I think the greenway and the area around it are doomed to the suburban feel Campbell describes until it is made more pedestrian friendly. In my walk from the north end to south station along the greenway (and the highway ramps) the sidewalk narrows to shoulder width, sometimes with a car parked on it. In front of the Intercontintal Hotel, the Boston Harbor hotel, and between Hanover and Endicott parking is allowed on the sidewalk, while pedestrians need to wind around and dodge traffic and parked cars, ON THE SIDEWALK. This makes it miserable to be a pedestrian downtown, and is absurd that this all happened recently, not in the 1950's. Why is Menino allowed to do this, and why is he so anti pedestrian. Does he not understand we cant all afford (or want) to drive into work and play in Boston?
Boston used to be America's Walking city, but recent rating have downgraded us because of things like putting parking on sidewalks and highway ramps cramping out sidewalks.