The cities do need some redesigning. They lack even NPC housing, seems everyone lives on the streets or their work buildings. In other games you can see what is NPC housing and go in and look around and even get quests from NPC's residing in there.

I would also love the GC's to have their own buildings to enter like the different city representatives in FFXI (yes I said it :P) I like the cities as they are but they do need some additions ^^ Going to the Market Ward area for everything is boring but I'm sure right now they have no choice but to do that.