Beginning The founder of modern Singapore,
Sir Stamford Raffles, intended Singapore to become a "great commercial
emporium". As part of his plan, he gave instructions in 1822 that a commercial area to be created on the southwest side of the Singapore River. The Garrison Engineer
Lieutenant R.N.
Philip Jackson, was tasked with drawing up a
Town Plan based on Raffles' instructions. This commercial area was centered on Commercial Square, and was developed from 1823 to 1824. A small hill originally stood at the area between Commercial Square and Battery Road. Under Raffles' supervision, the hill was leveled, and its soil was then used to reclaim the marshy southern bank of the Singapore River, forming the
Boat Quay and Circular Road area. Commercial Square was created as an open space 200 yards long by 50 yards wide, with a small garden in the middle. Land in the area around the square was sold in lots through auction at $1,200 and $1,500 apiece. The expansion freed up a larger area designated for commerce, and attracted more businesses such as
retail stores and banks to the area.
Commerce and retail The area become the location for well-known retail stores in the 19th century.
John Little, Singapore's oldest
department store, was established on 30 August 1842 on Commercial Square.
Robinsons, another of the early department stores, was first established on Raffles Place in 1858 as a "family warehouse". Robinson's was then relocated elsewhere a few times before returning to Raffles Place in 1891.
Whiteaway Laidlaw was first established on D'Almeida Street in 1900 before moving to
Stamford House, then to Battery Road in 1910. The Alkaff Arcade, Singapore's first indoor shopping arcade that stretched from the waterfront of
Collyer Quay to Raffles Place, was built in 1909. A Chinese store, the Oriental Emporium, was opened opposite Robinsons in 1966. , located at Raffles Place, from left to right,
Republic Plaza,
UOB Plaza One and
One Raffles Place. All three are 280 metres in height. The earliest banks to operate in Commercial Square were the
Oriental Bank, the Chartered
Mercantile Bank of India, London and China (later absorbed into
HSBC), the
Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China (which later became the
Standard Chartered), and the
Asiatic Banking Corporation. The
Japanese occupation of Singapore temporarily halted the near-continuous commercial development of Raffles Place. Robinsons moved to Orchard Road after its landmark building was destroyed in one of the worst fires in Singapore's history in 1972, and its neighbour
Overseas Union Bank expanded into the site with the construction of a new tower in 1986. The station entrance features details from the 1911 facade of the old John Little building. ==Notable buildings==