— Permits were filed last week to begin rebuilding the construction project that sparked a historic fire in downtown Raleigh in March.

Officials said building permits were issued on Nov. 1 for the Metropolitan apartments. Once started, the project, which will include more than 200 apartments, could take up to 18 months to complete.

The five-alarm fire at the Metropolitan apartment construction site on March 17 damaged 10 nearby buildings and displaced dozens of residents in nearby condos.

The fire was the largest in Raleigh in 90 years, based on the size of response. Officials said 130 firefighters from the city and around Wake County battled the blaze.

Authorities in June said they were unable to determine the cause of the fire, which caused $50 million worth of damage.