FWIW--I routinely see people from outside Boston praising the Seaport despite all the local hate it gets. Most recent example: this NY Times commenter:
Seems like the commenter is praising the Harborwalk, as opposed to the Seaport itself.
Maybe, but I don't think you could have the very nice Harborwalk if you didn't also have the mall-like Seaport to support it.
There is an equally nice Harborwalk from the Financial District to the North End, and neither of those neighborhoods feel remotely mall-like.
Maybe so, but how many people from outside Boston have you seen routinely praising the "equally nice Harborwalk from the Financial District to the North End"? I haven't seen any, but I have seen a lot of the kind of praise #bancars is talking about.
For me this is the highest compliment the Seaport has ever received, and totally cements its reputation as an outstanding urban environment.
I would never have expected a comment like that from a San Franciscan. Not with everything they have going for them, present circumstances notwithstanding.
Why is that? Even if one did find the Mission Bay area better than the Seaport, what is the major difference? Remove the palm trees and rail down 3rd st, what is better about Mission Bay? To each their own, but I like the Seaport more.
There is an equally nice Harborwalk from the Financial District to the North End, and neither of those neighborhoods feel remotely mall-like.
Why is that? Even if one did find the Mission Bay area better than the Seaport, what is the major difference? Remove the palm trees and rail down 3rd st, what is better about Mission Bay? To each their own, but I like the Seaport more.
As much as I love our friends at Harbor Towers, the harborwalk around there is not too bad, Commercial Wharf is way worse with private condo parking on both sides where the harborwalk should be. Amos and his Pilot House at Lewis Wharf is just as bad, but the rest of the North End harborwalk is really nice, especially Puopolo Park and behind the skating rink.Can't compare the Financial District/North End Harborwalk (which is nice, but interrupted in several places, most notably by our "friends" in the Harbor Towers) to the world-class/iconic picture postcard Seaport Harborwalk. Whoever is responsible for the Seaport Harborwalk is a genius. And it will only get better with the Commonwealth Pier stretch being added. Sorry, but they are not "equally nice". I recommend walking both and then reviewing.
Dont forget too they also had already built it once like 5 years ago and now ripped it out and redid it to make it match the rest of the plaza going in between the amazon buildings, so that makes it even more expensive.
This boardwalk iteration does look much better though and now it will be continuous through all of seaport sq, so its definitely worth it.