Those kinds of houses are almost completely gone now from this downtown area of Vancouver but the neighbourhood used to be full of them, all clustered in cheek by jowl. The developer offered them for free to anyone who wanted to have them as long as they moved them from the site. Sadly, it didn't happen.
There was one lucky young guy that rented and lived in one of the houses for almost seven years for cheap rent. A few years ago I noticed that he had made a little patio on the empty bramble covered lot next door and they had some pretty good summer BBQ parties. Imagine living in a funky old house for cheap rent with your own little green space… right in the middle of downtown. See link to National Post story and video below.
There was also an effort to save the big old tree but it was not successful. I wish there had been some foresight to save the tree and renovate the old houses and build the complex around them. At least we have the pictures and the memories.
National Post story and video:
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada...ver-houses-for-free-if-you-can-move-them
CBC News story about the tree:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/development-tree-knocked-out-1.3269682

source:
National Post