# Riverview, Florida

Riverview is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is located south of Brandon. The population was 107,396 in the 2020 census, up from 71,050 in the 2010 census.
Many of Tampa Bay's radio and television stations broadcast from an antenna farm in the Riverview area, on Boyette Road, east of town. Riverview is home to Bell Creek Nature Preserve.

## History

Riverview was founded in 1885 on the Alafia River's north shore. However, in the 1830s settlers arrived on the south side of the river at an area formerly known as Peru (pronounced "Pe-Roo") because Peru was an indigenous name for "straight part of the river". Peru existed for nearly 100 years and was one of the oldest settlements in central Florida. It wasn't until the 1940s that Riverview absorbed Peru, and now claims the south side of the Alafia River. The Peruvian Mining Company, which mined phosphate from the Alafia, took its name from the settlement. The term "Alafia" is translated as "River of Fire" due to the phosphorus on the early riverbottom glowing at night.
The area's first school was built in 1893, inside the Peru Baptist Church. The area called Riverview began to be populated on the north side of the river. The two communities were connected by a river ferry. Soon after, a bridge was constructed from sections of a bridge that once spanned the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa. The post office periodically was moved from the Riverview side to the Peru side of the river and back, causing much tension. The Riverview name eventually came into usage in the early 1940s by the post office to relieve just such confusion with the mail. Peru has disappeared from all but the earliest maps. Some of Peru's or Riverview's settlers include the Barnes, Bourgees, Boyettes, Brandons, Buzbees, Hackneys, Hancocks, Hartleys, Mansfields, Moodys, Simmons, Scotts, Symmes, Topes, Thompsons, Whitts, and the Yeomans. The area founded by the Boyette family is now the community of Boyette, located in the eastern part of the Riverview CDP.
The first commercial poultry farm in Florida was established by Emmet and Myrtle Tope in Riverview in 1921.

## Geography

Riverview is located southeast of the center of Hillsborough County. The Alafia River flows through the northern part of the CDP and forms part of its northeastern border, separating Riverview from Bloomingdale to the northeast. Other neighboring communities, all unincorporated, are Brandon to the north, Palm River-Clair Mel to the northwest, Progress Village and Gibsonton to the west, Apollo Beach to the southwest, Balm to the south, and FishHawk to the east.
Interstate 75 forms the western edge of the Riverview CDP, with access from Exits 246, 250, 254, and 256. U.S. Route 301 runs through the western side of the CDP, parallel to I-75 and through the original settlement of Riverview at the Alafia River. Downtown Tampa is 12 miles (19 km) to the northwest via US-301 and the Selmon Expressway.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Riverview CDP has a total area of 48.0 square miles (124.3 km$^2$), of which 46.2 square miles (119.6 km$^2$) are land and 1.8 square miles (4.6 km$^2$), or 3.72%, are water.

## Demographics

Riverview racial composition (Hispanics excluded from racial categories) (NH = Non-Hispanic) :
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White (NH) | 40,332 | 46,537 | 56.77% | 43.33% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 11,216 | 21,146 | 15.79% | 19.69% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 200 | 282 | 0.28% | 0.26% |
| Asian (NH) | 2,163 | 4,110 | 3.04% | 3.83% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 62 | 103 | 0.09% | 0.10% |
| Some other race (NH) | 289 | 849 | 0.41% | 0.79% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 1,842 | 5,212 | 2.59% | 4.85% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14,946 | 29,157 | 21.04% | 27.15% |
| Total | 71,050 | 107,396 | | |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 107,396 people, 33,082 households, and 24,057 families residing in the CDP.
For the period 2011–15, the estimated median annual income for a household in the community was $66,497, and the median income for a family was $71,517. Male full-time workers had a median income of $47,554 versus $38,000 for females. The per capita income for the community was $26,126. 9.5% of the population and 7.2% of families were below the poverty line. 11.7% of people under 18 and 7.9% of people 65 or older were living in poverty.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 71,050 people, 22,951 households, and 16,885 families residing in the CDP.
Out of the 24,488 occupied households in the CDP as of 2010, 45.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were headed by married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.27.
Within the CDP in 2010, 29.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% were from 18 to 24, 31.9% were from 25 to 44, 23.8% were from 45 to 64, and 7.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

### Languages

According to the American Community Survey (ACS), the following estimates were given for the period 2011–15, English spoken at home accounted for 76.64% of all residents, while 23.36% spoke some other language at home. Spanish speakers (of whom 75.5% spoke English "very well") made up 16.98% of the population. No other language accounted for more than 1% of the population.

## Environment
### Mosaic Hazardous Waste Release - September 2004
#### What Happened?

On September 5, 2004, acidic process water was released from the Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC storage containment system during Hurricane Frances. By the following day, an estimated 65 million gallons had emptied into Archie Creek Canal, Hillsborough Bay, and surrounding wetlands.

#### What Were the Impacts?

The spill harmed nearly 10 acres of seagrass beds and more than 135 acres of wetland habitats, including almost 80 acres of mangroves. The acidic water dramatically lowered pH, directly killing thousands of fish, crabs, and bottom-dwelling organisms. The influx of nitrogen and phosphorus also disrupted the local ecosystem, potentially injuring fish and other aquatic wildlife.

#### What’s Happening Now?

Following the spill, NOAA worked with other trustees and Mosaic Fertilizer to assess the extent of harm to the environment. It then developed restoration options to compensate the public and return the area to its function as a natural system.
In 2013 and 2014, Mosaic implemented the projects identified in the Restoration Plan:
* removal of 26.5 acres of invasive exotic plants
* widening and improving tidal creeks
* increasing flow through 85 acres of mangrove forest
* construction of a 3500-square-foot oyster reef
* creation of a brackish tidal wetland
Implementation was completed in the summer of 2014. Mosaic Fertilizer is monitoring ecosystem recovery with oversight by the trustees.

## Education

Riverview is served by the Hillsborough County Public School District with 15 K-12 public schools.
Elementary
* Frost
* Ippolito
* Symmes
* Riverview
* Boyette Springs
* Sessums
* Collins
* Summerfield
* Summerfield Crossings
* Dawson
Middle
* Giunta
* Rodgers
High
* Riverview High School
* Spoto High School
* Sumner High School
Grade school students in Riverview are also served by schools in nearby Lithia and Gibsonton. There are also many charter and private school options in Riverview.
Riverview has two colleges: Cooley Law School near Falkenburg Rd and HCC at The Regent, a satellite campus of Hillsborough Community College in Winthrop Village.

## Healthcare

AdventHealth Riverview and St. Joseph's Hospital-South are the only hospitals in the area.

## Notable people

* Jahleel Addae, NFL safety
* Debra Lafave, a middle school teacher convicted of having sex with a student
* Dioner Navarro, an MLB catcher
* Tom Daugherty, a professional bowler on the PBA Tour
* Ronnie Oneal, murderer