As the population and commerce of Singapore increased, the area was reclaimed in the mid nineteenth century.

[1][2] In 1977, then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew called for a large $170 million initiative, lasting a decade, to clean up the Singapore River.

[5] In the 1990s, the Urban Redevelopment Authority rezoned the area for new development of residential, hotel, and commercial use.

[7][4] On 16 May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, Robertson Quay was the site of a significant breach of rules designed to curb the spread of COVID-19 by numerous parties.

[8][9][10][11][12] On 16 June, two British citizens who were also permanent residents of Singapore were charged in relation to the same gathering.