I have begun considering that as an option, creating texture maps for each structure in the city. Which, I might know how to do if my thoughts are correct. I will test it out and see what happens when I skin one building first, and hopefully I can grasp the exporting business and conversion to .nif and .dds.
I don't think I would do custom animations, not yet anyway...

But yes, I would like to create those, and have begun drawing up designs for them as well. I have lots of folders on my Mac that are for "What if" style units. The idea behind all of them for those who are not yet aware, is that I want to make Civ a true history rewriting experience. It bores me when I see industrial and beyond units and cities looking like European stuff. It's accurate for real world scenarios set in those times, but I wanna see what it's like when cultures discover tech on their own. For example, what would a hot air balloon, and later airship look like if the Japanese discovered the necessary technology on their own? How about their ironclads? For the Balloon, a Japanese lantern would be the first source of inspiration I think, with an atakebune shaped undercarriage. From there, I'm designing the airship to take that concept further,but also incorporate koi fish to the shape. The casemate ironclad would descended from the Mekura Bune, while the more advanced monitor style ironclad I'm not sure about yet. I'm glad people are interested though.

and as I told Geddon a bit ago, I still intend to create cultural wonders too. Don't like the Hagia Sophia's Byzantine architecture clashing with your Medieval Sino city? It'll be fixed, with the Hagia Sophia being made with Sui/Tang architecture instead.
Also I want to say you've done a great job working on these retextures so far, they look great.