The Brownstone Detectives is a for-hire research team that focuses on the social and physical history of your home.
We investigate and document your house and its previous owners to develop an historical case, the results of which are compiled in a handsome House History Book or House History Report.
We welcome cold cases from the general public, as well as those referred by current and former clients. If you have an old house and you’re curious about its history, contact us for a free consultation of your case.
BRIAN HARTIG
Chief Detective – Lead Researcher/Writer
Brian has always had a fascination with telling stories. It was during a childhood summer vacation to Ireland, though, (where he began to learn of his family’s roots) that his lifelong passion for historical research and writing was sparked. Pursuing this passion, Brian graduated with a degree in journalism from Auburn University, and was commissioned an officer in the Marine Corps, seeing action on the front lines of the first Gulf War. Following military service, Brian co-founded and lobbied for Louisiana Electorate of Gays And Lesbians, afterwards teaching English and journalism with the Peace Corps in Eastern Europe. While there, Brian researched and wrote his seminal work, Titanic’s Bulgarian Links. Brian most recently worked for the City of New York preparing the City and its residents for hurricanes and flood events. He now manages Brownstone Detectives out of the Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone that started it all, where he lives with his husband, their two sons, and their two dogs and three cats.
TARA SIMONCIC
Detective – Research Coordinator/Writer
Tara grew up a typical California kid, swimming, skateboarding, and riding her bike through her 1970s suburban neighborhood. As her mother is originally from Yonkers, New York, when Tara visited her grandparents she would be fascinated by the infinitely different architecture and history of the East Coast. On one of those trips, she decided that she would someday live in her very own brownstone. Tara’s love of architectural history led her to utilize her talents tracking down fascinating historical stories, sussing out hidden secrets, and sometimes even digging up scandalous stories connected to the brownstones of New York City. Tara has a thriving career as a symphonic and ballet conductor which has allowed her to work all over the world conducting with prestigious ballet companies and orchestras such as New York City Ballet, Ballet Estable Teatro Colon, and Slovenia National Opera Theater in Maribor. One of her favorite things to do while she is conducting in some of the world’s most renowned concert halls is to explore their history and to be able to go where most people are not allowed.
JOSEPH MONTALVO
Detective – Researcher/Writer
Joseph uses both the analytical and creative parts of his brain as our historical research assistant and writer. On the analytical side, he loves gathering the various relevant pieces of house-related information and – like the piecing together of a jigsaw puzzle – connecting them to form the larger picture that is a house history. Concurrently, he puts his creative side to work in transforming each house history into illustrative – yet entertaining – written content. Joseph’s degree in English is from the City University of New York and his career as a civil servant has been dedicated to helping those portions of the population most in need – youth, seniors, and our homeless. His current position requires coordinating emergency shelters for the citizens of the Greater New York City area in the event of severe flooding and/or hurricanes. Joseph is a proud Brooklyn native. Born in Red Hook and raised in Coney Island, he currently lives in Crown Heights.
TOM BECKHAM
Graphic Designer
Tom is a man of many talents. After graduating cum laude from Berklee College of Music in Boston, he moved to New York City to pursue his love of music and design. An accomplished jazz musician with three CDs as a leader and gigs at such places as Cornelia Street Cafe and Carnegie Hall, Tom has also worked in the graphic design field for more than 17 years. He’s found the perfect way to bring both worlds together though his independent design company, Tom Beckham Graphic Design, focusing primarily on indie music packaging. Among his many clients has been Playscape Recordings, Half Note Records, Nest Magazine, Writer’s Guild of America, East, and Rizzoli USA. He lives with his wife, daughter, newborn son, and several cats in Clinton Hill.
C. T. BONNELL
Illustrator
C. T. Bonnell is a Brooklyn-based artist, specializing in architecture, maps, history, and monsters. He earned an MFA in Illustration at the School of Visual Arts, where he received the Will Eisner Sequential Art Award. His clients include Mental Floss, Moleskine, and Prospect Park Alliance. He lives in a brownstone in Fort Greene with his wife and pet rabbit. Follow him on Instagram @ctbonnell or check out more of his work at ctbonnell.com.
