As a former resident of both Beacon Hill and the West End, I've been asking this question since about 1999, when I first was able to take stock of the contrast between those neighborhoods. For many folks the price/amenities were probably worth it. Despite the Soviet theme park feel, it is a little oasis in the city, and many of the residents seem like they've been there a long time and would be priced out by anything newer and nicer.
Personally, I lived in a renovated apt in the Longfellow Towers. While the buildings themselves weren't the most attractive on the outside, the apartments were pretty nice and the unobstructed views from my Southwest corner were virtually unparalleled in the city.