Adenah Bayoh, an entrepreneur extraordinaire who owns and operates restaurants while leading the charge to create affordable housing throughout the state, will be given the Leadership Award by New Jersey Future at its 23rd annual Smart Growth Awards night.
The event, to be held Oct. 9 at the South Orange Performing Arts Center, also will honor seven innovative projects that NJ Future feels are transforming communities through forward-thinking design, sustainable development and equitable revitalization, NJ Future Executive Director Peter Kasabach said.
Since 2002, New Jersey Future’s Smart Growth Awards have recognized more than 150 projects, plans, and policies that exemplify sound land use and sustainable development principles. The awards spotlight innovation and collaboration that strengthen communities while preserving the state’s natural and built environments.
The Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to sustainable and equitable growth in New Jersey’s communities.
Bayoh, founder of Adenah Bayoh and Companies, certainly fits the bill.
She owns nine restaurants, including four locations of Cornbread, the fast-casual, farm-to-table soul food restaurant she co-founded. In addition to her success in the food industry, she is a thriving real estate developer with a portfolio of major residential and mixed-use redevelopment projects throughout the region.
“Adenah’s leadership in urban revitalization, commitment to community investment, and powerful entrepreneurial spirit are transforming neighborhoods and inspiring countless others to rethink what’s possible,” Kasabach said.
Bayoh said she was deeply honored to be recognized.
“This incredible organization has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable, sensible, and equitable growth across our beloved Garden State — values that are deeply personal to me and at the heart of my work in building thriving, inclusive communities,” she said.
NJ Future said this year’s project and plan awardees exemplify how strategic planning and community-centered investments can shape a stronger, more resilient New Jersey. From adaptive reuse and transit-oriented development to waterway activation and affordable housing, these projects reflect the best of what smart growth makes possible, the group said.
The 2025 Smart Growth Award winners:
Cooper River Water Trail, Camden: A bold reimagining of Camden’s Cooper River into a water trail connecting current and future park lands and water access points.
Primary Partners: Upstream Alliance, Camden County Parks Department, Camden Community Partnership, Center for Aquatic Sciences, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Hoboken Connect, Hoboken: A dynamic mix of residential, office, street-level retail and public open space at the city’s historic transit hub, stitching the city together with housing, jobs, and transit access.
Primary Partners: Beyer, Blinder, Belle, LCOR, NJ Transit, SLCE Architects, The City of Hoboken
Clinton Lofts, Trenton: Transforming a long-vacant and prominent corner site into vibrant mixed-use housing and creative space, just blocks from the Trenton Transit Center in New Jersey’s capital city.
Primary Partners: The city of Trenton, Clarke Caton Hintz, Speedwell Construction, First Bank, DRM-Trenton Urban Renewal LP
Nelson Glass House, Princeton: An exemplar of “missing middle” housing that seamlessly fits into the downtown neighborhood fabric, creating a mix of uses and increased density in an extremely walkable location.
Primary Partners: Nelson Spring LLC, Lenders Capital Realty Services, Faegre Drinker, Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design, LLC , ML7 Construction & Design, LLC
Stonehill at West Orange, West Orange: Repurposing an underutilized office complex into an amenity-rich, environmentally conscious, mixed-income 425-unit rental housing development close to public conveniences.
Primary Partners: BNE Real Estate Group, Township of West Orange, Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners, Stonefield Engineering and Design, Mary Cook Associates
Borough of Madison Affordable Housing Development, Madison: A compact mixed-income rental housing development with well-integrated, community-supported affordable housing nestled appropriately into an opportunity-rich suburban setting.
Primary Partners: Borough of Madison, Madison Housing Authority, RPM Development Group, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency
Oliver Station, Camden: A transformative, mixed-use, transit-accessible development that combines high-quality affordable housing with critical healthcare services, addressing both the housing and health care needs of the local community.
Primary Partners: City of Camden, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, The Michaels Organization, Urban Practice, Virtua Health
“These projects are not just buildings, they are community anchors and powerful examples of smart growth in action,” Kasabach said. “They demonstrate how public-private collaboration, visionary leadership, and strong local partnerships can create meaningful change.”
