SEPTA is poised to rename one of its largest transit hubs on behalf of a corporate sponsor this week.
The transit authority is expected to announce Thursday that it will rename the Market East Station in Center City Philadelphia to Jefferson Station -- on behalf of the Jefferson Health System.
SEPTA and Jefferson officials would not comment on the matter to NBC10 ahead of Thursday's event. But a map for the Market-Frankford El posted to SEPTA's website already shows the name change.
The tech-centric website Technically Philly first posted a photo of a SEPTA rail map showing the health system's logo at Market East's current location. The site said the picture was provided by a tipster.
Market East is one of SEPTA's busiest stations connecting the El, bus lines and regional rail trains to The Gallery at Market East shopping mall. Thomas Jefferson University and its trauma center sit just three blocks south of the station.
The change marks the second time SEPTA has chosen to sell the naming rights to a station. The former Pattison Avenue stop on the Broad Street Subway was renamed AT&T Station in 2010. The five-year deal netted $5 million for the transit authority.
Last year, SEPTA showed NBC10.com the new ways it was using advertising to raise cash including wrapping its regional rail trains in ads. A spokesperson said then that SEPTA was considering renaming other stations.
Suburban Station could be next. The Philadelphia Inquirer says rumors have been swirling that Verizon or Comcast could nab up the name for the regional rail hub. (Comcast is the parent company of NBC10.)
Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia
Photo Credit: Technically Philly