The easiest way to add life to the cities is to get rid of the market wards and the RIDICULOUS fail-leve system in place that so many breeder LSes abuse. If an AH opens and is linked (between the cities) the populace won't be pigeon-holed in Ul Dah. If Ul Dah didn't have the best leves to abuse and fail religiously the populace wouldn't be pigeon-holed in Ul Dah.

Only after that will the cities come to life. You can fancy up LL and Grid all you want but there is zero reason to go there until those two fundamental fails in the environment design are addressed.