By a unanimous 5-0 vote, San Diego County’s Historic Site Board granted Ilan-Lael, the Santa Ysabel home and art compound of James and Anne Hubbell and headquarters of the Ilan-Lael Foundation.  Historic Site Board Chair Scott Moomjian called the site “a treasured resource” and “one of the most important historic sites in the county”.

Excerpt From Heritage Architecture and Planning, Inc.

The 1958 James Hubbell Residence (Ilan-Lael) is primarily significant for its association with award-winning and internationally acclaimed artist, James Hubbell.  Buildings at the James Hubbell Residence were designed by the master artist and embody the organic, nature-inspired forms that have become Hubbell’s trademark.

Along with it being documented by dozens of publications, the property has been the subject of several documentaries.

The Ilan-Lael property was presented to the San Diego County Historic Sites Board for designation under local Criterion (2.), as a property identified with an important person in the County’s history; and under local Criterion (3.), as a good example of the “Hubbell style” variation of Modern Organic architecture.  In 2008, shortly after its submission, the County placed the property on the Local Register of Historic Resources.