October contracts for future non-residential construction in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area rose 96 percent in October to $419.2 million, from $213.7 million in October 2011, according to McGraw-Hill Construction.
Residential building contracts fell 18 percent to $207.4 million, from $251.6 million a year ago.
For the year to date, total building contracts are up 12 percent to $5.2 billion, from $4.7 billion in 2011.
The biggest increase has been in residential construction contracts, which totaled $2 billion for the year to date, an 18 percent increase from $1.7 million in the first 10 months of last year.
Nonresidential building contracts totaled $3.2 billion for the year to date, an 8 percent increase from $3 billion last year.





