Throughout the year, Madison Square Park will be highlighting some of our amazing Associate Board Members. Their contributions and work as park ambassadors help to ensure that the park remains clean, green, beautiful, and appreciated all year long.

Today we are featuring John Meadow, a frequent patron of Madison Square Park and an Associate Board Member since 2021. Here’s some more about John, in his own words:

My name is John Meadow, I am the founder and president of LDV Hospitality, a restaurant group based in Chelsea. Our flagship Scarpetta restaurant is located in NoMad, and both the neighborhood and Madison Square Park have been constants in my life and career.

My first restaurant job in New York City was in 1998, between Tabla and Eleven Madison Park. I recall every day, before going out of service, being smitten by the park’s elegance. It was a bit grittier then, but the sense of old New York and its grandeur was palpable. Now, almost 25 years later, to have a restaurant just up Madison Avenue from where I used to work—and to walk through the park every day to get there—is very sentimental for me.

I currently live with my family on the Upper West Side. After dropping my kids off at school, I commute downtown via Citibike. I then park at the northeast corner of the park, and head to Scarpetta for a morning coffee before going to the office. At least 200 days a year I spend a good hour walking around or meeting with colleagues on one of the benches in the park’s loop—which is my favorite area in the park. On the weekends, I love to bring my family down and go to Shake Shack.

Joining the Associate Board has provided me with a wonderful opportunity to help support and shape this fundamental community anchor. I am most enthusiastic about community activations in and around the park, and I look forward to helping others feel the same connection to the park that I have experienced.