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I guess I'm just strange, then. I have no problem hopping on a train, a bus, or a subway. I honestly could care less, as long as I have a clue as to where the thing's going!
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That's entirely the point. With a streetcar (or anything else on 'rails') the destination is quite clear. It feels very regular, and generally is much better integrated into the traffic flow than buses (which are just another vehicle).
The 16th street mall is dead simple. It runs in a very clear straight line, and as such its very easy to utilize. Streetcars, with their well-defined paths and access points provide exactly the same thing. You'll never see development around a bus-stop, but you'll see it around streetcar stops because streetcars provide a huge psychological advantage. They feel permanent. They are fundamentally integrated into the neighborhood. Buses just aren't.