I would assume that the easiest way to handle this would be to duplicate an existing zone, renaming it, and slowly doing a makeover on it.
Subtle changes to the buildings to add flavor. Changes to the advertising signs.
The hardest part of this is making the zone useful enough for players to have a reason to go there and the easiest way I can see to do that is to auto sidekick or mentor everyone in the zone to a certain set level, so that everyone is more-or-less equalized and anyone can participate in the zone for level relevant rewards.
Zone missions would default to those that are already in the zone and street enemies as well. Possibly modifying villain group names and appearances over-time for more flavour.
Of course, as players, we have the ability to make Cultural-related missions in the AE. I mean, that kind of thing is what the AE was designed for and not power-leveling. (So wish they have brought the 40-ton ban-hammer down hard the first day and kept hitting with it so that AE power-leveling had never happened the way that it did ... and apparently still goes on ... empty low level zones? yeah. looks like.).