Max Levai is expanding into Chelsea at a moment when much of the market is pulling back. The former president of Marlborough Gallery will open a 7,000-square-foot flagship at 529 West 20th Street this fall, his first permanent New York space after several years of operating between pop-ups, international projects like his presentation of works by Frank Auerbach at the 2024 Venice Biennale, and his Montauk compound, The Ranch. “Having a gallery that is permanent… has been on my mind for a while,” Levai told ARTnews this week by phone. “There’s a roster of artists I’m motivated to provide a proper stage for.”  Related Articles That stage, he believes, still belongs in Chelsea. While Tribeca has drawn a younger wave of galleries, Levai is blunt about where he sees the center of the market. “In my opinion, Chelsea is simply the best place to have a gallery,” he said, pointing to the scale and flexibility of its buildings. His previous Tribeca location, roughly 900 square feet, was suited to tightly focused historical shows. Plus, he said, …