A Woods Hole nonprofit has purchased the longtime home of NPR radio station WCAI, although the station’s parent company says it is still looking for a new location for the Cape and Islands station.

The planned sale of the Captain Davis House, the historic building in Woods Hole that has served as WCAI’s home since 2000, was announced in late October by parent company GBH.

In response, the Woods Hole Community Association began to raise money in order to purchase the property from GBH. Last week, the Woods Hole Community Association announced they had raised the necessary $1.8 million from 350 donors and purchased the property on Jan. 16.

“We hope that WGBH will take the time to thoroughly consider the value of staying in the Captain Davis House under Community Association ownership,” the association’s statement reads.

In an email statement, GBH said that it is grateful to have sold the building to the association but the company is still looking for a new location for the radio station.

“The sale of this building, where CAI has based its radio operations for 25 years, will enable us to continue to invest in our local journalism at a time when many local news organizations are shutting down or reducing their reporting. We’re continuing to look for a new home nearby and will provide uninterrupted service during the move,” the statement said.

According to Nicole Boudreau, the director of communications at GBH, free rent had been offered as part of a deal to stay in the building, but they are still looking for a new location for the station.

The decision in October by GBH to sell the building caught WCAI employees and the people of Woods Hole by surprise. 

At the time, Catherine Bumpus, the president of the Woods Hole Community Association, told the Gazette that she was shocked by the decision.

“It is certainly a building of note in the village so it came to a shock to us. It also brings concerns about the future of the radio station,” she said. 

Following the announcement to sell, GBH president and CEO Susan Goldberg wrote an open letter to explain that the decision was based on finances. She stated that WCAI has lost more than $2 million over the past five years and that GBH is responsible for the financial losses.

“We need a new studio not only because we cannot afford to stay where we are, but for operational reasons, as well, including the need to upgrade our studio to meet specific broadcast standards,” Ms. Goldberg wrote.

Jay Allison, WCAI’s founder, said on Wednesday that he is proud to see the Woods Hole community come together around the building.

“It was one of those things where I thought we had accomplished everything we could do...and then it all got turned upside down rather suddenly,” he said. “That part was bothersome, but then I have been incredibly inspired by how they defended it. That part is great.”