When strolling down San Francisco's waterfront Embarcadero, the average pedestrian is likely taking in the breathtaking views, pondering coffee options, and thinking about how grand life is. What that person is probably not considering is that he or she is walking on one of the most endangered historic places in the United States. And yet, according to The National Trust for Historic Preservation, that is exactly what's happening.

A newly released report from the organization breaks down the important role played by the Embarcadero in our city, as well as the risks it faces. "Its historic character, enhanced by the 1991 demolition of the elevated Embarcadero Freeway and the subsequent completion of significant rehabilitation projects including the iconic Ferry Building, has contributed to a remarkable urban waterfront renaissance in San Francisco," we're told. "Despite these successes, however, the district is facing two major physical threats: earthquakes and sea level rise."

Oh, yeah. Those pesky things.

And while both the ever-present threat of earthquakes and the not-so-slow burning threat of sea rise are very much on most of our minds, it's perhaps easy to overlook just how bad it really is. "A recent earthquake vulnerability study of the Embarcadero’s historic 3-mile long seawall revealed greater than expected risk to the structure," the report warns us. "The Embarcadero’s buildings must also cope with a harsh marine environment—an ongoing threat that is dramatically exacerbated by climate change-related sea level rise. The Port of San Francisco anticipates a rise in sea level of up to 66 inches by 2100."

This is not exactly breaking news, and in fact we learned back in April that the Port of San Francisco had pegged the necessary repairs to the sea wall at roughly $3 billion, and they continue to study the issue.

The Chronicle picked up the new endangerment designation for the Embarcadero, and noted that this is not the first time a San Francisco landmark has made the list. It was just last year that the Old Mint received the same ignoble honor — which, according to the paper, served to shame city officials into doing something about the less than ideal state of the 142-year-old building.

“I’d say this is more good than bad — it’s a call to action,” the port’s interim director, Elaine Forbes, told the Chron. “We’re facing real threats.”

Which, sure, I also prefer my Ferry Building Blue Bottle served half-full rather than half-empty.

As for that "call to action" bit, the National Trust agrees. “An all-hands-on-deck approach will be necessary to ensure that the historic Embarcadero continues to serve as the historic gateway and cultural, recreational, and economic hub for the City by the Bay into the next century,” Stephanie Meeks, the National Trust President and CEO, said in a statement.

Other locations on this year's endangered list include the Chihuahuita and El Segundo Barrio Neighborhoods in El Paso, and the historic the Delta Queen steamboat in Houma, Louisiana.

Related: The Embarcadero, And SF's Seawall, Could Cost $3 Billion To Shore Up Against An Earthquake