It's 2019, soon to be 2020. Assuming for a moment that our dev team had unlimited power and skill, how would you suggest they update the look and feel of the city?
(Note this is focused on the cities themselves (blue, red, gold), not the instances, power sets, etc. )
Blueside - There's a lot more health-conscious surroundings (at least in my part of the real world) than 15 years ago.
1) I'd ask for chain gyms. Bonus points if the avatars can actually enter and use the equipment. Role players would probably love that.
2) urban jogging trails added in some new small parks replacing some of the buildings and concrete.
3) bike pathing added to some roads. Bonus if they can get NPC's actually biking.
4) boutique, organic groceries and produce shops.
5) cell towers.
6) I'd get rid of phone booths, but I'm not really sure how I'd replace them on patrol missions. Visualized GPS coordinates and your avatar checks their smartphone at each point, perhaps?
New Zone (or overhaul of a dead zone): city freight yard. Aging collection of switch tracks and graffitied train cars, with a tired industrial area and a low-income neighborhood adjacent. However, there's re-development going on as Paragon City tries to redevelop a section as a new neighborhood, new station, and new track on a new national speed rail system.