foundation said in a statement. “The work Tom and Jean began while they were alive is as important as ever, and we will continue to focus our efforts on sustaining their dedication to helping those in need.”
About a year ago, Yawkey Way was renamed Jersey Street after the Red Sox filed a petition with the City of Boston’s Public Improvement Commission and several public hearings. Tom Yawkey, former Red Sox owner, has been called a racist since his death in 1976. Under his ownership, the Red Sox was the last team in the major leagues to integrate in 1959, 12 years after Jackie Robinson started playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Yawkey Athletics Center at Boston College will not be renamed, the University said last year. Since the Yawkey Foundation gave a grant allowing the complex to be built, BC is required to keep its name on the building, University Spokesman Jack Dunn told The Heights last year.
